Player Watch #20: Zac Clarke - Secondary bleed from corked calf, unavailable for ANZAC day - 23/4

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owen87

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#35
It's good that we don't have to rush Draper in if Bellchambers goes down.
Good planning; we should be aiming for finals and a genuine backup ruckman was a real weakness for us.

If Clarke is in good form it keeps pressure on Bellchambers to perform, and we aren’t going to be too disadvantaged in the ruck if Bellchambers needs a rest or is injured.
 

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BrunoV

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#45
Wouldn't have been my choice. I want the back up to be a competitor dont really care about stints forward and fitness around the ground.

Interesting that we picked him over Draper. I'd have expected a lot more from Draper if not the ability to ruck quite as long in that heat
 

un_eggs

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#46
He’s important as experienced depth. As such he needs to play minutes to get to know our onballers. It was absolutely the right decision to play him in the first ‘meh’ game. I’d play him in the next one too so that he can work in tandem with Bellcho. I’m in no rush for Drapes to be thrust forward - he’s coming along nicely anyhoo.
 
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#48
Took a nice grab and kicked a goal, could kick a few resting forward. But if TBC goes down, god help us all. I'd back Grundy in for 40 touches against this bloke
 

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#49
Took a nice grab and kicked a goal, could kick a few resting forward. But if TBC goes down, god help us all. I'd back Grundy in for 40 touches against this bloke
Do you expect TBC to be capable of nullifying Grundy by up to 20 possessions? Let’s face it, Grundy is just as likely to rack em up against TBC as against Clarke. My concern would be more likely related to how easily Collingwood’s midfield will clear the centre square supplying their forwards at will. This is why Smack is the better combo with TBC as he will provide a 4th presence once the ball hits the deck at stoppages. Clarke will not give us much there but will get his hand to the ball a lot more against second string rucks.
 
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#50
Do you expect TBC to be capable of nullifying Grundy by up to 20 possessions? Let’s face it, Grundy is just as likely to rack em up against TBC as against Clarke. My concern would be more likely related to how easily Collingwood’s midfield will clear the centre square supplying their forwards at will. This is why Smack is the better combo with TBC as he will provide a 4th presence once the ball hits the deck at stoppages. Clarke will not give us much there but will get his hand to the ball a lot more against second string rucks.
TBC's defensive abilities are underrated IMO, very rarely do ruckman have a day out against him, the game against WC last year was a perfect example where he completely took Naitanui out of the game and had a great game himself.

I severely doubt Clarke's defensive capabilities, at times on Thursday night he made Lobbe and Phillips look like Dean Cox. Had no issue with him getting his hand on the footy but when he did they seemed to go to a Carlton player more often than an Essendon player, Cripps was reading him like a book.
 
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