Ruckman

[Merrett2Daniher]

With the recent mega-deal for Tom De Koning

12

Tom De Koning

Age

26

Ht

201cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

5.0

4star

CL

0.5

2star

HO

1.5

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

5.0

4star

CL

0.5

3star

HO

1.5

5star

and reports that Sam Draper was asking big money before ultimately nominating Brisbane, I can’t help but wonder is it really worth tying up so much of a club’s cap in ruckmen?


Looking back at the past decade of premiership teams, the trend seems pretty clear: only once in the last 10 years has a flag been won with a genuinely top-tier, highly paid ruck duo Max Gawn

11

Max Gawn

Age

33

Ht

209cm

Wt

110kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

14.1

4star

K

7.4

3star

HB

6.7

4star

CL

2.8

4star

HO

35.3

5star

D

18.5

4star

K

11.5

4star

HB

7.0

4star

CL

3.5

4star

HO

29.2

5star

D

8.4

3star

K

3.6

2star

HB

4.8

4star

CL

1.0

3star

HO

15.6

5star

and Luke Jackson

9

Luke Jackson

Age

24

Ht

199cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

F/R

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

2star

K

3.3

1star

HB

5.0

3star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

2star

G

0.3

3star

D

8.3

3star

K

3.3

2star

HB

5.0

4star

M

1.5

2star

T

1.0

3star

G

0.3

3star

in 2021. More often than not, clubs have gone with serviceable, battle-hardened rucks who compete honestly in the hit-outs and let their midfield and forward line take control.


Meanwhile, Brodie Grundy

4

Brodie Grundy

Age

31

Ht

202cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

17.5

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.1

5star

HO

32.0

5star

D

16.4

4star

K

6.8

3star

HB

9.6

5star

CL

4.0

5star

HO

34.6

5star

D

13.8

4star

K

5.2

2star

HB

8.6

5star

CL

2.6

5star

HO

20.6

5star

has appeared in two losing grand final sides, and Nic Naitanui also featured in two runner-up teams both elite talents, but not enough to push their clubs over the line.


So the question is: are clubs overvaluing top-end ruck talent when history shows premiership success has more often come from solid, cost-effective big men rather than the big-money stars?

Year	Premier — No.1 / No.2 ruck	Runner-up — No.1 / No.2 ruck
2024	Brisbane — Darcy Fort / Joe Daniher	Sydney — Brodie Grundy / Hayden McLean
2023	Collingwood — Darcy Cameron / Mason Cox	Brisbane — Oscar McInerney / Joe Daniher
2022	Geelong — Rhys Stanley / Mark Blicavs	Sydney — Tom Hickey / Hayden McLean
2021	Melbourne — Max Gawn / Luke Jackson	Western Bulldogs — Stefan Martin / Tim English
2020	Richmond — Toby Nankervis / David Astbury 12 David Astbury Age 34 Ht 195cm Wt 96kg Pos. Def Career Season Last 5 D 13.1 3star K 7.9 3star HB 5.2 4star M 5.3 5star T 1.3 3star MG 204.2 3star D 14.8 4star K 9.8 4star HB 5.0 3star M 5.0 5star T 1.5 2star MG 230.8 4star D 8.4 3star K 5.0 2star HB 3.4 3star M 2.4 3star T 1.8 4star	Geelong — Rhys Stanley / Mark Blicavs
2019	Richmond — Ivan Soldo / Toby Nankervis	GWS — Shane Mumford / Jeremy Finlayson 11 Jeremy Finlayson Age 29 Ht 197cm Wt 93kg Pos. Fwd Career Season Last 5 D 13.5 3star K 9.9 4star HB 3.6 3star M 4.5 4star T 1.4 3star G 1.3 5star D 7.0 1star K 7.0 3star HB 0.0 1star M 1.0 1star T 2.0 3star G 1.0 4star D 18.4 5star K 12.6 5star HB 5.8 4star M 3.8 4star T 1.6 4star G 0.0 1star
2018	West Coast — Scott Lycett / Nathan Vardy	Collingwood — Brodie Grundy / Mason Cox
2017	Richmond — Toby Nankervis / Shaun Grigg	Adelaide — Sam Jacobs / Josh Jenkins
2016	Western Bulldogs — Jordan Roughead / Tom Boyd	Sydney — Sam Naismith / Callum Sinclair
2015	Hawthorn — Ben McEvoy / David Hale	West Coast — Nic Naitanui / Callum Sinclair

 

[iameviljez]

Shaun Grigg still makes me laugh.

 

[joe444]

Shaun Grigg still makes me laugh.

2016 - Wayne Campbell is umpires boss and calls for the removal of the 3rd man up rule for the 2017 season (perfected by Mark Blicavs) before conveniently leaving the job with plausible deniability.

