4th Ruckman

[Jack-Packenham]

With Ottens traded to the cats as a forward and King injury prone and Blake "green as grass" and Chambers gone, do the cats need to trade for a back up ruckman or draft a young guy in the national draft. We could also rookie list a couple of guys and call on them if required. Daniel Bandy was mentioned by the Addy as to which I nearly choked on my weet bix. We don't want to get caught short with Mooney getting smashed in the tap outs like the last 10 minutes in Sydney. Mooney is great around the ground but I think we need a back up, just in case. I would take a punt on Barry Brooks from the saints for pick 47.

 

[catempire]

With Ottens traded to the cats as a forward and King injury prone and Blake "green as grass" and Chambers gone, do the cats need to trade for a back up ruckman or draft a young guy in the national draft. We could also rookie list a couple of guys and call on them if required. Daniel Bandy was mentioned by the Addy as to which I nearly choked on my weet bix. We don't want to get caught short with Mooney getting smashed in the tap outs like the last 10 minutes in Sydney. Mooney is great around the ground but I think we need a back up, just in case. I would take a punt on Barry Brooks from the saints for pick 47.

I am uneasy about going into a season with basically all of our rucking hopes resting with King and Ottens given their history with injury.

But maybe it’s a chance we have to take.

If things turn out for the worst and we have to play Blake for more than we would have liked, so be it. He is going to be a player of the future for us and it will fast track his development (much like what happened with Egan this year). We’ve done fine in the past two seasons without a ruckman (Mooney shouldering the load) – winning clearances and enough midfield possession to finish 4th and 5th.

I say rookie-list a ruckman and in the worst case scenario we can promote them if needed.

 

[G_Money]

I think we do need a fourth ruckman (realistically probably even a third, unless Blake comes along in leaps and bounds over summer). I don't know what options there are out there, Bandy doesn't appeal to me and I don't know if the Saints (who are short on ruckmen themselves) would trade Brooks for a low pick. Then there is the persistent problem of drafting players from within the system - they don't come cheap, and our cap is pretty full.

I liked the idea from another thread of drafting another 18 year old ruckman this year (Banjanin from Calder was mentioned, I know nothing about the available kids) and saving him up for 2008/9. We need to realise that ruckmen are slow to develop, and a good one is invaluable. I would prefer to have a developing ruckman on the list than Spencer and McCarthy.

I think our draft priorities should be:

1) Quick, finishing, goal kicking midfielder/half forward
2) Ruckmen
3) Tall defenders (like rucks, they need time to develop)
4) Dylan Smith (personal bias here, he's a family friend and would be a good depth player, and would be cheap)

If no high quality midfielders or flankers in that mould are available with our first pick, I would consider using it on the best available ruck, rather than another midfielder in the same mould as we already have.

GM

 

[Jack-Packenham]

I think our draft priorities should be:

1) Quick, finishing, goal kicking midfielder/half forward
2) Ruckmen
3) Tall defenders (like rucks, they need time to develop)
4) Dylan Smith (personal bias here, he's a family friend and would be a good depth player, and would be cheap)

If no high quality midfielders or flankers in that mould are available with our first pick, I would consider using it on the best available ruck, rather than another midfielder in the same mould as we already have.

GM

Point 1 I totally agree with. Dale Thomas if available at 15.

Point 2 I totally agree with

Point 3 We are covered. Still got Scarlett Harley Egan Spencer

Point 4 I would take Jeremy Clayton instead of Smith. But I agree with the theory.

 

[G_Money]

Point 3 We are covered. Still got Scarlett Harley Egan Spencer

I have a feling that Spencer won't make it, he's just a bit too slow from what I've seen. Egan has made amazing progress this year, and looks a ten year player to me, but I think we need to prepare for life post Harley/Scarlett.

Tommy's body just seems brittle these days, and he will miss games next year. That makes Egan our 2nd tall defender, which means either Mooney or Rooke has to play as the third, and I don't think those are the ideal roles for those guys. I would just love to get another Egan type steal this year, or alternatively a kid who can fill that role in two or three years time.

