Regarding Spider

[lethalselbow]

Hey, just wondering how you think Spider's gone this year? From what I've seen he's been handy, but not mind blowing.

Happy with him?

 

[carsoutback]

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=363553

 

[swannykika]

Hey, just wondering how you think Spider's gone this year? From what I've seen he's been handy, but not mind blowing.

Happy with him?

your assessment is spot on. i mean hes obviously a good ruckman, but i dont know what more could have been expected from him in reality. he only came on a 2 year contract because thats all his body has left. i think deep down, the club was hoping for a bit more from the bigman in terms of influence esp in finals. i just keep thinking spider must be a little dirty, seeing as he left hawks to play finals with sydney, and now we are out and you are still in, after we couldnt get him the year before when we were in the gf. some people just cant take a trick. he made some poor mistakes last week against CW, and contributed directly to at least two opposition goals at crucial points in the game.

 

[lethalselbow]

http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=363553

Thanks. Interesting read.

 

[WoGiTaLiA]

I thought he played well this year. He generally won and positively influenced the game. I could notice a big drop off when Spider was out of the ruck and Jolly was in.

Ruck is certainly a position of need for the future.

 

[Tuco]

I thought Spida did an excellent job for us this year, and I attribute Jolly's excellent season to the quality support Everitt gave him.

The one thing about our ruck division that was always going to be a question mark was its mobility. We've been a little one dimensional there for a few years (since Goodes stopped his ruckwork). But our stoppage game is suited to big lumbering bodywork/tap-type ruckmen. Against simlar style rucks we've been pretty dominant. Port for example, was an excellent hitout against quality opposition where the Jolly-Spida excelled.

However, watching our performances against Fraser the other night, and thinking back on the work against West Coat makes me think it would be nice to have a quality mobile tall to add to the mix. So I'm hoping Currie and co might fit the bill in time.

It's a tradeoff though. As both Jolly and Spida proved to be very handy targets in the forward line (31 goals between them) - something which we've been trying to engineer since Eade was in charge.