Bigman’s Training Reports (Update: 11th March)

[BRL121]

The squad has been spending Tuesdays down at SASI.

I see that we're not only training hard, but also recovering hard! I'm not sure what that means.

 

[Velvet George]

Feel like recruitment doesn't get enough credit for Bond. Traded up to pick 50 to get him. Feel like he could never play again and he's already far exceeded all expectations.

What? That’s a strange take, we traded up for him, if he doesn’t play again he’s just another pick 50 that hasn’t made it but in this case we traded up for.

 

[Dirty Bird]

The ruck rule changes will be the end of ROB's career. Presumably McAndrew will end up being our number 1 ruck this year if only by default. We'll be shopping for a ruck or two at the end of this year. Whether it's for an immediate fix or a longer term development option will depend on how good a job McAndrew does with this opportunity.

People say this like it's gospel, but is there truth to it?
Rule changes this year

1) Shrug rule - No difference to ROB
2) Kick in change - No difference to ROB
3) Stand rule change - No difference to ROB
4) 6-6-6 tweak - No difference to ROB
5) Last possession rule - No difference to ROB (With the 2025 interpretation here, it'll make minimal difference as it eliminated the grey area........for 40% of the field
6) Nominated ruck rule - ADVANTAGEOUS to ROB - He's one of if not the fittest ruckman in the league, he'll get to contests before nominated ruckman of opposition, could lead to uncontested contests because ROB can get there before everyone else or he faces people 20cm shorter than him because the opposition ruckman is no where in sight.
7) Centre Ball up rule - Arguable either way - What I noticed in 2025 was that some ruckman (Looking at Gold Coast and Geelong in particular here) they would block and wrestle ROB to stop him. Sure, some ruckman like ENglish at the Bulldogs would be advantaged with this rule, but for the most part, it's minimal differential. ANd it was the games where ROB was smashed in by the opposition, the opposition were the ones doing what's been outlawed to stop ROB. So I could actually see him being better as players like Witts can't just use his size to nulify ROB.

 

[Peter Doherty]

Feel like recruitment doesn't get enough credit for Bond. Traded up to pick 50 to get him. Feel like he could never play again and he's already far exceeded all expectations.

I had a look, looks like Brisbane were on the clock with pick 50 in 2022.



We moved up by giving a '23 3rd rounder*, Brisbane didn't take another player. 9 more players were taken after Bond (2 father sons).

*Not sure which club the '23 future 3rd was attached to. We did get that future 3rd and pick 43 in '22 (used on Dowling) in exchange for a future 2nd and pick 79 in '22.

So the '23 2nd rounder (can't be bothered seeing which club it was attached to) we gave up got us Dowling and Bond.

 

[StonesThrow]

I'm not holding my breath on Bond, clearly a late bloomer/ starter but I haven't seen him do much right, he fumbles and doesn't get a lot of the pill, but looks a specimen and is hard at it. I can't recall a games he's played well in. Still time, but I wouldn't imagine he'd get near the midfield.

I think he's shown the opposite to what you've said here aside from accumulation

 

[baldandbroke]

People say this like it's gospel, but is there truth to it?
Rule changes this year

1) Shrug rule - No difference to ROB
2) Kick in change - No difference to ROB
3) Stand rule change - No difference to ROB
4) 6-6-6 tweak - No difference to ROB
5) Last possession rule - No difference to ROB (With the 2025 interpretation here, it'll make minimal difference as it eliminated the grey area........for 40% of the field
6) Nominated ruck rule - ADVANTAGEOUS to ROB - He's one of if not the fittest ruckman in the league, he'll get to contests before nominated ruckman of opposition, could lead to uncontested contests because ROB can get there before everyone else or he faces people 20cm shorter than him because the opposition ruckman is no where in sight.
7) Centre Ball up rule - Arguable either way - What I noticed in 2025 was that some ruckman (Looking at Gold Coast and Geelong in particular here) they would block and wrestle ROB to stop him. Sure, some ruckman like ENglish at the Bulldogs would be advantaged with this rule, but for the most part, it's minimal differential. ANd it was the games where ROB was smashed in by the opposition, the opposition were the ones doing what's been outlawed to stop ROB. So I could actually see him being better as players like Witts can't just use his size to nulify ROB.

Last possession rule reduces the number of “normal” ruck contests - hurts ROB.

Nominated ruck rule, rucks will just not get to some contests … will be not possible. Hurts ROB because he isn’t a flexible player, he can’t move forward and be a threat - his disposal is a problem out of defence - what do you do with him when he can’t get to the quick ball up? Hide him somewhere?

Centre ball up rule - not any grey here - hurts ROB big time. It might as well be called the “stop ROB from crossing the centre line and wrestling in the ruck” rule.

You include rule changes that don’t apply to individuals like 6-6-6, stand rule, kick ins … but left off the interchange changes.

Will more on the bench hurt ROB? I don’t think it helps him.

He’s in trouble. I don’t know how he starts on the ground when there is a centre bounce. That’s a problem.

 

[Mutineer]

Last possession rule reduces the number of “normal” ruck contests - hurts ROB.

Nominated ruck rule, rucks will just not get to some contests … will be not possible. Hurts ROB because he isn’t a flexible player, he can’t move forward and be a threat - his disposal is a problem out of defence - what do you do with him when he can’t get to the quick ball up? Hide him somewhere?

Centre ball up rule - not any grey here - hurts ROB big time. It might as well be called the “stop ROB from crossing the centre line and wrestling in the ruck” rule.