That's my reasoning, but I can see why people would be pretty comfortable with our KP defenders.

GM

 

[Jack-Packenham]

I have a feling that Spencer won't make it, he's just a bit too slow from what I've seen. Egan has made amazing progress this year, and looks a ten year player to me, but I think we need to prepare for life post Harley/Scarlett.

Tommy's body just seems brittle these days, and he will miss games next year. That makes Egan our 2nd tall defender, which means either Mooney or Rooke has to play as the third, and I don't think those are the ideal roles for those guys. I would just love to get another Egan type steal this year, or alternatively a kid who can fill that role in two or three years time.

That's my reasoning, but I can see why people would be pretty comfortable with our KP defenders.

GM

If we can get rid of Haynes McCarthy Gardiner and Chambers (done), we will probably pick at least 2 key position players. Most likely a defender and a forward/ruckman.

 

[Turbocat]

My point of view was posted on another thread after we lost Sarge, so I'LL just repaste it

I am under the impression that he had offers from other clubs, he was out of contract so our bargaining position was diminished. We apparently offered him a one year deal while Sydney has offered him a 3 year deal. If no deal was taken then he would have been taken by someone pre season for no remuneration at all, in the P35 is light but acceptable. Coupled with this Bomber really thing Chambers been an honest contributor and would try to do the right thing by him if possible.

It shows how much more trade ability big, fit guys have. Street and Sarge are hardly world beaters, spent years on our list and if shorter they would have been gone and their original drafting and the work we put into them totally wasted.It points out a little flaw in our list model, Id say we should have 4-5 ruckmen on our books and slowly develop them. Maybe an extra ruckmen and one less of the Gardiner/Haynes type would be better long term at least pick two rookie ruckmen and keep the best after two years

A kid like Andrew Banjanin at the Falcons might be the type of kid I'm talking about. Pick him and bank him for 09+. My policy is to plant the seed and reep our own harvest. All thats need was patience and for thought.

Now this does help us next year and I fear we may chase an other short term solution, like Gardner from WC, and end up with another washed up big guy. I dont trust medicals , every guy we get passes then breaks down

The info on rucks in this years draft is its flakey and you wouldnt want to use an early pick on them, however given time they could be quite usefull, heres a summary I found on another thread

What I have been surprised with is that in general the big boys have good solid ball skills. All of them appear not to take enough contested marks for my liking but ruckmen do take a lot of time to develop and none of them look unco.

Ryder - lacks a bit of height and makes up for it by having a great leap and being better around the ground. He could get found out around the ground by bigger bodied ruckmen at ball ups and throw ins. Bottom aged so he may still be growing. He beat Warnock easily at the carnival

Warnock - more strength than you think but does not have much of a leap which can be exposed at centre bounces. Once he gets the ball he has good vision for what is around him.

West - the closest to being ready to play AFL football in the ruck, he has a big body with a reasonable leap. I dont see him as a superstar but he appeals to me a lot more than most of the second ruckmen at clubs.

Neaves - lumbering old style ruckman, not sure he is quick enough for AFL football but certainly enough there to entice clubs to give him a go.

McEntee - agile and new to football, has a lot of improvement left in him as he has only played the game for a couple of years. Can leap, mark and good below his knees but is very green. Doubt he will go early but whoever gets him will be sitting there thinking they have got a bargain pick. Is a skinny boy but aren't most ruckmen at that age.

Graham - impressed with tasmania but looked out of his depth against west on the weekend. Looks to be mobile and athletic but not sure if he has the mindset to succeed as he should have a greater impact than he is.

Banjanin - only played 6 tac cup games but is 200cm and is good around the ball ups at ground level and his tapping needs to become more directed but appears to have a reasonable amount of speed and is agile. the wild card of those listed

He sounds raw but , good height and as Rookie we can see what hes like for a couple of years.