Ben Rutten ?

[noddy]

Now don't go shouting me down in flames but after watching our win against Sydney again today on FF i took particular attention of the way Ben Rutten is playing his footy, now granted he has been doing well down at full back & is the gorilla type that we have needed back there "but" to me he does seem to have the footy nous needed to play well at chf.

So how would you guys like it if Craigy in the next year or 2 played Ben at chf & maybe Hentschel or even Watts ( might be better to start him down back rather than up forward) to take over his spot at fb.

 

[GoSarge]

Now don't go shouting me down in flames but after watching our win against Sydney again today on FF i took particular attention of the way Ben Rutten is playing his footy, now granted he has been doing well down at full back & is the gorilla type that we have needed back there "but" to me he does seem to have the footy nous needed to play well at chf.

So how would you guys like it if Craigy in the next year or 2 played Ben at chf & maybe Hentschel or even Watts ( might be better to start him down back rather than up forward) to take over his spot at fb.

No shooting down in flames from me. I like the idea. I am sure he will get a run in the forward line this year to see what his forward nous is like, but with present form, why bother ?

 

[Cap]

noddy I completly agree with you - I went to a few westies games when he was stuck back there and he can play forward - and I will swear that his style changed once Wayne Carey came to the club the was he leads and marks is so similar to the wayne its not funny

for me give him a go up forward when there isnt the Barry Hall type player for him to stand

 

[dA Crow]

Completely agree with you there Noddy. But he is starting to develop into a solid backline player , he has the strength to match up on people like Hall etc, I think allowing him to settle down there for a couple of seasons will help him even if we end up moving him up forward later; hopefully following in a Lynch style of player (dont we wish).

 

[Truck Rutten]

Completely agree with you there Noddy. But he is starting to develop into a solid backline player , he has the strength to match up on people like Hall etc, I think allowing him to settle down there for a couple of seasons will help him even if we end up moving him up forward later; hopefully following in a Lynch style of player (dont we wish).

Pretty similar to my thoughts. Our defence has been great so far this season, and Ben's hardly put a foot wrong since being given the gig at FB. I'd like to see a bit of stability down back for the next year or two, and then look at whether we could bring in someone like Chad Gibson into a key defensive post to learn the AFL caper, and push Ben up forward.

 

[just maybe]

I'm not sure he has the mobility or endurance to be a CHF.

He certainly has the nous, but the other issue is we have finally found a big FB to release Bassett, and he is playing well and looking comfortable there, do we really want to upset the balance and possibly his confidence by throwing him into CHF?

 

[Wood_Duck]

I'm not quite sure what it is but for as long as I can remember, everytime a player looks to be developing as a decent CHB or FB we want to send them to the forward line. We have destroyed a couple of guys by doing this in the past, Jason McCartney springs to mind and Hentschel is another case in point.

 

[just maybe]

I'm not quite sure what it is but for as long as I can remember, everytime a player looks to be developing as a decent CHB or FB we want to send them to the forward line. We have destroyed a couple of guys by doing this in the past, Jason McCartney springs to mind and Hentschel is another case in point.

Although Mark Stevens proved to be even better at CHF than CHB.

 

[Mad Dog]

Completely agree with you there Noddy. But he is starting to develop into a solid backline player , he has the strength to match up on people like Hall etc, I think allowing him to settle down there for a couple of seasons will help him even if we end up moving him up forward later; hopefully following in a Lynch style of player (dont we wish).

I tend to agree with this.....

It's amazing how much better a player looks playing in the backlines and I fear he may get lost a bit if moved forward. Truck has been fantastic and so far has not had to be moved off his opponent....when could we say that too often about a FB.

While I generally embrace versatility......I'm thinking our backline is doing A-ok atm....

 

[just maybe]

If we move Ruttie to the forward lines, we go back to Bassett as taking the next biggest forward (as he is more adept at it than Hent or Wattslop would be), and that is not a situation we want to be in.

We haven't exactly being churning out big-framed KPs in the AFC. We have one at FB (Rutts), one at CHB (Kenny) and one at CHF (Perrie). Kenny will not be moved, and we need another big backman. Perrie is not the man for a defensive role. So leave Rutts where he is. Equation is simple.

 

[AdelaideFan]

Like the idea of giving him a run up there but my feeling is much alon the lines of others. Who fills his position. I guess it depends on the opposition on any given week. Depending on who plays this week it could be a good game to give him a run up forward for a little while.

All in all I want to see him at some point through out this season given a run up forward

 

[Markthirtytwo]

I would leave him there while the job is to be done on FF like Fevola, Hall, perhaps Brown when he comes back.

But I have no doube NC would move him up there in an instant if it was thought team balance dictated it. BTW he did kick three goals with his first three kicks in his first game now didnt he.

 

[J.Gallagher #1]

I thought this in the Collingwood game, as i thought he was to slow to play on Tarrant, let Hentschel play on him, Kenny was gonna take Rocca, so i thought there was no matchup for him, so i thought may as well play him at full forward. But no, well i rekon he will end up playin full forward IF we find a good option at full back.

