Fanning vs. Richards

[Coin_Toss]

Fanning will be better for the experience he got last year, therefore, he is a big chance to be named in the first round of the Home and Away season.
Richards is still recovering from injury, so we don't know whether we would see Richards at his best when he has overcome his injury woes, but realistically, he is our #1 ruck option when Fraser goes up forward.

Fanning has showed more improvement over the preseason - which could see him get games over Richards, but like I said before, Richards is our #1 ruck option when Fraser goes up forward.

 

[MarkT]

Richards isn't an option based on injury history and Fanning isn't an option based on demonstrated ability. Jason Cloke is ahead of both as a viable ruck option which is saying something.

Fraser is it at this point with backup from Cameron Cloke subject to Cameron not popping his shoulder again. If Richards can get his body to hold up I think he has the ability to be the first ruck with help from Fraser but I'll believe it when I see it. Fanning is miles away. Can't time the jump, can't direct a tap, can't make position around the ground and doesn't attack the ball. He has rookie list written all over him.

 

[Lonie_from_50]

Guy Richards is a much better tap-man, and better than Fanning, but that is from a skill point of view. Now, Richards will be our no.1 ruckman, injuries or not, can't play him in a different position. Fanning will probably struggle to get a game with a fit Richards included. Rocca, Fraser, Richards, T.Cloke, J.Cloke - all can play ruck.

 

[Vinnie Vegas]

I like Richards, but refuse to let mysef believe he's going to stay healthy at this point.

For me, I like Cameron Cloke backing up Fraser in the ruck because I think he brings something different to the table. Namely, he is physical enough to match it with the big boys of the league, so when he comes up against a less athletic ruckman like Steven King, like he did this year, he actually performs pretty well.

It's against guys like Dean Cox and Jeff White that Cam has trouble, but he's actually one of our better options against bash-and-crash ruckmen.

 

[hotpie]

I like Fanning but he needs a lot more time in the VFL before he proves himself. 2006 should be the developmental year he was supposed to have in 2005, before injuries thrust him into the limelight before he was ready.

My pecking order (in terms of rucking, not other positions) is

Richards
Fraser
C Cloke
Fanning
Hall
T Cloke
Rocca
Walker

If we get down to J Cloke or Wakelin again, its time for a new coach.

 

[MarkT]

I actually think Rocca is far and away our best ruckman but his ankles and his aerobic capacity rule him and even if they didn’t we need him up forward. Hall is the wildcard. If he can develop we’d be looking pretty good but the odds get longer as time marches on. Walker I have given op on.

 

[hotpie]

I actually think Rocca is far and away our best ruckman but his ankles and his aerobic capacity rule him and even if they didn’t we need him up forward. Hall is the wildcard. If he can develop we’d be looking pretty good but the odds get longer as time marches on. Walker I have given op on.

Thats the only reason I have Rocca so low on my list. Agree Hall might be a wildcard his year but after two poor years, might struggle for opportunities even if he plays well for Willy. I have not given up on Walker as a key defender, but I have as a ruckman.

 

[FIGJAM]

As President of the Fanny Fan Club, and now having drawn Stretch in the Random Player Support Draft, I'm torm between two string-beans!

Personally, I reckon Guy will stretch Flaps while having a ruck, with plenty of dominant taps, and Fanny may appear tired and loose at the end of it.

 

[Johnson#26]

Richards all the way.

 

[Jabso]

As the only member of the "Fraser is best played in the ruck" club I think Fraser should be our number 1 unless Richards can prove his tapwork is influential.

 

[dids4]

As the only member of the "Fraser is best played in the ruck" club I think Fraser should be our number 1 unless Richards can prove his tapwork is influential.

can i join

 

[MarkT]

As President of the Fanny Fan Club, and now having drawn Stretch in the Random Player Support Draft, I'm torm between two string-beans!

Personally, I reckon Guy will stretch Flaps while having a ruck, with plenty of dominant taps, and Fanny may appear tired and loose at the end of it.

Richards in important. Should we wrap him in cotton wool or would that just be a red rag to a bull?

 

[spook182]

Our ruck division is all dependant on Richards being fit and firing. If he can establish himself this year and be solid throughout, he could develop very nicely into our number one spot. If he is injured again it throws it straight back onto the shoulders of Fraser.

Our rucking combo of Richards and Fanning (if fit) will take our forward line to another level. I would play Fraser out of the goal square, Rocca at CHF with Tarrant & Rusling (when he returns) flanking him. Dependant on the opposition you then have the options of Davis, Didak, Caracella, Holland, Thomas, Egan, Burns, Buckley, Hall, Clokes x3 etc .. etc ..

Get our ruck division established and we have the POTENTIAL to be quite lethal ..

 

[Scratch]

Richards has got to be our no. 1 ruck if he is fit.

 

[Pie 4 Life]

Richards is our number 1# ruckman.

 

[Johnson#26]

Unlucky Fraser finally has no knee to worry
11 February 2006 Herald Sun
Damian Barrett, Sydney

THIS time last year Collingwood insiders felt Josh Fraser was ready to explode, that 2005 was going to be the season that removed the few remaining doubts about his ability.

A minor knee operation followed by a major infection of the area did not allow the hopes to be realised, with Fraser one of many big-name Magpies to have the season ruined by health matters.

The same feeling is again beginning to pervade the Collingwood mind set -- that Fraser, in his seventh season, is set to have as large an impact as any Magpie on where the team finishes.

An impressive hit-out during Collingwood's intra-club match at Sydney's Telstra Stadium on Wednesday gave club and player hope the knee injury trouble was in the past.

 

[Jabso]

can i join

No. I am renaming it to the "No dids4 Society".
And NO! We're not allowed to have one.

 

[JLC]

Guy Richards hands down.

Fraser and Cam Cloke providing relief.

Only wanna see Pebbles in the goal square this year.

jlc

 

[Hard Yakka]

Fanning and Richards combination for mine.

Fanning has a lot of improvement in him, remembering that 2005 was only his second year back in competitive football after switching from basketball and also considering he had a knee injury in his first year back.

I think most would also be surprised if they compared 1st year stats for Richards (2004), Fanning (2005) and Dean Cox (2001).

Richards leads the pack with Fanning and Cox marginally behind. Fanning is pretty much a dead heat with Cox - a ruckman that was also rookie listed and has since gone on to be one of if not the premier ruckmen in the league.

IIRC, a lot of Eagles fans doubted Cox's capabilities at the time too...

 

[Wildman]

Richards easily.

 

[Johnson#26]

Fanning and Richards combination for mine.

Fanning has a lot of improvement in him, remembering that 2005 was only his second year back in competitive football after switching from basketball and also considering he had a knee injury in his first year back.

I think most would also be surprised if they compared 1st year stats for Richards (2004), Fanning (2005) and Dean Cox (2001).

Richards leads the pack with Fanning and Cox marginally behind. Fanning is pretty much a dead heat with Cox - a ruckman that was also rookie listed and has since gone on to be one of if not the premier ruckmen in the league.

IIRC, a lot of Eagles fans doubted Cox's capabilities at the time too...

I think we can only carry two really big ruckmen. Fanning may be an overload.

 

[hotpie]

I think we can only carry two really big ruckmen. Fanning may be an overload.

Maybe, maybe not. Brisbane won three flags with three quality rucks on their lists. Good teams can carry three ruckmen.

 

[FIGJAM]

I love Stretch 'n' Fanny!

 

[hotpie]

I love Stretch 'n' Fanny!

Will Cox be able to rise to the challenge?