Only 2 ruckman.

[Dan26]

A list of 38, yet only two ruckman, with Barnes and Alessio.

It would be ridiculous to expect both these players to play all 22 games. How many players play every game these days ?

We got rid of Eastaugh and Grgic, which, pragmatically, is a good decision, since they didn't acheive much on the football field.

However, it affects our depth in the ruck immeasurably. Does anyone know if David Hille is ready to play senior football ? If one (or both) of Alessio and Barnes are out for an extended peiod of time, Hille - even if he is not ready - may have to be pushed up to the senior level.

Has anyone watchd the reserves enough to know whether he is good enough ? I'm a bit worried about our ruck situation.

 

[RoBomber]

Dan I have seen a few 2's games and Hille looks an exciting prospect and with a year under his belt should be ready to play this year.

He should be nurtured into the side off the bench maybe giving him experience and if Allesio struggles like last year Hille may get a chance.

Don't forget also we have Scotty Lucas and Dustin Fletcher who are two tall options in the ruck if only one of Barnes or Allesio are available.

Fletch hasnt been tried but could be a very successful ruckman and as for Scotty he had proven in the past he can hold his own in the ruck....

 

[Dan26]

Yeah, but Scotty isn't a ruckman. He "tallish" but he doesn't know the first thing about proper ruck work. He is just a makeshift ruckman to shove in there if we are desperate. And Fletcher is better suited to causing havoc in our defence or attack.

I just hope Hille is ready for the step up.

 

[walshy1993]

dan, hille is ready
there was a huge temptation to play him when barnes got suspended but the club has decided that it was in his best interests to finish off the year in the vfl
he will play in the ansett cup next year and see how thing progress from there

dont forget robran and lalich are possible rucking options

 

[Dan26]

Lalich.

I cringe whenever I think of him. I'm not a big fan of Lalich. He seems like an athlete who can't come to grips with Aussie Rules. Also, he will be 26 in 2001. Why keep him on our list then ?

I remember 1999, when he played a few games and I saw him making mistake after mistake.

Ughhhh

 

[James2]

Having only two ruckman isn't a problem. This is all most clubs have. The trouble with Essendon's ruckmen, is one continues to play well below expectations.

As far as I'm concerned, Alessio is useless. He's as soft as custard and does not perform often enough to even warrent being called inconsistent. The only reason Essendon decided to keep him was to give Hille some more time in the ressies- if required.

As for other possible rucks, Robran performed well in the r22 game, when called in to replace Alessio. Obviously he can not be considered a permanent ruckmen, but would be a good foil.

 

[JUBJUB]

Doesn't Hennaman [i think thats his name] also play Ruck.He looks a promising player.

------------------
"Hillbillies are people too"

 

[Dan26]

I can't believe people can be so ignorant towards Alessio. Have a look at the hard-ball-gets statistics each and every year. Alessio is ALWAYS in the top three. Always.

If you watch him closely, he has an uncanny ability to win the ball, when he and an opponent are fighhting for it. Perhaps it's his basketball skills that give him this advantage.

I swear, get a footy record from 1999 or 2000, and have a look at the inside pages where they state the "hard-ball-gets". Alessio is an important player for us.

He is important because he can play forward, and not ruck. Yet, if Barnes is not playing well and is on the bench, or is injured, then Alessio can be thrown into the ruck.

I'm sure Hille is going to be good, but I doubt very much whther Hille can be the goalkicking option Alessio is. Goal kicking ruckman are very rare. Why in the hell would a club get rid of a goal kicking ruckman ???????????

Players like Scott Wynd, Matthew Allan, Damain Bourke (who was a great ruckamn in the arly 90's with the Cats) don't kick may goals.

Alessio may play the odd bad game, but he plays enough good games to warrant his place in the team. He had no problem keeping his place in an awesome line-up in 2000 and it was probably the greatest team Essendon have produced. The Essendon match-committee know more than we do, and they saw fit to keep him in the side.

Alessio gives our side the "X-factor" which can win a football match. Can you imagine opposition coaches having to put the 5th best defender on Alessio, who is roaming around Essndons forward line ?

Keep him. He's valuable.

(I repeat, check the hard-ball-gets stats. He's right up there. This is one of the most important stats in football)

 

[Dan26]

OK, I have in front of me Essendons stats for 1999 (don't have the 2000 ones with me just at the minute)

In 1999, Alessio kicked 34 goals in 22 games.

