Prediction AFC RUCKS: Tap Tap Taperoo

[Betts are off]

James Craig #61 of 2009.
Shaun McKernan #28 in 2008?

Maric & Meesen were both in 2004.

And I guess it depends on whether we consider Himmelberg & Dear (both 198cm) as rucks, or forwards?

Yeah I thought of those guys, and McKernan, but for us they've never really played ruck. Berg has chopped out so I guess he's borderline, but I dont think Ogilvie thought of him as a ruck when he drafted him.

Bit of a grey area I admit!

 

[Next Gen Rookie]

Yeah I thought of those guys, and McKernan, but for us they've never really played ruck. Berg has chopped out so I guess he's borderline, but I dont think Ogilvie thought of him as a ruck when he drafted him.

Bit of a grey area I admit!

I'm in the same boat, thinking of smack, Dear & Berg as forwards (hence not including Skurt in the mix either).

 

[Houston]

The fact is that no matter what we do we aren't going to be a side with a strong ruck department this year.
With that in mind if like to pass the torch to ROB, let's see what he's got to give and then we can make a call on how much currency we need to splash around at the end of the season.

 

[LC40]

Weird question, but who was the last Ruck we drafted in the National draft? ROB, Strachan and Hunter were all rookie drafts, Sauce and Jenkins were both traded in. Pretty Sure Tippett and Griffin were both Rookie draft picks in the 00's.

Was it Ivan Maric in 04 or am I missing someone?

14 National drafts without getting a ruck is pretty freakin mind blowing. I wonder if any other team can say that!

Tippett was 32 pick in 2006 draft.

 

[Bicks]

Tippett was 32 pick in 2006 draft.

John Meesen ?

The same year we drafted Maric.

James Craig in 2009

 

[AFC979810]

But yet here we have one of the most successful coaches ever in the AFL discussing how he believes the new rules will make dominant ruckmen much more crucial to games....

They might become more important, but thats off of an already low base.

PS you cant lump Hale/McEvoy into that group. Both very adept ruckmen who can impact in other areas of the ground.

They were decent Ruckman. Not dominant Ruckman. Thats my point.

Same goes for Vardy/Lycett. Vardy has always been very talented it's just been injuries holding him back, and Lycett is a very handy ruck/forward despite most of this board slamming him for whatever reason.

Meh. Both are solid players, but hardly dominant Ruckman. WCE were happy to see Lycett go. When was the last dominant Ruckman really a key contributor to an AFL premiership side?

 

[azza77]

They might become more important, but thats off of an already low base.



They were decent Ruckman. Not dominant Ruckman. Thats my point.



Meh. Both are solid players, but hardly dominant Ruckman. WCE were happy to see Lycett go. When was the last dominant Ruckman really a key contributor to an AFL premiership side?

Think WCE were happy to let him go as a sort of money ball decision. Have Nic Nat potentially coming back, Vardy has proven his body might have finally adjusted, and were able to get a very underrated around the ground ruckman in Hickey for peanuts.

But yeah your original point is all good and well, I just think 2017 and 16 were somewhat outliers. In the past teams have had decent-good ruck duos who have worked opponents over, while also providing a decent marking target up forward.

I think going forward this whole ruck duo thing may be accentuated. We may think it's a good sign the ruck is our biggest problem, but it may also come back to bite us in the ass.

 

[Shaz2012]

If taking the ball out of the ruck becomes a crucial part of the game this year then I think we will be at a huge disadvantage. Unless Sauce can break even in this area we’re probably better off with ROB who will be quicker to react at ground level and put pressure/tackle and limit the damage at stoppages.

Don’t understand how some people think the ruckman isn’t important to winning games

 

[jackster83]

If taking the ball out of the ruck becomes a crucial part of the game this year then I think we will be at a huge disadvantage. Unless Sauce can break even in this area we’re probably better off with ROB who will be quicker to react at ground level and put pressure/tackle and limit the damage at stoppages.

Don’t understand how some people think the ruckman isn’t important to winning games

 

[Shaz2012]

But Collingwood didn’t win the flag so he must be irrelevant

 

[WetCrow1991]

Jacobs stunk in 2018.

 

[Sanders]

John Meesen ?

The same year we drafted Maric.

James Craig in 2009

James Craig was 195 cms. He wasn’t a ruck prospect at AFL level

 

[AFC979810]

But Collingwood didn’t win the flag so he must be irrelevant

Thats a bit of a pork chop statement, isn't it?

My point is and will continue to be that a dominant Ruckman is not crucial to winning the flag. As has been by the last 8 premiership winning teams. I haven't had the chance to go further back than that, but would love to know the last time the team that won the flag had the All Australian Ruckman?

Even looking back to last year - I don't think Sauce was our problem in the midfield. Yeah he didn't have a great year, but think the fact that we had no Brad Crouch and Sloane playing just 12 games hurt us much much more. If we can have a full season from 2 fit Crouches, healthy Sloane and Gibbs - that midfield group is going to be able to overcome any ruck deficiencies.

 

[WeeBlake]

Jacobs himself has been saying things that show he knows and accepts he’s near the end. Like when someone resigned (Sloane?) and he said he’d be a few seasons deep at Ardrossan FC by the end of the contract.