Anthony Rocca

[gouki88]

Is Monkey a good ruck coach or is it just the romance of bringing him home?

I think he's got to be pretty solid. He's rejuvenated the careers of Hale, McEvoy, Ceglar, and seems to have been good for late-bloomers like Pittonet, who looks good given opportunity. There's definitely an element of romance though

 

[jackcass]

I think he's got to be pretty solid. He's rejuvenated the careers of Hale, McEvoy, Ceglar, and seems to have been good for late-bloomers like Pittonet, who looks good given opportunity. There's definitely an element of romance though

Interesting. Not sure Hale's and McEvoy's careers needed rejuvenation. I thought they played similarly at North and the Saints.

Ceglar was always a talented player. Was likely the pick of the ruck prospects we had at that time given his VFL season with us. Was let go for other reasons apparently.

Pittonet was a very good ruck when he hit the VFL after being drafted. Big lump of a lad who was taken in the 3rd? round of the ND. Has Monkey's work with him been as telling as Pebble's work with Lynch who had no idea when drafted?

I'm playing devil's advocate as much as anything because I really don't know. People say Pebbles wasn't any good and that Monkey is but I keep coming back to the "how do we know?" response.

 

[gouki88]

Interesting. Not sure Hale's and McEvoy's careers needed rejuvenation. I thought they played similarly at North and the Saints.

Ceglar was always a talented player. Was likely the pick of the ruck prospects we had at that time given his VFL season with us. Was let go for other reasons apparently.

Pittonet was a very good ruck when he hit the VFL after being drafted. Big lump of a lad who was taken in the 3rd? round of the ND. Has Monkey's work with him been as telling as Pebble's work with Lynch who had no idea when drafted?

I'm playing devil's advocate as much as anything because I really don't know. People say Pebbles wasn't any good and that Monkey is but I keep coming back to the "how do we know?" response.

I'm not sure there's any way realistically for us, the normal fan, to know. Can only really go given what we're presented with on the field, and he's had good results. I think Big Boy and Hale had career years at Hawthorn, as did Ceglar. Whether that's a testament to Monkey, Clarko or the players is basically unknown.

 

[sr36]

I think he's got to be pretty solid. He's rejuvenated the careers of Hale, McEvoy, Ceglar, and seems to have been good for late-bloomers like Pittonet, who looks good given opportunity. There's definitely an element of romance though

Those blokes have had serviceable careers, a good career in the case of McEvoy, but it's been due to their ability to clunk marks around the ground. Which I don't think you need a specialist ruck coach for - as marking is a skill for everybody. Under Monkey, did they improved significantly around stoppage?

 

[Mark W]

Those blokes have had serviceable careers, a good career in the case of McEvoy, but it's been due to their ability to clunk marks around the ground. Which I don't think you need a specialist ruck coach for - as marking is a skill for everybody. Under Monkey, did they improved significantly around stoppage?

I think so.

McEvoy used to be bloody hopeless in his tap work. He is now competent and competitive, albeit no world beater in this regard

 

[sr36]

I think so.

McEvoy used to be bloody hopeless in his tap work. He is now competent and competitive, albeit no world beater in this regard

I'll take your word for it, never watched him closely in that regard.

 

[jackcass]

I think so.

McEvoy used to be bloody hopeless in his tap work. He is now competent and competitive, albeit no world beater in this regard

I think that was just his body maturing. He was only 23-24 when he moved from the Saints to the Hawks so still shy of his prime.

 

[gouki88]

Those blokes have had serviceable careers, a good career in the case of McEvoy, but it's been due to their ability to clunk marks around the ground. Which I don't think you need a specialist ruck coach for - as marking is a skill for everybody. Under Monkey, did they improved significantly around stoppage?

I too think so. McEvoy was always, in my eyes at least, quite a spud when it came to actual ruck-craft at the Saints. He developed into a very solid all-rounder under Monkey.

That being said, no idea if he'd work the same with someone as talented as Grundy.

 

[sr36]

With the footy dept cap, I think I'd be a tight arse on ruck coaching - like CFC. The way I see it, in terms of a skill, it's well behind marking, handballing, kicking and tackling in regards to team success and thus less justifies a specialist coach than those skills - which don't always have a specialist coach. Grundy is bloody good at most aspects of ruckwork as he gets his hands to the ball more often than anyone. He needs to work on the accuracy, range and awareness of positioning of teammates, but I think I'd go with a consultant to see if they can pick up anything to assist with this - rather than a permanent employee.

 

[Chameleon75]

With the footy dept cap, I think I'd be a tight arse on ruck coaching - like CFC. The way I see it, in terms of a skill, it's well behind marking, handballing, kicking and tackling in regards to team success and thus less justifies a specialist coach than those skills - which don't always have a specialist coach. Grundy is bloody good at most aspects of ruckwork as he gets his hands to the ball more often than anyone. He needs to work on the accuracy, range and awareness of positioning of teammates, but I think I'd go with a consultant to see if they can pick up anything to assist with this - rather than a permanent employee.

a misconception on this board is that monkey is a full time ruck coach. In his own words he pops into hawthorn 1-2 times a week as required. So very much in the mould of a consultant.

 

[Markfs]

I was just doing the normal thing and following Stevo's process at north.... and I stumbled on an interview of Anthony Rocca

Anthony Rocca

Age

48

Ht

195cm

Wt

105kg

Pos.

Fwd

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.3

3star

K

8.1

3star

HB

3.2

3star

M

5.2

5star

T

1.5

3star

G

1.9

5star

No current season stats available

D

10.8

3star

K

7.2

3star

HB

3.6

3star

M

5.2

5star

T

1.8

4star

G

2.0

5star

. It was total news to me and I had a second or two where I was wondering how the hell i transferred over to the Pies site. Sad to see him go. Just means I have less options to blame losses on. Robert Harvey take note.

 

[Trickster]

Maybe Rocca was a victim of the fact we dominate hit outs but not clearances, ie 2019 prelim. I'm not sure whether accoutability is with ruck coach, mid coach or blurred lines.

 

[Markfs]

Maybe Rocca was a victim of the fact we dominate hit outs but not clearances, ie 2019 prelim. I'm not sure whether accoutability is with ruck coach, mid coach or blurred lines.

someone told me that the players could be accountable but i told him that modern footy doesnt work that way...

 

[TKiL]

With the footy dept cap, I think I'd be a tight arse on ruck coaching - like CFC. The way I see it, in terms of a skill, it's well behind marking, handballing, kicking and tackling in regards to team success and thus less justifies a specialist coach than those skills - which don't always have a specialist coach. Grundy is bloody good at most aspects of ruckwork as he gets his hands to the ball more often than anyone. He needs to work on the accuracy, range and awareness of positioning of teammates, but I think I'd go with a consultant to see if they can pick up anything to assist with this - rather than a permanent employee.

PLEASE - anything but a consultant! - they will have meetings, produce ludicrous diagrams / incomprehensible reports, worst of all - propose a new STRATEGY to confuse everybody then produce a proposal to extend their contract so they can attempt to clear up the confusion they created first time around

a part-time appointment might be appropriate though

 

[ClaytonM]

In appointing a new ruck coach they should look for someone who played similarly to Grundy at his best, i.e. competes for the tap, follows up a lot of his own hit outs and competes around the ground. Maybe someone whose best footy is not in his ruck work. I wonder what Adam Goodes is doing these days?

So you are saying Eddie had to leave so we could recruit Goodes as a ruck coach.