Opinion Reilly O’Brien vs. Kieran Strachan

Who is our number one ruck?

  • Reilly O’Brien

    Votes: 15 78.9%
  • Kieran Strachan

    Votes: 4 21.1%

  • Total voters
    19
Aug 6, 2021
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Reilly O’Brien vs. Keiran Strachan

If this thread already exists then I apologise, however I could not find one. I’ve seen on a few threads theres debate about whether ROB or Strachan should be our number one ruck moving forward and I thought it deserves its own thread. My thoughts are that plenty of supporters have been enticed by the new shiny thing and have forgotten just what ROB brings to the side and thought it needed some more in depth analysis:

Disclaimer: I don’t get to watch much SANFL so my opinions are based on what they’ve done in the AFL side.

O’Brien

Strengths:

Work rate, intensity and contested ball - ROB is known to be an elite runner and plays with intensity and aggression. He ranks above average in contested possessions, ground ball gets and clearances. This means as a ruck he provides relief for the midfield as he is an extra inside ball winner.

Intercept and contested marking - ROB ranks as elite for contested marking and intercept marking. In today’s game having a ruck who can be relied on to to cut off opposition kicks, particularly inside defensive 50 is a huge tactical advantage defensively.

Weaknesses:

Disposal - ROB takes a while to get rid of the ball and struggles to hit much more than a basic handball or kick down the line. Although he generally makes good decisions and plays within his limitations he can’t be relied on to get involved in uncontested forward movements. Despite his elite aerobic capacity he is ranked average in uncontested possessions.
Areas for improvement:

Ruckwork - this is an area Strachan currently has over ROB but there is room for improvement. Although his hit out win percentage is average he still ranks above average in hit outs to advantage percentage. If he can become more versatile in terms of his tap work and get more creative like a Gawn or Goldstein then he will be an elite ruck.

Strachan

Strengths:

Ruckwork - Strachan has an elite hit out to advantage percentage and to the eye he appears to be a very creative ruckman, capable of giving much better service to our mids then ROB.

Uncontested play - Unlike ROB, Strachan is a capable option for handball receives and getting involved in forward movements. He ranks as elite for uncontested possessions and ground ball gets.

Weaknesses:

Marking: Strachan is only ranked average for contested marking and intercept marking.

Areas for improvement:

Kicking - Strachan undoubtedly has a better kicking technique and ability than ROB, despite this, his kicking efficiency is below average. With experience Strachan should learn to make better decisions with ball in hand to ensure that his superior kicking ability is utilised effectively.

Verdict:

At this point I think ROB is still our best option for a ruckman, his superior marking and work around stoppages after the tap puts him narrowly ahead. However, he needs to continue to work on his tap work otherwise Strachan will overtake him. Also, there is no need for him to play injured or out of form, as soon as ROB picks up a niggle or his form dips then Strachan needs to be given an opportunity.
 
There really isn't much of a debate in this position, we've already flagged that O'Brien is our ruck for this rebuild, and Strachan is the backup. Hopefully the late season stretch has given us some confidence that we can give O'Brien the occasional off game if he gets banged up.

It was kind of odd Strachan didn't leverage his late season form into trying to pry open a best 22 job, though, that's odd in a good way.

One of the keys this offseason is we need to get our hands on a developing ruck with a late/rookie pick.
 
May 24, 2006
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Hopefully the pair drive each other onto new heights. Nice spot to be in.

What is certain is that the labouring through injury bullshit has to stop. Whoever is No 2 is a more than adequate option.

Need to use the pair of decent ruckmen as an advantage to be utilised, rather than allowing No 1 to see his backup as a threat and keeping him out of the 22 at all costs
 
Jun 7, 2011
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Reilly O’Brien vs. Keiran Strachan

If this thread already exists then I apologise, however I could not find one. I’ve seen on a few threads theres debate about whether ROB or Strachan should be our number one ruck moving forward and I thought it deserves its own thread. My thoughts are that plenty of supporters have been enticed by the new shiny thing and have forgotten just what ROB brings to the side and thought it needed some more in depth analysis:

Disclaimer: I don’t get to watch much SANFL so my opinions are based on what they’ve done in the AFL side.

O’Brien

Strengths:

Work rate, intensity and contested ball - ROB is known to be an elite runner and plays with intensity and aggression. He ranks above average in contested possessions, ground ball gets and clearances. This means as a ruck he provides relief for the midfield as he is an extra inside ball winner.

Intercept and contested marking - ROB ranks as elite for contested marking and intercept marking. In today’s game having a ruck who can be relied on to to cut off opposition kicks, particularly inside defensive 50 is a huge tactical advantage defensively.

Weaknesses:

Disposal - ROB takes a while to get rid of the ball and struggles to hit much more than a basic handball or kick down the line. Although he generally makes good decisions and plays within his limitations he can’t be relied on to get involved in uncontested forward movements. Despite his elite aerobic capacity he is ranked average in uncontested possessions.
Areas for improvement:

Ruckwork - this is an area Strachan currently has over ROB but there is room for improvement. Although his hit out win percentage is average he still ranks above average in hit outs to advantage percentage. If he can become more versatile in terms of his tap work and get more creative like a Gawn or Goldstein then he will be an elite ruck.

