Prediction AFC RUCKS: Tap Tap Taperoo

[Betts are off]

The AFC ruck position has been a 1 man show since 2011, and in that time I doubt anyone could question the service Sauce has given over the years. The man has been great for us, but its coming to the time in his career where we need to embrace for the inevitability of his decline.



Of course no-one wants this (and now that i've said it he will probably be the AA Ruckman and win the Brownlow) but the fact remains that Sauce is a 200+cm, soon to be 31 year old with recent chronic back problems, and has already taken a major step backwards in his ability to impact the play in 2018.

With this in mind I want to open up the floor to what we see as realistic expectations for our Ruckmen in 2019.

Do we want to keep in Sauce and play him into the ground for the chance at better tap work, even if this means sacrificing around the ground mobility?
Do we want to get in ROB and increase mobility and athleticism in the position, even if it sacrifices tap work or footskills?
Do we want to make the position more offensive with JJ and Berg, even if means we lose out in the center bounce?
Do we want to want to use 1 or more of these younger guys as defensive lock down players against the games best Rucks (Gawn, Grundy etc) who seemingly destroy the AFC every time we play them?

Or something completely different.

Me, I'm unashamedly team ROB, I think we need to get him games this year, (lots of games), and utilize his vastly superior aerobic capacity get the extra link man back into our midfield gameplan. I have no doubt it would come with growing pains, but i'm willing to ride them out.

There's no wrong answers just opinions, so try and keep it civil. Also i've put a pole up seeing who we think will be the 1st ruck for the season opener, this will be open until the teams are announced for round 1.

Cheers
Bets Are Off!

 

[1990crow]

Depends what form Sauce is in this preseason really. If he’s not jumping, not getting hit outs to advantage there’s really no point playing him. Because that’s his advantage, and our midfield needs that.

 

[Betts are off]

Depends what form Sauce is in this preseason really. If he’s not jumping, not getting hit outs to advantage there’s really no point playing him. Because that’s his advantage, and our midfield needs that.

To be honest I think he's still our premier ruckman in terms of tapwork, but I really cant see him handling the athletic vigors of the game anymore, even if his back is right. Especially against the best rucks who all seem to be athletic specimens.

And at a certain point you need to weigh up if the 10 or so more hit outs we might get a game are worth the flogging we got in 2018 around the ground.

 

[jackster83]

There is zero chance that Jacobs plays in the SANFL. Zero.

What will happen is that he will get rested for 2-3 games late in the season.

 

[Betts are off]

There is zero chance that Jacobs plays in the SANFL. Zero.

What will happen is that he will get rested for 2-3 games late in the season.

Bold statement. I like it.

I wholeheartedly hope you are way off though! If we play Sauce for 18-19 games this year then I will be utterly furious!

 

[Scorpus]

If there were 25 games to play, Jacobs would play 30. That's how locked in to the team he is

 

[Bicks]

I'll wait until I can do the 2019 "eye test" before jumping to any conclusions.

 

[GameofSloanes]

The ability to win centre clearances will be one of the most important factors this year with the 666 rule. As a result, Jacobs will definitely play. I wouldn't be upset if we used ROB to run around the ground and provide a more athletic ruck for periods while Sauce is resting up forward. Might make our forward line too tall though

 

[Reakts97]

Gotta admit O’brien 2km run is pretty impressive although not sure he has the leap and tap work to go with it but surely his next in line?

 

[Betts are off]

I'll wait until I can do the 2019 "eye test" before jumping to any conclusions.

By most reports so far this offseason ROB is destroying the eye test.

Game day in the JLT will be fascinating to see if it translates

 

[Footypie32]

Jacobs may have been 5th for total Hit-outs last season, but he was totally middle of the road for HO To Advantage.

With an interrupted pre-season and being a year older, do we think that will get better or worse?

I really haven't seen much of ROB play, but is his tap-work really that far behind Jacobs?

 

[Betts are off]

If there were 25 games to play, Jacobs would play 30. That's how locked in to the team he is

I feel like this is the season where the cuts need to be made to ‘lock players’! And not just Sauce, but guys like DMAC, and Dougy. Best 22 in years gone by can’t be the reason to be picked over good young players anymore.

We’ve got more then enough 80+ gamers on the list now that the borderline calls should go towards youth over experience IMO

 

[Bicks]

By most reports so far this offseason ROB is destroying the eye test.

