Player Watch #27: Max Heath – traded from St Kilda

[Topkent]

Bit over analyzed here. Marking at VFL level is piss easy for anyone who isn't a spud, on the other no back up ruck is being traded for anything worth of value. Pretty much every half decent ruck started out as a worthless back up. Worthless position really for the most part

 

[Dancing Potato]

Bit over analyzed here. Marking at VFL level is piss easy for anyone who isn't a spud, on the other no back up ruck is being traded for anything worth of value. Pretty much every half decent ruck started out as a worthless back up. Worthless position really for the most part

Yeah, I mean it's to make any sort of judgement at this point.

But hey, he's the right age and size, was cheap as hell, and will get a couple of years with Gawn while hopefully getting some seniors time with the extended bench.

If we can turn him into an average ruck by the time Gawn retires then mission accomplished really.

 

[Demon Attack]

Nice to finally have someone else over 2m tall bunch of short people

 

[Proper Gander]

Bit over analyzed here. Marking at VFL level is piss easy for anyone who isn't a spud, on the other no back up ruck is being traded for anything worth of value. Pretty much every half decent ruck started out as a worthless back up. Worthless position really for the most part

I’ve never agreed with you that ruck is a worthless position. Or Leigh Matthews for that matter - though the rucks of his era were mostly relatively immobile tap men that you hope can mark it from a random long kick in.

A mobile ruck that can cover ground or rove their own work can be a real asset. Though the new rules look like buggering up the position again.

 

[Topkent]

I’ve never agreed with you that ruck is a worthless position. Or Leigh Matthews for that matter - though the rucks of his era were mostly relatively immobile tap men that you hope can mark it from a random long kick in.

A mobile ruck that can cover ground or rove their own work can be a real asset. Though the new rules look like buggering up the position again.

Exception not the rule, most rucks are just tall blokes. There's very few that genuinely impact

 

[PerfectFooty]

He's no Spruce Pruess. But then again who is?

 

[projectv]

Go well Moose.

Bit flat that we traded a cult hero, but it's good to see him get more opportunities.

 

[A11dAtP0w3R]

How thick am I, his nickname is Moose, we have the ORIGINAL Spruce Moose.

 

[Saintos The ITK]

Love the big Mooza. Hope he goes well with your mob. Reckon he will too. Good luck.

 

[markm106]

Going to prove a very handy pick up.

 

[PerfectFooty]

Seems to thrive on the physicality of the ruck. But does have some ability other than brute forcing a ball out to a mid. I don't want to go early because we've all championed a Preuss like pickup in the past

But I liked what i saw of him on the weekend
Tapwork was good, when he beat Xerri doesn't just smash it out or dead tap down. Seems to have good connection with the mids early days
Might not intercept like Gawn, but will put his frame in the way backing back if he needs to
Actually made Xerri look really lazy late drifting forward uncontested and unmanned twice

 

[The Dr]

He looks an AFL-standard ruck.

Whether or not he can play alongside Gawn remains to be seen. I imagine he and Kentfield would be neck and neck for that fed/ruck role.

 

[schmuttt]

He looks an AFL-standard ruck.

Whether or not he can play alongside Gawn remains to be seen. I imagine he and Kentfield would be neck and neck for that fed/ruck role.

Watched part of the game again and can't see why Kentfield wouldn't play over Jeffo at an absolute minimum.

 

[The Dr]

Watched part of the game again and can't see why Kentfield wouldn't play over Jeffo at an absolute minimum.

Yeah I agree.

I imagine JVR and Mihocek are locks, with Fritta and maybe Melk as mid-size talls.

That leaves one of Heath/Kentfield in the 23 I reckon. Jeffo needs to bang the door down at vfl level.

 

[Topkent]

Watched part of the game again and can't see why Kentfield wouldn't play over Jeffo at an absolute minimum.

