Certified Legendary Thread We need to make it a priority to get a number 1 ruck

[Mr MysteryGuest]

I’m looking forward to what ROB can do tonight. I think the biggest question mark on him is how he competes in the centre circle against the more athletic rucks. This will be a huge test for him tonight.

 

[CutAboveTheRest]

I’m looking forward to what ROB can do tonight. I think the biggest question mark on him is how he competes in the centre circle against the more athletic rucks. This will be a huge test for him tonight.

Game will be won in the midfield so let's hope he can give our mids first look.

 

[arrowman]

I’m looking forward to what ROB can do tonight. I think the biggest question mark on him is how he competes in the centre circle against the more athletic rucks. This will be a huge test for him tonight.

I'm looking for him to get down and play his 4th midfielder role to swing it in his favour.

 

[Sanders]

I’m looking forward to what ROB can do tonight. I think the biggest question mark on him is how he competes in the centre circle against the more athletic rucks. This will be a huge test for him tonight.

He is going to dominate

He’s big and mean, tonight he’ll show that matters in a slog

 

[skam85]

Mick's Midas Touch© could strike again this week with Sauce and Jenkins preferred again.

Quick Mick, change the title again! Only you can save us!

 

[Golumless]

Mick's Midas Touch© could strike again this week with Sauce and Jenkins preferred again.

Quick Mick, change the title again! Only you can save us!

The threat premise isn't wrong though. It's certainly a very promising one two punch for the future. Just not now with Himmelberg.

I think O'Brien survives this week, had a quiet game against Gawn but well... that's a ruck at the top of his game, and is a much better match up against Mumford seeing O'Brien is rather similar style wise. Jacobs may end up getting the Richmond game, and us giving O'Brien the fortnight off.

 

[Crowbots are dead]

I have heard from one of the players that he things Jacobs is done. Doesn't appear like his heart is in it anymore. Its been a struggle for the big man since his brother passed away. This is nothing official and I don't know if he has told the club (I know that he hasn't told the players) but its just this player's opinion.

There was a strong rumour last year that he would be retiring then.

 

[Cap]

Bit of a transition year you think.

Assuming Jacobs doesn't do a Ben Hart and the club lets him.

 

[skam85]

We'll get him to 200 games. He's on 198 at the moment. Deserves to at least get that accolade.

 

[John Who]

We'll get him to 200 games. He's on 198 at the moment. Deserves to at least get that accolade.

Jacobs just kicked 5 goals in the SANFL. He’s recently had a knee clean out. His form warrants notice to be reinstated at AFL level.

 

[1970crow]

I have heard from one of the players that he things Jacobs is done. Doesn't appear like his heart is in it anymore. Its been a struggle for the big man since his brother passed away. This is nothing official and I don't know if he has told the club (I know that he hasn't told the players) but its just this player's opinion.

It seems that he’s been carrying injury for a fair while now which would dampen enthusiasm a fair bit. Some definitely self inflicted, ie he could have handed over to ROB when he said he picked up another injury (back?) in about round 3 last year. I think, like Tex, he’s been worked into the ground and played injured far too often. I call them selfish for not ruling themselves out, but I would like to know how much pressure is placed upon them to soldier on while 70% because our coaches are generally petrified to go without them. Sloane with his foot last year was criminal player management.

 

[1970crow]

I've said it a few times before, but from an AFC perspective he really is a hybrid of the better elements of Rehn and Hudson.

Strong argument he's our best mark for a ruckman since the big Puss.

May not get as good as Rehn or Hudson, but the skillset is there*

*but for the kick.

Field kicking is fine though.

 

[1970crow]

We'll get him to 200 games. He's on 198 at the moment. Deserves to at least get that accolade.

You deserve to get to 200 games if you’ve genuinely earned selection for 200 games. If he’s going to provide less than ROB in our quest to win games of footy then he can remain on 198. Team first.

 

[1970crow]

Jacobs just kicked 5 goals in the SANFL. He’s recently had a knee clean out. His form warrants notice to be reinstated at AFL level.

Which game in his entire career has he been selected as a key forward? Do you really think that the fact that a 204cm ruckman can out-mark 190cm semi-professional defenders has a bearing on whether he’s our best ruck option to win against GWS this week?

 

[Golumless]

It seems that he’s been carrying injury for a fair while now which would dampen enthusiasm a fair bit. Some definitely self inflicted, ie he could have handed over to ROB when he said he picked up another injury (back?) in about round 3 last year. I think, like Tex, he’s been worked into the ground and played injured far too often. I call them selfish for not ruling themselves out, but I would like to know how much pressure is placed upon them to soldier on while 70% because our coaches are generally petrified to go without them. Sloane with his foot last year was criminal player management.

The idea that you (or anyone);expect any player to put their hand up and say I'm injured is very unrealistic.

You do not give anyone the chance to overtake you. Your career (both in a longevity and a financial sense) depends on you having an iron grip on your position. So there is a tonne of pressure on them to play.