Game day in the JLT will be fascinating to see if it translates

AFL is the "eye test" not training or intra club trial matches.

 

[Footypie32]

We’ve got more then enough 80+ gamers on the list now that the borderline calls should go towards performance over experience IMO

EFA

 

[Betts are off]

The ability to win centre clearances will be one of the most important factors this year with the 666 rule. As a result, Jacobs will definitely play. I wouldn't be upset if we used ROB to run around the ground and provide a more athletic ruck for periods while Sauce is resting up forward. Might make our forward line too tall though

The 666 will be interesting for rucks. I think it will expose guy both in ruckwork and ability to cover the ground.

 

[Betts are off]

AFL is the "eye test" not training or intra club trial matches.

So what about the position battle for round 1 though?

Round 1 selection is based on training, intraclubs and JLT.

 

[Betts are off]

Jacobs may have been 5th for total Hit-outs last season, but he was totally middle of the road for HO To Advantage.

With an interrupted pre-season and being a year older, do we think that will get better or worse?

I really haven't seen much of ROB play, but is his tap-work really that far behind Jacobs?

I think it will be the most interesting position battle in the JLT by far. Too see the difference on both these fronts

 

[Bicks]

So what about the position battle for round 1 though?

Round 1 selection is based on training, intraclubs and JLT.

If Jacobs is fit and healthy and fully over his 2018 back issues he's the incumbent and it will be up to Rob to displace him with performance, end of story. If you go back over my posting of ROB I've been a supporter of ROB right from when we drafted him from the Calder Cannons but it's all down to performance now...or lack thereof by Jacobs.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

When Jacobs retires we'll hand back our license

 

[Betts are off]

If Jacobs is fit and healthy and fully over his 2018 back issues he's the incumbent and it will be up to Rob to displace him with performance, end of story. If you go back over my posting of ROB I've been a supporter of ROB right from when we drafted him from the Calder Cannons but it's all down to performance now...or lack thereof by Jacobs.

For what its worth i've pretty much had the same thought process in terms of round 1 selection, its very hard to not see Sauce picked. Having said that the onslaught of positive notes written about ROB's preseason to date are getting harder and harder to ignore IMO. So where-as 3 months ago I thought it was a clear 1 horse race, I feel that gap is getting shorter and shorter every week.

For me this is the #1 position battle this offseason, and for his sake I hope ROB keeps closing that gap all through JLT

 

[1970crow]

Depends what form Sauce is in this preseason really. If he’s not jumping, not getting hit outs to advantage there’s really no point playing him. Because that’s his advantage, and our midfield needs that.

He’ll play every game that he’s not overly injured for. there’s no chance Sauce plays 2s while ROB plays 1s. It’s not in our club’s DNA to do that to a loyal servant like Sauce.

 

[1970crow]

AFL is the "eye test" not training or intra club trial matches.

Not when it comes to selection, we know that training form and experience carry a lot of weight.

 

[1970crow]

For what its worth i've pretty much had the same thought process in terms of round 1 selection, its very hard to not see Sauce picked. Having said that the onslaught of positive notes written about ROB's preseason to date are getting harder and harder to ignore IMO. So where-as 3 months ago I thought it was a clear 1 horse race, I feel that gap is getting shorter and shorter every week.

For me this is the #1 position battle this offseason, and for his sake I hope ROB keeps closing that gap all through JLT

Don’t fool yourself, it’s a 1 horse race, it’s not even in question.

 

[MRB37]

Jacobs may have been 5th for total Hit-outs last season, but he was totally middle of the road for HO To Advantage.

With an interrupted pre-season and being a year older, do we think that will get better or worse?

I really haven't seen much of ROB play, but is his tap-work really that far behind Jacobs?

He also attended more ruck contests than anyone else in the league, which is the concern.

I'd say put ROB in straight away and see if he's got what it takes. We need to know now and the worst thing we can have happen is to struggle along with Sauce all year, then have him get hurt, or just admit he's totally ineffective and then have to put ROB in come the deep end of the year.

Unless we have a A1 ruckman lined up already to bring over its time to find out if ROB is it.

 

[ams4crows]

This shouldn't even be a debate about the cupboard or Fridge its time to throw the sauce in the bin it's well past the expiry date....

From what I saw with my own 2 eyes at a recent open training session It should be O'Brien 1st ruck round 1 and if it is sauce then I'll be seriously concerned as he didn't look fit like at all and was the slowest guy on the team (granted that was december)