2017 - The "Campbell/Blicavs" rule introduced. Richmond win premiership with Geelong effectively muzzled.

You know it's true.

 

[A Swallow]

I tend to agree somewhat, however I think Nankervis’ influence cannot be understated in those Richmond sides either.

 

[kane249]

When you consider Gawn, Cox, Sandilands, Naitanui and Grundy have 23 All-Australian jumpers between them, but only 2 flags speaks volumes

 

[JasRulz63]

I reckon the ideal is a 'good enough' ruckman that you're not paying big money to. Someone who's around average or just below average.

That being said, there's talk of new ruck rules coming next year that would allow ruckman to jump at the ball again, which may make athletic ruckman more valuable again.

 

[iameviljez]

2016 - Wayne Campbell is umpires boss and calls for the removal of the 3rd man up rule for the 2017 season (perfected by Mark Blicavs) before conveniently leaving the job with plausible deniability.

2017 - The "Campbell/Blicavs" rule introduced. Richmond win premiership with Geelong effectively muzzled.

You know it's true.

I'm off to buy extra alfoil as we speak!

 

[HairyO]

A good but not great ruckman is needed. St Kilda seem hellbent on destroying the structure of the AFL with their ridiculous contracts.

No doubt they will be begging for help in the next couple of years.

 

[nineteen eighty]

I tend to agree somewhat, however I think Nankervis’ influence cannot be understated in those Richmond sides either.

He was a clearance machine for us. Once the ball hit the deck, it was Nank in and under moving it on by any means. You're spot on!

A good ruckman who can take marks around the ground, contribute 20'ish goals a year, tap (to advantage) regularly is priceless. They are very rare though and hard to come by. Gawn is a standout during his era. Cox before then. NicNat was peerless when it came to tapping to advantage and clearance work. But none of them kicked goals regularly. Gawn probably the closest. And even he falls short on that front. And they all had deficiencies.

The best I have seen is Simon Madden. Marked. Tapped beautifully. Kicked 600 or 700 goals. Unbelievable. He would be worth $1.7m in todays game. TDK is in the right place at the right time. Not sure what Draper is going to get but Brisbane surely couldn't pay overs given their list and some of the young kids coming through who will be expecting hefty pay rises.

 

[My Tilly]

The AFL are going to change a couple of ruck rules so those who are athletic will be able utilize these qualities once again.
A player such as Tom De Koning

12

Tom De Koning

Age

26

Ht

201cm

Wt

102kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

8.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

5.0

4star

CL

0.5

2star

HO

1.5

4star

No current season stats available

D

8.0

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

5.0

4star

CL

0.5

3star

HO

1.5

5star

is going to be in his element. Simply unbeatable at center ruck bounces (throw up's). While it's ludicrous money, De Koning & Jackson are going to benefit the most.

 

[joe444]

I'm off to buy extra alfoil as we speak!

They've got ya covered.

 

[joe444]

The AFL are going to change a couple of ruck rules so those who are athletic will be able utilize these qualities once again ...

Au contrare.

Half the number of throwins, and in positions where a key position player can compete?

And entirely predictable ball ups in the centre?

I'd suggest now is not the time to be throwing huge cheques at ruckmen.

 

[00Stinger]

2016 - Wayne Campbell is umpires boss and calls for the removal of the 3rd man up rule for the 2017 season (perfected by Mark Blicavs) before conveniently leaving the job with plausible deniability.

2017 - The "Campbell/Blicavs" rule introduced. Richmond win premiership with Geelong effectively muzzled.

You know it's true.

yep. Grigg effectively had the rule changed because of the fast it became

 

[00Stinger]

When you consider Gawn, Cox, Sandilands, Naitanui and Grundy have 23 All-Australian jumpers between them, but only 2 flags speaks volumes

Gawn and Cox were in a different class to the other two to be fair

So effectively unless you have the two clear best ruckman of at least the last 40 years (Gawn & Cox) you are better off with an average workhorse as ruckman

 

[iameviljez]

A good ruckman who can take marks around the ground, contribute 20'ish goals a year, tap (to advantage) regularly is priceless. They are very rare though and hard to come by. Gawn is a standout during his era. Cox before then. NicNat was peerless when it came to tapping to advantage and clearance work. But none of them kicked goals regularly. Gawn probably the closest. And even he falls short on that front. And they all had deficiencies.

The best I have seen is Simon Madden. Marked. Tapped beautifully. Kicked 600 or 700 goals. Unbelievable. He would be worth $1.7m in todays game. TDK is in the right place at the right time. Not sure what Draper is going to get but Brisbane surely couldn't pay overs given their list and some of the young kids coming through who will be expecting hefty pay rises.

