News Ruck and roll

[TradeDraft]

For Collingwood ruckman Cameron Wood, a strapped shoulder masked a serious injury that required surgery at the end of the season.

“It was my right shoulder - my rucking shoulder. I hurt it in round six against the Western Bulldogs in an innocuous tackle with Ryan Griffen,” Wood explained to collingwoodfc.com.au.

Did not Know that he played Majority of the Season with a Stuffed Shoulder.

Showed good Mental Toughness playing Throught That

One man who may make a difference to Wood’s progress this season is John Barnes, who joins the club as ruck coach. The former Essendon premiership player will work with several of the club’s big men, and Wood is excited by the prospect of learning off one of the most successful ruckmen of the 1990s.

Club Finally Announces that Barnes is our Ruck Coach

http://www.collingwoodfc.com.au/newsfeatures/news/newsarticle/tabid/5586/newsid/128351/default.aspx

 

[Ed D]

Good signs for the future. I know a lot of people have been on Wood's back, but personally he's shown improvement as he's gone along. He still needs to work on his presence but having a serious shoulder injury would have made that harder for him last year. Hopefully he can keep progressing and be good enough to be the #1 ruck in a couple of years time, or even a good number 2 ruck. At the moment I see him as an average ruckman with potential.

It's also good to read in that article about how he's committed to improving and doing the extra work to make it as a footballer. I know in the past people have questioned how much work and dedication he's put into his game, it's sounding like he's working hard to make it.

Oh it's also good to have Barnes listed as an official ruck coach now.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Barnes got the best out of himself in the latter part of his career and is an interesting choice as ruck coach. Hopefully he will get something extra out of Wood. And we've had this discussion before, but I am still not convinced that wood has improved. The best games he has played are in the past, against Jolly when he was with the Swans and Adelaide(?), not last year.

In the long run, who cares, really, if Wood makes the grade or not, because we will have Witts and Ceglar belting the ball down to our mid fielders. In the short term, Wood is vital, because he bridges the gap between the old and the new. To win a premiership, he needs to do more than provide a contest - he needs to dominate games on occasions, big games against tough opposition.

Jolly's future is still a mystery. At worst, he should be nursed through the season and saved for the finals. Wood will be required to show just how much return he intends to give for our pick 14 investment. This is his breakout year. Hopefully the player we saw last year was playing in extreme discomfort because of his shoulder, while this year's Wood will be fit and free of pain, intent on smashing bodies and taking no prisoners.

 

[Obese Arachnid]

MMD so many times i see your jokes, humour but I don't think (oh that's me) everyone gets it.

 

[blaze036]

The biggest worry with wood is his a terrible forward, and the modern day ruckmen needs to be able to go forward at times. His a shaky mark and a wonkey kick, his ruck work in a few years will be good enough but needs to work on this area.

 

[Jedi01]

I get the feeling a sprained ankle would ruin Woods year.

Needs to just harden up and produce something.

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

MMD so many times i see your jokes, humour but I don't think (oh that's me) everyone gets it.

The Black Adder lines are funny!

 

[3066]

In the long run, who cares, really, if Wood makes the grade or not, because we will have Witts and Ceglar belting the ball down to our mid fielders.

I care! I care a lot actually. Given traditionally Ruckman take awhile to truly come on we don't need to be thinking Witts and Ceglar are going to be permanent fixtures any time soon. We should be looking at them as a long term rucking duo so we don't need young injuries now against big bodies while they're still learning the game (so to speak).

I care because I'm not entirely sold on him as a sole ruckman either. He plods and doesn't take many pack marks which is a concern. Hopefully (and I have faith) Bucks and Johnny Barns will turn him into a more rounded player and his cardio is up to get to the spoiling contest if he aint pack marking.

For his sake I really do hope he comes on. It's healthy for players in a team to push for positions. He has no chance against a fully fit Jolly if he aint got enough strings though.

Jolly's future is still a mystery.

Er? .... 1 season of surprise injuries shouldn't be a worry. There's no reports of him struggling at the moment is there? He'll be right.

 

[Number 10]

Maybe barns can turn Mooney into a ruckman

 

[TheGreatGrundy]

Er? .... 1 season of surprise injuries shouldn't be a worry. There's no reports of him struggling at the moment is there? He'll be right.

There were suggestions last year that Jolly had a degenerative knee condition. Admittedly the suggestions came from bigfooty punters and not the club. Hopefully you are correct in saying that the injuries should not be a worry.

And you are right about caring if Wood does not make the grade. I guess what I was saying is that if Wood plays well this year he will be an important player, not just as a back up but as a 1st ruckman while the young guys are learning their trade and building strength.

 

[noideaatall]

interesting interview in a sense, though full of modern football cliches/propraganda.. not sure it reflects any real change in Wood. I don't think Woods attitude has ever been the problem: he just lacks the physical ability/attributes to impact at this level. Simply not fast/mobile enough around the ball to throw his weight around effectively, nor to impact around the ground and not heavy enough to crush packs.

I don't think he will make it but do care and do believe the pies will be a significantly better club is they have two genuine ruckmen to choose from. I would like to see the club prove it can develop ruckmen - something it has made a mess of over the last two decades.

Barnes seems like a good choice as ruck coach - insght, communication abilities - but doubt his style matches any of our current players. Hope there are lots of guest appearances from other giants like monkey to give witts a well rounded education.

Bit worried tho: de Witts will have failed if he doesn't win a brownlow and a premiership all by himself based on general concensus around here.