Our big men.

[Alpha1]

Just wanted the thoughts of fellow Blues supporters/fans on our big men. I want to know if you guys think we have room on our list for 5 ruck men/talls.

1. Shaun Hampson:- Lots of athletic ability and lots of fans think he will be a good player.

2. Matthew Kreuzer:- Star and wont be going anywhere. Already showing just how good he is.

3. Robert Warnock:- Glad to have him at the club, will be a good get for us.

4. Sam Jacobs:- I was very impressed with him last night man mountain.

5. Cameron Cloke:- I think he will be a good crash and bash CHF.

And ofcourse we can't forget Setanta, he is 199 after all. Do we have room on our list for 6 big players. They are all 200+ and Setanta is no slouch at 199 as well. What do you guys think? Can we afford to have 6 big men on our list?.

 

[mickelboy182]

I'm afraid Jacobs is just a bit too slow for AFL footy.

 

[Alpha1]

I'm afraid Jacobs is just a bit too slow for AFL footy.

Did you think he did a good job last night?. I know he is a little slow, but we have been lacking a man mountain like him for a long time now.

 

[blues_gibbzy]

Did you think he did a good job last night?. I know he is a little slow, but we have been lacking a man mountain like him for a long time now.

He did well I think he beat big Mac 18>>>>15 in hitouts but needs to do more around the ground IMO

But I reckon Setanta needs to stay on our list. When Hale was doing alright in the first term I thought he was gonna cave us a new one thats were O'halpin would've been really helpful!

 

[Warsaw]

It's good to have depth.

 

[thylacine60]

I was saying that very thing to The Fred Dwerryhouse Diving Pool just the other day.

 

[Alpha1]

Yes but someone has to be cut come the end of the season. Can we keep 6 big men on our list?.

 

[XXX KINGS]

Considering our ruck situation over the last few years I'd rather have a ruckman that can win the hitouts and direct it down to a teammate whilst not do a great deal around the ground as opposed to someone that does the opposite. I'd like to get some games into Jacobs and see how we goes because I think behind Warnock he'd be our best tap ruckman and for this reason he is definitely worth a real good look at. He wasn't too bad around the ground either really.

 

[Alpha1]

The reason I like Jacobs is because he is a tap ruckman. With our midfield we need someone who is going to give a contest at the bounce. I agree with you I would rather him win the taps and be competitive, rather than get belted around in the ruck. Remember when we had Justin Madden? People would bag him etc but guess what he was a very important cog in our team when we had a great midfield.

 

[mickelboy182]

Did you think he did a good job last night?. I know he is a little slow, but we have been lacking a man mountain like him for a long time now.

Hit-outs wise he was excellent, we pretty much broke even with North. I just think if Knockers is fit he should be able to do that tap role as well as more work around the ground.
At the game you could really notice that Sauce was very slow. Considering that our other 200cm players are athletic freaks, I think Sauce may struggle.

 

[Alpha1]

Hit-outs wise he was excellent, we pretty much broke even with North. I just think if Knockers is fit he should be able to do that tap role as well as more work around the ground.
At the game you could really notice that Sauce was very slow. Considering that our other 200cm players are athletic freaks, I think Sauce may struggle.

That's fair enough.

 

[RichosGuns]

What happened to Kreuzer? I saw him limp off the ground but i have heard anything about an injury?

 

[Alpha1]

What happened to Kreuzer? I saw him limp off the ground but i have heard anything about an injury?

Nothing he rolled a ankle, nothing serious. Took him off and left him off, the game was over no point keeping him on.

 

[THE AISSASSIN]

I'm afraid Jacobs is just a bit too slow for AFL footy.

Jacobs looks like he could be a handy back up if our more highly rated ruckmen go down with injury. He still has some strength to gain and will only get better.

4 ruckmen on the list is about right as it is the role that suffers the most injuries.

I would be very surprised if our early couple of draft picks next year dont target Key Fwds as we really do seem to have the rest of the field covered pretty well now.

 

[Cruddy]

Well we've seen what sauce can do in a game now. And personally I thought his ruckwork was solid. I agree too slow but as long as he can stay with the other giraffes that all we can ask of him.
Im hoping that the Hammer is right to play next weekend against Hawthorn. I've seen the pics of him at Training and cant wait to see how bigs his frame has got over the pre season. If he can learn the correct ruck techniques he is by far more mobile than sauce and should be far more damaging.
Sauce will be a good back up for the Hammer and Warnock
Things are looking up.

 

[Stig O'Hara]

This all looks good, real, real quick,
Cloke, Kruezer are forward/rucks so rotate them through chf.

Hampson, Jacobs, Warnock (inj.) are the centre bounce blokes.

Don't forget, the 2 blokes that rucked Hawthorn to a flag,
Campbell was a rookie listed ruck, the other bloke was playing his 8th game.

 

[BlueTouchPaper]

1. Shaun Hampson:- Lots of athletic ability and lots of fans think he will be a good player.

I too believe he will turn out to be something of a solid ruckman, Highly mobile with a good leap. In my opinion, his continued development may well be the most important piece of our ruck lineup.