Essendons hard-ball-gets stats for 1999 were as follows :

1.) Alessio - 72
2.) Heffernan - 52
3.) Blumfield - 51
4.) Caracella - 49
5.) Hardwick - 48

As you can see, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th are all pretty much the same, but Alession at number 1 is miles ahead. It's daylight between him and Heffernan.

Does this sound like a player we want to get rid of ?

 

[Dan26]

OK, sorry to psot three posts in a row, but I now have the 2000 stats :

Alessio played 22 games and kicked 23 goals. Not quite as effective as his super 1999 season. He wasn't in the top 6 for hard-ball-gets. They only list our top 6. I'd guess, from past seasons, that he'd be 7th or 8th on that list.

He's effective enough to be an important player for us

 

[James2]

I hope you're right Dan.

I hope that Alessio can become a consistent performer. However, after 5/6 years I am yet to be convinced.

For someone playing in a position as important as the ruck, they cannot afford to perform inconsistently. Key position players need to perform most weeks (allowing for the odd of week). Cess, doesn't do this.

As for him leading Essendon in "hard-ball" gets over previous seasons; this statistic, is utterly misleading. JJ had 63 clangers for the year- one of the worst in the league. Does the fact that he leads this statistic have any bearing on his place in the team? No! If this statistic proved Alessio's worth to Essendon, why was his position in the team taken by someone who was delisted by another club. Surely someone leading the club in such an important category as "hard ball gets" could not be demoted for a "reject" from another club??

Alessio was in the team as an insurance policy against Barnes. Hille was out of the equation, whilst Grigic was injured and Estaugh had long since lost the faith of the selectors. Who else could they play?? He played one good game all year (v Richmond). How can you consider a player "worth it" when he plays one great game all year, the rest being slightly better then poor???

 

[walshy1993]

dan your right, i think this myth about alessio extends from his bad game in the 99 prelim and it has just snowballed
he is a great asset to the club, and it doesnt matter how good you all think he is, he takes a lot of stopping up forward and really stretches opposition backlines with lloyd, lucas, hird etc also down there.
and he is a handy ruckman aswell, perhaps not the sort that can ruck a whole game week in week out, but would he be the best second ruckman in the comp????
maybe capuano at stkilda, or is spider now the second ruckman, anyway im getting of the track
but ses is a very handy player, and a great team mate, he took a pay cut to stay at essendon.

 

[Dan26]

Originally posted by James2:


As for him leading Essendon in "hard-ball" gets over previous seasons; this statistic, is utterly misleading. JJ had 63 clangers for the year- one of the worst in the league. Does the fact that he leads this statistic have any bearing on his place in the team? No! If this statistic proved Alessio's worth to Essendon, why was his position in the team taken by someone who was delisted by another club. Surely someone leading the club in such an important category as "hard ball gets" could not be demoted for a "reject" from another club??

His place was taken by Barnes, because his form dropped off a little in 2000. If Barnes was at Windy Hill in 1999, I guarantee that Alessio would be our best option, because Cess was playing fantastic fotball in 1999. Alessio was a star in 1999. He was demoted, because his form dropped off in 2000. But, remember, Alessio still played 22 games in 2000.

He is obviously a valuable commodity in the eyes of the selectors. In my eyes, he is one of our 10 most valuable players.

 

[James2]

Barnes was the No.1 ruckman from the start of the year. This would suggest that Barnes received the position because the selectors considered him a better ruckman then Alessio. After all, how can a decision based on form, be made before any games have been played?

Whether Cess is a valuable commodity, depends on how you define valuable:

1) He is in the team because his performances warrant selection,

OR

2) He is in the team because he is the only viable option.

Cess has not contributed consistently enough during his time at Essendon, to warrant selection in the team as a key-position player. He is only in the team as an insurance policy for Barnes. Prior to this year, he was selected because he was all Essendon had, which was not much.

 

[Dan26]

James,

I think Barnes was the numnber one ruckman from the start of the year, primarily because that is where he plays his football.

Alessio could - and did - play in the forward line.

If Alessio had remained as the number one ruckman, this would mean, John Barnes would be playing as a forward. Obviously this would be wrong, so Barnes played in his rightful position in the ruck.

I think the selectors chose Barnes, with the "idea" that it would release Alessio in the forward line (which it did)

Remember, Barnhes was nuber one ruckman from Round 1 this year, after Alessio had had his best year with the club in 1999. So, the decision to "demote" Alessio, so to speak, obviously had nothing to do with form.