Rovers, Ruck Rovers and Centremen

[St-KriS]

Back in the old days, when a person was named in these certain positions, it actually meant something. But these days if a player is named in one of these positions along with the wing or a flank, it basically means your a midfielder and can roam where you want. So my question is, what was the actual difference between the positions?

 

[SpInNeR]

nothing - follow the ball

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

A centreman was precisely that, he played in the centre of the ground. He would venture a little forward or back, but never past the half forward or half back line. A rover was a small player who would take hit outs from ruckmen, shark the ball off packs and snap goals whilst resting in the forward pocket. A ruck rover in the 60s and 70s was a tallish player who could play on the ball, ruck if necessary, take marks around the ground, and stand the resting ruckman in the back pocket. In the 80s he became a more mobile player who added pace to the midfield and changed on the half forward flank.

These days they run all over the place and rotate off the bench. Boring.

 

[D/MoN]

Back in the old days, when a person was named in these certain positions, it actually meant something. But these days if a player is named in one of these positions along with the wing or a flank, it basically means your a midfielder and can roam where you want. So my question is, what was the actual difference between the positions?

These days, I think it is if you play either on a half-forward or half-back flank (now there's a word you don't here often anymore), on a wing and/or in the square, you're a midfielder. Could be because it is how the game has evolved and sped up.

 

[teams]

Ruckmen have stayed the distance.

The rest are flooders.

 

[O Grobbecker]

Ruckmen have stayed the distance.

The rest are flooders.

Ruckmen have not only stayed the distance but have taken over the game. There are now so many of them that they play as key position players, flankers, in the middle. There's only a handful of players in each team who couldn't have played as a ruckman in the '60's.

 

[dodgyJim]

With 36 players on the ball now, there is no need for positions.

 

[dan warna]

With 36 players on the ball now, there is no need for positions.

NEED MORE MIDFIELDERS

 

[Vulcan]

NEED MORE MIDFIELDERS

Works well with the the England Cricket team.

 

[Mead]

I still think there are distinct roles for midfielders, its just that the names might not apply as much, that's true all over the ground.

For example, up forward rather than there being distinct FFs and CHFs, its more about having one tall who makes a contest in pack situations and clears out space behind th em (Brown) and one who leads at the ball (Bradshaw).

IMO, the prototype on ball division these days is more like
Centreman: Outside player who ranges everywhere, the fittest player on the ground (Cousins)
Rover: Inside/Outside, wins ball, damaging with it and sometimes pushes forward (Judd)
Ruck Rover: Most 'inside' player, mainly there to get in and under and dominate the pack situations. (Kerr)

 

[crackers57]

half-back flank (now there's a word you don't here often anymore),QUOTE]

What do you mean - there is a plethora of half back flankers posting on this site

 

[dan warna]

Works well with the the England Cricket team.

that would be leadfielders your thinking of.