2. Matthew Kreuzer:- Star and wont be going anywhere. Already showing just how good he is.

Hopefully, hopefully, will be used up forward for the majority of his career - Excellent mobility and has a knowledge of the game superior to that of your average 19 year old (not least a 19 year old ruckman). However, with one of Warnock or Hampson not coming good (or both), he may well be destined to the ruck, and with a bit more confidence may just find some more of the ball and turn into a sublime talent in the mould of Cox. Ran a good enough beep to suggest he can develop a tank allowing him to run all day.

3. Robert Warnock:- Glad to have him at the club, will be a good get for us.

Skeptical about giving up a pick for such an unknown in such a strong draft. Weight a glaring issue, and at least for this year, endurance will be too. No running or contact during training as yet for obvious reasons (They do hit a lot of tennis balls at him however) and will need to truly gauge his worth well into next year. Will play games (baring injury) this year as thats what they signed him for - hopefully can build on whatever he did at Freo

4. Sam Jacobs:- I was very impressed with him last night man mountain.

Has the innertia of the QE2, and turning circle to boot - I think this may hold him back with the selectors. However, I hope he gets into the side as he hasn't been given many opportunities and have only seen him in two games (Last night and v. Freo in South Africa). The sheer size of him pales in comparison to his lacking mobility. Hampson and he are vying for position as this 'man mountain' type ruckman, with Hampson clearly in the lead at this point. Don't forget also that the Blues will prefer to see Hampson evolve as they spent a priority pick on him.

5. Cameron Cloke:- I think he will be a good crash and bash CHF.

Not intimidating enough to become a true CHF target. I mean this in that there is nothing opposition sides are going to worry about. No accuracy at 50 metres, not noted for his one-on-one capability (takes the odd speccy though), not genuinly quick on the lead, not neccessarily fierce through a pack. I just don't think its in his instincts to incorporate any J.Brown type maurauding running into his game. Again, however, has shown he is a servicable ruck option, especially (in my eyes) around the ground, and has a good consistent mark and kick, a viable option for stints up forward. I hope he shows me up this year if they do test him out down front.

-----

A parting question... Would we be playing too tall to include Hampson, Warnock and Kreuzer frequently?

 

[Team Mo']

Depth? Better to have good ruckmen waiting in the wings rather then having some 17 year old bean pole who used to play basketball.

I also see Setanta if he plays to take defense obviously and Cloke and Kreuzer to take the FF or CHF role for the moment...

Having two geniune tap ruckmen and one freak athlete is always good to have when we come against different heighted sides like the roos who are very tall through the corridor...

Just thank god we don't have any spud ones like Ackland or ?????

Ps: Are Cloke and Kreuzer really 200+?

 

[blues4flag]

Cloke is listed at about 196. Kreuzer I believe is 199/200cm.

 

[Pafloyul]

This all looks good, real, real quick,
Cloke, Kruezer are forward/rucks so rotate them through chf.

Hampson, Jacobs, Warnock (inj.) are the centre bounce blokes.

Don't forget, the 2 blokes that rucked Hawthorn to a flag,
Campbell was a rookie listed ruck, the other bloke was playing his 8th game.

So our blokes are automatically similar are they?

 

[Alpha1]

So our blokes are automatically similar are they?

No they aren't, but in Kruz I think we have a ruckman who is better than the two hawks.

 

[40yearBLUE]

Sauce is a third year rookie IIRC. How many years is a rookie allowed to remain on a list and not be elevated. I think after 3 years you either list him or lose him. A scenario that may play is that we elevate him in order to have currency at the next draft. I dont think we need 3 genuine rucks (Warnock, Hampson, Jacobs) and 3 part timers (Kruezer, Cloke, ohAilpin) on the list together, so someones probably not going to stay. Just who goes though is very much an unknown right now, apart from Kruize who is a lock and Warnock who has a contract (doesnt stop us trading him again though so long as he is happy to go) the others have genuine claims as well as question marks.

 

[gbatman]

Jacobs is a bit slow and lumbering but has fairly good ruckwork. Remembering his opponents were fairly good against the roos.

Hampson doesn't appear to read the ball well in the air and doesn't have great hands. Also his ruckwork is ordinarly, not sure he has a great vertical leap and is pushed off the ball too easily. Isn't strong around the hips and legs. Unless he has improved in these areas this year...

Kreuzer is very good, we all know that and will probably play a lof of footy at CHF/ruck.

Cloke is a handy forward who is handy at relieving the ruckmen.

Warnock is a tap ruckmen and was recruited to win hitouts and will be very valuable for us when he's going.

 

[Rambo Stallone]

Yes but someone has to be cut come the end of the season. Can we keep 6 big men on our list?.

What 6 big men on a list of 38.Do we need 32 midfield players?

There will only be like 4 players to delist/Retire to 6 max.

This 4 if they don't perform or playing in bullants you would think.

Hartlett
Bannister
Ohailipin
Edwards

or either 2 midfileld who don't play much,probably out of these.

Armfield,Hadley,Bentick,Wiggins

I think Anderson,Austin,Browne and Hampson will not be,the club committed to them for a couple of seasons.

 

[fnm_just a man]

Hampson has a very long way to go. At training the other day he dropped marks, kicked awkwardly on his natural foot and sent one off his knee on his left side.... The dropped marks probably is most concerning bc it could be a sign of poor hand-eye coordination - can that be rectified??...still I'm not suggesting we should give up on him...im prepared to be very patient. Give him a couple of years yet.