I think what has really, really changed is that being a 'good' tap is much, much less valuable than it once was. With the large amount of congestion around the ground, and the growing smarts of stoppage coaching, clear tap-to-clearance events are extremely rare.

 

[kane249]

Gawn and Cox were in a different class to the other two to be fair

So effectively unless you have the two clear best ruckman of at least the last 40 years (Gawn & Cox) you are better off with an average workhorse as ruckman

Even then only 2 flags for Gawn and Cox, so it just shows having an elite ruck doesn't give you a dynasty

 

[nineteen eighty]

The AFL are going to change a couple of ruck rules so those who are athletic will be able utilize these qualities once again.
A player such as Tom De Koning is going to be in his element. Simply unbeatable at center ruck bounces (throw up's). While it's ludicrous money, De Koning & Jackson are going to benefit the most.

I've missed this...what ruck rules are they looking to change?

 

[NetworkNerd]

I've missed this...what ruck rules are they looking to change?

There will also be the last touch rule... meaning far fewer boundary throw ins...

 

[tiger_tough]

With the recent mega-deal for Tom De Koning and reports that Sam Draper was asking big money before ultimately nominating Brisbane, I can’t help but wonder is it really worth tying up so much of a club’s cap in ruckmen?


Looking back at the past decade of premiership teams, the trend seems pretty clear: only once in the last 10 years has a flag been won with a genuinely top-tier, highly paid ruck duo Max Gawn and Luke Jackson in 2021. More often than not, clubs have gone with serviceable, battle-hardened rucks who compete honestly in the hit-outs and let their midfield and forward line take control.


Meanwhile, Brodie Grundy has appeared in two losing grand final sides, and Nic Naitanui also featured in two runner-up teams both elite talents, but not enough to push their clubs over the line.


So the question is: are clubs overvaluing top-end ruck talent when history shows premiership success has more often come from solid, cost-effective big men rather than the big-money stars?

Year	Premier — No.1 / No.2 ruck	Runner-up — No.1 / No.2 ruck
2024	Brisbane — Darcy Fort / Joe Daniher	Sydney — Brodie Grundy / Hayden McLean
2023	Collingwood — Darcy Cameron / Mason Cox	Brisbane — Oscar McInerney / Joe Daniher
2022	Geelong — Rhys Stanley / Mark Blicavs	Sydney — Tom Hickey / Hayden McLean
2021	Melbourne — Max Gawn / Luke Jackson	Western Bulldogs — Stefan Martin / Tim English
2020	Richmond — Toby Nankervis / David Astbury	Geelong — Rhys Stanley / Mark Blicavs
2019	Richmond — Ivan Soldo / Toby Nankervis	GWS — Shane Mumford / Jeremy Finlayson
2018	West Coast — Scott Lycett / Nathan Vardy	Collingwood — Brodie Grundy / Mason Cox
2017	Richmond — Toby Nankervis / Shaun Grigg	Adelaide — Sam Jacobs / Josh Jenkins
2016	Western Bulldogs — Jordan Roughead / Tom Boyd	Sydney — Sam Naismith / Callum Sinclair
2015	Hawthorn — Ben McEvoy / David Hale	West Coast — Nic Naitanui / Callum Sinclair

Balta was our 2nd ruck in 2020, not Astbury.

He has the AFLs most unique skillset, ya know.

 

[tiger_tough]

2016 - Wayne Campbell is umpires boss and calls for the removal of the 3rd man up rule for the 2017 season (perfected by Mark Blicavs) before conveniently leaving the job with plausible deniability.

2017 - The "Campbell/Blicavs" rule introduced. Richmond win premiership with Geelong effectively muzzled.

You know it's true.

 

[SSSSSS]

I tend to agree somewhat, however I think Nankervis’ influence cannot be understated in those Richmond sides either.

David Hale was a master at nullifying opposition ruckmen and hurting them on the scoreboard.

 

[nineteen eighty]

Ok so by the looks of it, the impact of some of the proposed changes next year may mean:

• fewer ruck contests
• less stoppages

Marking and clearance work will then be at a premium for mine. Shame Nank is towards the end of his career.

 

[iameviljez]

David Hale was a master at nullifying opposition ruckmen and hurting them on the scoreboard.

Hale was almost the perfect second ruckman. Just as good as a number one in ruck contests, but extremely capable as a tall forward. Would be worth a mint in the modern era.

 

[Bianconeri]

So the question is: are clubs overvaluing top-end ruck talent when history shows premiership success has more often come from solid, cost-effective big men rather than the big-money stars?

Yes

 

[SSSSSS]

Hale was almost the perfect second ruckman. Just as good as a number one in ruck contests, but extremely capable as a tall forward. Would be worth a mint in the modern era.

Leigh Brown was a bit of a meme player at the time but you put him in a side in 2025 and he'd probably be a late 1st rounder.