You include rule changes that don’t apply to individuals like 6-6-6, stand rule, kick ins … but left off the interchange changes.

Will more on the bench hurt ROB? I don’t think it helps him.

He’s in trouble. I don’t know how he starts on the ground when there is a centre bounce. That’s a problem.

Let's just wait until the real stuff starts before we get too carried away with what might or might not be the case. Nothing stops mids roving to the oppositions ruck's taps if they're dominating.

Personally I think the whole ruck changes thing is being overblown.

 

[Velvet George]

Let's just wait until the real stuff starts before we get too carried away with what might or might not be the case. Nothing stops mids roving to the oppositions ruck's taps if they're dominating.

Personally I think the whole ruck changes thing is being overblown.

We’ve signed a 30 year old ruck to a 3 year deal, you don’t do that if your fall back position is “mids roving to the oppositions ruck”.

Clearly the new rules aren’t going to help ROB, he can’t jump, that’s a fact. They aren’t going to wait for him to get to a ruck contest and there will be less boundary throw ins.

This isn’t going to end well. If only we had a developing ruck on our list who might be ready about now.

 

[FR0GGY]

He’s in trouble. I don’t know how he starts on the ground when there is a centre bounce. That’s a problem.

Lucky for us he’s versatile and has a 3 year deal!

 

[Mutineer]

We’ve signed a 30 year old ruck to a 3 year deal, you don’t do that if your fall back position is “mids roving to the oppositions ruck”.

Clearly the new rules aren’t going to help ROB, he can’t jump, that’s a fact. They aren’t going to wait for him to get to a ruck contest and there will be less boundary throw ins.

This isn’t going to end well. If only we had a developing ruck on our list who might be ready about now.

Unlike you I'll wait on clearly defined evidence at AFL level before I get too carried away.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

 

[Velvet George]

Looks like we are trying our annual move of trying to make Jones an AFL player

 

[WaynesWorld19]

 

[Velvet George]

Unlike you I'll wait on clearly defined evidence at AFL level before I get too carried away.

Be honest with yourself, even with the evidence you wouldn’t criticise ROB or the club.

As for evidence, you saw how much he stunk when the ruck rules allowed jumping.

 

[crows dude]

Looks like they are mixing the teams up to make it even

 

[conVINCEd]

Looks like they are mixing the teams up to make it even

Not really - looks pretty standard to me.

I now have Butts ahead of Murray and the rest of that list have mostly been outside our senior side.

 

[DJ75]

If anyone is watching, I'd love to hear how Cook goes. Is he used as an outlet? Does he get enough of the ball? Are his defensive actions up to the required level etc...

 

[AFC979810]

Be honest with yourself, even with the evidence you wouldn’t criticise ROB or the club.

As for evidence, you saw how much he stunk when the ruck rules allowed jumping.

And be honest with yourself, even with evidence you wouldn't not shit on ROB.

 

[LoBu]

I think he's shown the opposite to what you've said here aside from accumulation

I'm not saying he won't make it, and good to hear from Bigman that he's less fumbly this pre-season, but I just haven't seen it. I couldn't nominate a game where i could say, Bond played well today. He's played tagger a couple of times but didn't shut anyone down.

 

[Velvet George]

And be honest with yourself, even with evidence you wouldn't not shit on ROB.

I said he had a good year didn’t I? Then he fell away after he signed his contract and sucked dogs balls at the end of the year.

You happy he’s got a 3 year deal?

 

[cmndstab]

I'm not holding my breath on Bond, clearly a late bloomer/ starter but I haven't seen him do much right, he fumbles and doesn't get a lot of the pill, but looks a specimen and is hard at it. I can't recall a games he's played well in. Still time, but I wouldn't imagine he'd get near the midfield.

He's done some nice defensive jobs, already one of the best tacklers in the team. But I agree that offensively he hasn't shown much yet.

 

[StonesThrow]

Bond actually surprised me with how solid he was with ball in hand. Looked composed. Think he might have had one bag kicked on him (Elliot? Tough match up), but I still thought he looked pretty good defensively as well.

 

[Floating Doughnut]

Unlike you I'll wait on clearly defined evidence at AFL level before I get too carried away.

We are on opposite ends on this one Bicks but one thing can’t be denied our plan B stocks are bloody short if things go the way I reckon they will . Moose Maley was a good emergency cover draft pick and he came from a club where they have Goad taking it up to Xerri in match sim, the best ruck in the game.
As much as some will hate it Thilthorpe will have to up his % this year imo.

 

[Betts are off]

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Jees, Josh looks friggin jacked this year.

I've always liked what he did when given opportunities around the ball. So if his fitness and build can let him do it more, all for it!

 

[ABAB]

Last possession rule reduces the number of “normal” ruck contests - hurts ROB.

Nominated ruck rule, rucks will just not get to some contests … will be not possible. Hurts ROB because he isn’t a flexible player, he can’t move forward and be a threat - his disposal is a problem out of defence - what do you do with him when he can’t get to the quick ball up? Hide him somewhere?

Centre ball up rule - not any grey here - hurts ROB big time. It might as well be called the “stop ROB from crossing the centre line and wrestling in the ruck” rule.

You include rule changes that don’t apply to individuals like 6-6-6, stand rule, kick ins … but left off the interchange changes.

Will more on the bench hurt ROB? I don’t think it helps him.

He’s in trouble. I don’t know how he starts on the ground when there is a centre bounce. That’s a problem.

He need to get back in defense, take contested mark and handball to a running defender. That's what he did very well in 2020, stop being a nuisance up forward.