Opinion Port's Ruck Situation

[PJ Power]

Don't forget not picking Naismith in the MSD.

Is there any doubt that he would be out #1 choice heading into finals this year?

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1000%

The fact that we’ve overlooked Narkle repeatedly despite him not putting a foot wrong since his recruitment, and in favour of an underperforming and low ceiling player in McEntee, makes our strategy in this year’s mid season draft even more ridiculous.

 

[davesnothere]

Don't forget not picking Naismith in the MSD.

Is there any doubt that he would be out #1 choice heading into finals this year?

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Is behind Dante.

 

[Schulzenfest]

Don't forget not picking Naismith in the MSD.

Is there any doubt that he would be out #1 choice heading into finals this year?

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Considering 17 other clubs didn't think he was worth a spot on an AFL list either, yes, yes there is.

 

[Enviable Tradition]

Considering 17 other clubs didn't think he was worth a spot on an AFL list either, yes, yes there is.

Which of those 17 clubs are potentially an average ruck away from a flag?

Of the top 8 you could only argue Port.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Port are really hung up on athletic ruckmen. We would never draft a big mobile log like Darcy or Briggs who could develop into a potent ruckman.

 

[PJ Power]

Port are really hung up on athletic ruckmen. We would never draft a big mobile log like Darcy or Briggs who could develop into a potent ruckman.

I don’t disagree, but I don’t see Lycett as being athletic.

I’d just love a ruckman who has some aptitude for marking around the ground as well as winning their fair share of hit-outs.

 

[Hardcore]

1000%

The fact that we’ve overlooked Narkle repeatedly despite him not putting a foot wrong since his recruitment, and in favour of an underperforming and low ceiling player in McEntee, makes our strategy in this year’s mid season draft even more ridiculous.

It’s really obvious why mcentee is being picked over narkle its due to forward pressure


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[PJ Power]

It’s really obvious why mcentee is being picked over narkle its due to forward pressure


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I could see it 6-8 weeks ago but I don’t think he’s played even that role properly in recent weeks. The eyes tell you when a player is manic in the intensity and pressure that they bring. I can see it easily with SPP and Butters, almost every week. I could see it yesterday with Drew when many of our other players, like Duursma and Boak were languishing. I’ve seen it before with McEntee, but not since the bye. He is playing like a low-on-confidence seagull. His possessions inside forward 50 are when his opponent drifts away from him and he gets space. He sometimes applies 5 minutes of higher pressure stuff in the second half of games when the team is up and about and after he’s had a touch or two. I.e., when his confidence goes up. He’s not playing anything like what Daniels and Bedford bring to the Giants. I doubt that the idea of what McEntee brings is matched by any visible, perceived or real (statistical) evidence that he is doing it at the moment.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I don’t disagree, but I don’t see Lycett as being athletic.

I’d just love a ruckman who has some aptitude for marking around the ground as well as winning their fair share of hit-outs.

They changed his fitness profile when he arrived at Port. Lost some of that West Coast bulk and trimmed down to cover more ground. He's a very good runner and more mobile than he looks. Injuries have affected that part of his game but even in the internal trial game this year he flogged our other rucks.

But he's not a Darcy/Briggs type either.

 

[PortPortPort]

I miss Brendan Lade/Dean Brogan

Dean Brogan

Age

45

Ht

201cm

Wt

98kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

11.5

3star

K

5.0

2star

HB

6.5

4star

CL

3.4

5star

HO

16.4

5star

No current season stats available

D

4.8

1star

K

1.4

1star

HB

3.4

3star

HO

7.0

5star

/Matthew Primus

Matthew Primus

Age

49

Ht

198cm

Wt

109kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

12.5

3star

K

6.3

2star

HB

6.2

4star

HO

16.7

5star

No current season stats available

D

12.6

4star

K

6.2

3star

HB

6.4

4star

HO

13.8

5star

ruck combo.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

I miss Brendan Lade/Dean Brogan/Matthew Primus ruck combo.

I would happily have Barnaby French right now.

 

[ClintEastwood]

Another Lade, Primus, or even Brogan, would be handy.

 

[PJ Power]

Another Lade, Primus, or even Brogan, would be handy.

In all seriousness, that would just about make us premiership favourites, at least in my mind. A lot of the media’s criticism/commentary about us relates to our poor defending. We’re the worst defending team in the top 8 apparently. I don’t disagree, but if the remedy is to put the ball forward a lot and keep it there, a really strong ruckman who also clunks a few behind the play would help an awful lot.

 

[Janey]

I would happily have Barnaby French right now.

Brent Renouf anybody?

 

[Ford Fairlane]

Brent Renouf anybody?

 

[Enviable Tradition]

I would happily have Barnaby French right now.

Id settle for Cain Ackland.

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[Ford Fairlane]

Id settle for Cain Ackland.

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[Janey]

This is Brent Renouf, premiership medalist, we’re talking about here

 

[El_Scorcho]

I'm not sure i'd call Lycett athletic but he is a physical workhorse. Unfortunately he's not a great ruckman. Very inconsistent.

We didn't sign him because of some moneyball genius like we did with Aliir, we signed him because he's a Port Magpies kid who wanted to come home to SA. Arguably that has cost us dearly. Imagine if we'd just kept Ryder as our number 1 for the last 4 years.

 

[Shaucob_Burjan]

I mentioned it in another thread but signing Lycett back then had costed the club a premiership and set us back in the rucks department years worth.

We didn't need an AFL starting ruck with Ryder.

We neglected the development of Hayes and Ladhams as a result (and turfed Ladhams).

We neglected drafting rucks as a result.

 

[Ford Fairlane]

This is Brent Renouf, premiership medalist, we’re talking about here

 

[El_Scorcho]

This is Brent Renouf, premiership medalist, we’re talking about here

Brent Renouf should be all the evidence we need that when people inevitably blame the upcoming capitulation on our ruck situation, they're wrong and you can win flags with s**t ruckmen.

Premiership teams overcome holes on their list every year.

 

[Schulzenfest]

I doubt that the idea of what McEntee brings is matched by any visible, perceived or real (statistical) evidence that he is doing it at the moment.

It's not. He's 228th in the AFL for tackles and 128th for pressure acts. SPP and DBJ from our forward line are both ahead of him on both counts, while also offering more offensively.

I could live with the whole 'we know he doesn't know much offensively but we're prioritising his elite defensive pressure!" if he actually offered elite defensive pressure, but he doesn't.

 

[sobrave]

The Grundy "missing piece of the puzzle" vibes after we piss another top 4 finish down the drain, almost a decade after 2014 is something to behold.

You can replace the jigsaw pieces forever until everything is absolutely perfect but if it's being assembled by a ******* moron then it just isn't gonna go..

 

[theouthouse]

Seriously Ports midfield only needs a ruck that breaks even/nullifying ruck at stoppages and is a defensive beast in the back half capable of an intercept mark or slowing the play down.

Work that into the teams defensive structure to strengthen the defense and the rest takes care of itself.