 

[tribey]

Can we just let him develop into a good fullback first?

 

[Cap]

Can we just let him develop into a good fullback first?

why ?

 

[just maybe]

Can we just let him develop into a good fullback first?

He already is good. We want him to be excellent.

 

[tribey]

why ?

Half the reason we've struggled to produce one good KPP from scratch is because we throw them around all over the place and don't let them settle and develop in the one position.

Take McGregor, only really began to develop when he was nailed down at CHB, rather than being named in different positions from week to week as a bits and pieces tall.

Rutten is only now just playing good consistent footy at fullback - a position in which we've never had a genuine player (Jameson was a permanent stopgap, so was Bassett) - and people are talking about playing him at FF or CHF? Be happy with what we look like we've got, and wait for Fergie, Freddy (unlikely, granted) or Liam Meesen.

 

[Stiffy_18]

why ?

Because they are BLOODY hard to find. We have looked for one how long now??????

Rutten played his junior footy as a forward and I wouldn't be surprised if he ends up there especially since Gibson could be developed into a FB and Rutten is a much more of a natural footballer.

 

[GoSarge]

Half the reason we've struggled to produce one good KPP from scratch is because we throw them around all over the place and don't let them settle and develop in the one position.

Take McGregor, only really began to develop when he was nailed down at CHB, rather than being named in different positions from week to week as a bits and pieces tall.

Rutten is only now just playing good consistent footy at fullback - a position in which we've never had a genuine player (Jameson was a permanent stopgap, so was Bassett) - and people are talking about playing him at FF or CHF? Be happy with what we look like we've got, and wait for Fergie, Freddy (unlikely, granted) or Liam Meesen.

At times, when we are struggling, we may need to have him pinch hit for us up forward to try to turn a game, otherwise I agree completely.

 

[just maybe]

Liam Meesen?

When he beats an opposition ruckmen, I expect a comment along the lines of 'Oi, Port', you're ruckmen's gone Meesen again'

 

[RooDog]

Liam Meesen?

When he beats an opposition ruckmen, I expect a comment along the lines of 'Oi, Port', you're ruckmen's gone Meesen again'

John "Liam Neesen" Meesen"

i do like DT

 

[Cap]

Half the reason we've struggled to produce one good KPP from scratch is because we throw them around all over the place and don't let them settle and develop in the one position.

Take McGregor, only really began to develop when he was nailed down at CHB, rather than being named in different positions from week to week as a bits and pieces tall.

Rutten is only now just playing good consistent footy at fullback - a position in which we've never had a genuine player (Jameson was a permanent stopgap, so was Bassett) - and people are talking about playing him at FF or CHF? Be happy with what we look like we've got, and wait for Fergie, Freddy (unlikely, granted) or Liam Meesen.

I agree let him settle and play well there but if his best football is to be played up forward why leave him there ???

as mentioned in other Posts if Gibson and co are more likely to be defenders why not (ok after this year if you want) play him a FF ? or CHF and have another rookie go back ? or move Mr Spock or the Cripple back ?

Also Jameison was hardly a premiership stop gap !!! if Rutten had the talent that Rod had (from memory he could kick both feet a fairly respectible accuracy and didstance !!)

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

At times, when we are struggling, we may need to have him pinch hit for us up forward to try to turn a game, otherwise I agree completely.

Yep, that's my thinking too. Settle Truck at FB, but if things aren't going well on the day, don't be afraid to experiment with our KPP's in different roles.

 

[jo172]

I was wondering if there is any thought behind sending Ben Rutten down to our goal square? I know he is the 100kg defender we have been searching for, but I think sometimes he would be better served to be put up front with his big body. Alexander Buick

Ben has certainly looked comfortable playing at full-back Alexander. As a young player I think it is important that we don’t ask too much of our younger players to play at both ends of the ground. Ben is getting a handle on playing full back, as he did at the end of last year and as his game develops, there will be opportunities for him to play forward as well.

There's Paul Hamilton's view on our little problem

 

[macca23]

Half the reason we've struggled to produce one good KPP from scratch is because we throw them around all over the place and don't let them settle and develop in the one position.

Take McGregor, only really began to develop when he was nailed down at CHB, rather than being named in different positions from week to week as a bits and pieces tall.

Rutten is only now just playing good consistent footy at fullback - a position in which we've never had a genuine player (Jameson was a permanent stopgap, so was Bassett) - and people are talking about playing him at FF or CHF? Be happy with what we look like we've got, and wait for Fergie, Freddy (unlikely, granted) or Liam Meesen.

Amen, brother.

Build an iron clad defence on top of a dominant mid-field, and a make shift forward line will get so many opportunities they will still kick a winning score.

A make shift defence keeps out goals like a sieve holds water - no good.

As DT says, let these boys develop into a top defensive unit and wait for the forwards to come naturally. They're not too far away.