This issue is 100% on the coaches and them not wanting to manage a side properly. It always had been.

 

[John Who]

The idea that you (or anyone);expect any player to put their hand up and say I'm injured is very unrealistic.

You do not give anyone the chance to overtake you. Your career (both in a longevity and a financial sense) depends on you having an iron grip on your position. So there is a tonne of pressure on them to play.

This issue is 100% on the coaches and them not wanting to manage a side properly. It always had been.

I'd argue further and say the onus should be also on the fitness staff to look at the subtle signs for a drop in training performances and to relay information to the coaches.

 

[John Who]

Which game in his entire career has he been selected as a key forward? Do you really think that the fact that a 204cm ruckman can out-mark 190cm semi-professional defenders has a bearing on whether he’s our best ruck option to win against GWS this week?

The fact Sam can kick 5 goals might mean his ruckwork can be better than it was prior to the knee cleanout?

Forward and ruck performances are not mutually exclusive from one another. If anything, a dominant in-form ruckman usually takes a few juicy grabs up forward and some goals along with that.

 

[Golumless]

The fact Sam can kick 5 goals might mean his ruckwork can be better than it was prior to the knee cleanout?

Forward and ruck performances are not mutually exclusive from one another. If anything, a dominant in-form ruckman usually takes a few juicy grabs up forward and some goals along with that.

SANFL and AFL performances however are mutually exclusive from one another.

 

[John Who]

SANFL and AFL performances however are mutually exclusive from one another.

This is false.

 

[Bob Neil]

I liked the fact that we’ve given both of them a genuine taste of AFL level and they’ve both done reasonably. O’Brien in particular looks like he’s ready to play consistently and it’ll be very interesting to see which way our selectors go if Jacobs continues to push his claims from below and O’Brien stays injury-free.

Re Himmelberg he’s also worked hard but doesn’t strike as the type of player who’ll ever tear a game apart. Can any of the SANFL watchers comment on whether he’s ever spent any time down back? It would be nice to have a swingman type in our team to provide additional flexibility and perhaps Himmelberg could provide coverage for Hartigan or Keath if they ever went down whilst still being able to do 2nd ruck duties. Our current alternative for a KPD is either Otten or Fogerty so it’s not that far-fetched.

 

[Golumless]

This is false.

Nope. There are many guns in the SANFL/VFL/Etc who couldn't hack it with the step up. If performance was correlated, a great SANFL players would be likely to be a good AFL player. We know this is completely wrong.

There is no relation whatsoever between the two. Making the step up performance wise is completely random (it isn't if you factor in other things like tools)

 

[Tex200]

I liked the fact that we’ve given both of them a genuine taste of AFL level and they’ve both done reasonably. O’Brien in particular looks like he’s ready to play consistently and it’ll be very interesting to see which way our selectors go if Jacobs continues to push his claims from below and O’Brien stays injury-free.

Re Himmelberg he’s also worked hard but doesn’t strike as the type of player who’ll ever tear a game apart. Can any of the SANFL watchers comment on whether he’s ever spent any time down back? It would be nice to have a swingman type in our team to provide additional flexibility and perhaps Himmelberg could provide coverage for Hartigan or Keath if they ever went down whilst still being able to do 2nd ruck duties. Our current alternative for a KPD is either Otten or Fogerty so it’s not that far-fetched.

He played CHB in his U18 year.

You may have noticed he’s a very deft exponent of handball, which was his preferred disposal method a that level to create run from defence

 

[John Who]

Nope. There are many guns in the SANFL/VFL/Etc who couldn't hack it with the step up. If performance was correlated, a great SANFL players would be likely to be a good AFL player. We know this is completely wrong.

There is no relation whatsoever between the two. Making the step up performance wise is completely random (it isn't if you factor in other things like tools)

You're talking in terms of correlations, and I'm talking in associations.

You can often associate elite SANFL form and that would likely yield a decent AFL player (elite player if you're lucky).

When it comes to exceptional SANFL players, you're right in that it doesn't necessarily translate into good AFL regulars.

So going back to the Jacobs situation, I'm saying an elite 5 goal performance by a ruckman in the SANFL is likely to do well in an AFL game the following round. Whereas you and perhaps others are saying "SANFL and AFL form does not correlate, therefore Jacobs can get whatever stats and it will be meaningless" - this is false.

 

[TRP1996]

Jacobs just kicked 5 goals in the SANFL. He’s recently had a knee clean out. His form warrants notice to be reinstated at AFL level.

Talking about ''form'' from a sample size of 1 game seems like a mistake.

 

[headache1]

Jacobs just kicked 5 goals in the SANFL. He’s recently had a knee clean out. His form warrants notice to be reinstated at AFL level.

So what? He kicked 0 goals in his 2 AFL games this year and 3 goals in 22 AFL games last season. Goal kicking shouldn't be high on the list of selection criteria for a guy who spends 95% of his AFL game time in the ruck.