Strachan

Strengths:

Ruckwork - Strachan has an elite hit out to advantage percentage and to the eye he appears to be a very creative ruckman, capable of giving much better service to our mids then ROB.

Uncontested play - Unlike ROB, Strachan is a capable option for handball receives and getting involved in forward movements. He ranks as elite for uncontested possessions and ground ball gets.

Weaknesses:

Marking: Strachan is only ranked average for contested marking and intercept marking.

Areas for improvement:

Kicking - Strachan undoubtedly has a better kicking technique and ability than ROB, despite this, his kicking efficiency is below average. With experience Strachan should learn to make better decisions with ball in hand to ensure that his superior kicking ability is utilised effectively.

Verdict:

At this point I think ROB is still our best option for a ruckman, his superior marking and work around stoppages after the tap puts him narrowly ahead. However, he needs to continue to work on his tap work otherwise Strachan will overtake him. Also, there is no need for him to play injured or out of form, as soon as ROB picks up a niggle or his form dips then Strachan needs to be given an opportunity.

Problem with ROB is that his 1 wood is effort and aggression. So if he's carrying an injury it limits his performance considerably. He's obviously number 1 going forward but we need to be quicker to send him out when he's injured. We shouldn't be carrying poor output from him because we fear what his replacement brings.
 
Aug 6, 2021
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Problem with ROB is that his 1 wood is effort and aggression. So if he's carrying an injury it limits his performance considerably. He's obviously number 1 going forward but we need to be quicker to send him out when he's injured. We shouldn't be carrying poor output from him because we fear what his replacement brings.

Absolutely I agree. I was working on the assumption that they were both fully fit.
 
Nov 24, 2007
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I remember at the beginning of the year when I was disappointed ROB got a 5 year contract but everyone said he was elite and it didn’t matter how good-looking I was, he was elite. Now we’ve got KS playing better?

Ruckmen… either you get them with a top 5 pick or you rookie them.
 

Murray2503

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I remember at the beginning of the year when I was disappointed ROB got a 5 year contract but everyone said he was elite and it didn’t matter how good-looking I was, he was elite. Now we’ve got KS playing better?

Ruckmen… either you get them with a top 5 pick or you rookie them.
You should never give a 5 year extension to a player that struggles to kick effectively. Strachan seems to be improving quickly. I think the two need to compete against each other all preseason. Whoever is better we play. The problem is that if Strachan goes past ROB we have ROB on big money and he needs to be traded. He will be tough to trade if we aren't playing him. 3 years should have been his contract regardless of him winning the b & f. Worse case if we have to trade him we may need to pay some of his salary.
 
Last edited:

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Jan 2, 2016
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Give Strachan a full INJURY free pre-season and he will overtake Obrien, as being more effective.
The question mark over Strachan is his injury/fitness levels and the time he takes to recover.
 
Jan 31, 2020
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Don’t rate ether of them.

hopefully we draft someone who can develop to take over in a few years.

Nether of them would get close to Max Gawn, Nick Nat or even Stefan Martin.
 
Aug 6, 2021
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Don’t rate ether of them.

hopefully we draft someone who can develop to take over in a few years.

Nether of them would get close to Max Gawn, Nick Nat or even Stefan Martin.

Having an elite ruck is a luxury not a necessity in winning a flag. To me both ROB and Strachan appear to be perfectly adequate as ruckman in a premiership side therefore drafting a ruck should not be as big of a priority as getting gun midfielders in is at the moment.
 
Jan 31, 2020
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Having an elite ruck is a luxury not a necessity in winning a flag. To me both ROB and Strachan appear to be perfectly adequate as ruckman in a premiership side therefore drafting a ruck should not be as big of a priority as getting gun midfielders in is at the moment.

The ruck man still has to have the ability to actually tap the ball to this elite midfielder you speak of.

Don’t have that confidence they can do that.
 
Aug 6, 2021
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The ruck man still has to have the ability to actually tap the ball to this elite midfielder you speak of.

Don’t have that confidence they can do that.

Stats say ROB is average in hit out win percentage and above average in hit out to advantage percentage. Strachan is average in the former and elite in the latter. They’re both better than Stef Martin has been this season in both categories and better than Nankervis. My point remains that they’re both adequate rucks for a premiership side. However, a gun midfield is a not negotiable in winning a flag, therefore that should be our priority.
 
Jan 31, 2020
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Stats say ROB is average in hit out win percentage and above average in hit out to advantage percentage. Strachan is average in the former and elite in the latter. They’re both better than Stef Martin has been this season in both categories and better than Nankervis. My point remains that they’re both adequate rucks for a premiership side. However, a gun midfield is a not negotiable in winning a flag, therefore that should be our priority.

I don’t disagree with you on your call for an elite midfielder.
 
Apr 20, 2004
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I'd really love a Luke Jackson type who does very well in the ruck and is much more mobile than either of our dinosaurs. I feel Strachan is possibly the more talented of the two, but will need to improve markedly consistency-wise if he's to grab the #1 spot.
 
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