From the 4 mins I watched kentfield looked a good size

 

[schmuttt]

From the 4 mins I watched kentfield looked a good size

He is noticeably a few cm taller than JVR/Jeffo and has a lot of presence in the air. Also jumped surprisingly well in the ruck.

 

[Lampers]

He looks an AFL-standard ruck.

Whether or not he can play alongside Gawn remains to be seen. I imagine he and Kentfield would be neck and neck for that fed/ruck role.

It could come down to horses for courses.

Play Gawn and Heath if the opponent is playing two genuine rucks.

Go with Gawn and JVR/Kentfield/someone else if the opponent is also using a key position tall as their relief ruck.

I know that might seem a bit reactionary to change based on opponent but we’ve seen plenty of teams do specific things to combat Melbourne in the past, in particular Gawn. One of the criticisms I had of Goodwin was he was too much “We play our way and are confident it will get it done” - especially once it was no longer getting it done.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

He should play deep forward (giving Max a ruck chop out) with JVR the roaming half forward role and Mihocek, Fritsch, Latrelle, Chandler rotating through with Kozzy, Melksham etc

Heath should take the ruck contests forward 50 and let Max play a kick behind the footy where he excels and also keeps him away from taking set shots.

 

[Topkent]

He should play deep forward (giving Max a ruck chop out) with JVR the roaming half forward role and Mihocek, Fritsch, Latrelle, Chandler rotating through with Kozzy, Melksham etc

Heath should take the ruck contests forward 50 and let Max play a kick behind the footy where he excels and also keeps him away from taking set shots.

This feels way to tall

Heath, JVR, Mihocek and Fritsch with 2 smalls. Any kick in that doesn't find a target is getting rebounded straight out.

 

[Gysberts2Bate]

Stynes > White > Jamar > Gawn > Jackson (RIP) > Heath, the ruck supremacy continues

 

[JP2]

We've actually had an incredibly good run at finding / developing high-quality ruckmen over my lifetime considering how rare they are across the league. We've even developed ruckmen like Troy Simmonds

Troy Simmonds

Age

47

Ht

197cm

Wt

99kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.2

3star

K

7.5

3star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

2.1

4star

HO

12.7

5star

No current season stats available

D

5.6

2star

K

3.0

1star

HB

2.6

3star

HO

9.8

5star

and Darren Jolly

Darren Jolly

Age

44

Ht

200cm

Wt

108kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

9.4

2star

K

5.2

2star

HB

4.2

3star

CL

2.3

4star

HO

21.0

5star

No current season stats available

D

3.2

1star

K

1.6

1star

HB

1.6

2star

HO

3.2

5star

who went on to have successful careers outside of the club after they couldn't get reliable game-time with us.

If only we'd had the same hit-rate with KPFs...

 

[Topkent]

We've actually had an incredibly good run at finding / developing high-quality ruckmen over my lifetime considering how rare they are across the league. We've even developed ruckmen like Troy Simmonds and Darren Jolly who went on to have successful careers outside of the club after they couldn't get reliable game-time with us.

If only we'd had the same hit-rate with KPFs...

Stefan Martin aswell.

 

[Demonic Ascent]

Stynes > White > Jamar > Gawn > Jackson (RIP) > Heath, the ruck supremacy continues

Strawbs O'Dwyer before Stynes too

 

[Demonic Ascent]

This feels way to tall

Heath, JVR, Mihocek and Fritsch with 2 smalls. Any kick in that doesn't find a target is getting rebounded straight out.

Hmm maybe but if JVR is pushing up towards the wing from half forward and Kozzie pushing deep forward from mid it might alleviate that. Who would you drop out, Fritsch?

 

[Topkent]

Hmm maybe but if JVR is pushing up towards the wing from half forward and Kozzie pushing deep forward from mid it might alleviate that. Who would you drop out, Fritsch?

Maybe one of them just rests on the bench and it doesn't matter then. I dunno one of the mid size talls. I'd play Fritsch over Mihocek