Opinion Ruck Combos

[Seppo]

With Gumbleton going down and a lot of discussion around the forward structure and the inclusion of Hannath/Clarke/Tabs.

I thought it would be good to analyse who we used in the rucks last year and how they went (hitouts in brackets). I certainly can't see Sandi coping on his own without one of Clarke, Kepler, Hannath or Moller coming into the 22 that played the Bulldogs.

Rnd 1 Vs WCE - Griffin (20) Kepler (10)
Rnd 2 Vs Bulldogs - Griffin (23) Kepler (2)
Rnd 3 Vs Essendon - Griffin (32) Kepler (8)
Rnd 4 vs Hawthorn - Griffin (22) Kepler (1)
Rnd 5 Vs Richmond - Griffin (23), Hannath (11) Kepler inj. (0)
Rnd 6 Vs Gold Coast - Griffin (31) Hannath (9)
Rnd 7 Vs Collingwood - Hannath (14) Griffin inj. (3) *Dawson with 6 for the lulz
Rnd 8 vs Sydney - Clarke (27) Hannath (6)
Rnd 9 Vs Melbourne - Clarke (21) Hannath (5)
Rnd 10 Vs Adelaide - Clarke (29) Hannath (1)
Rnd 12 Vs Brisbane - Clarke (28) Hannath (6)
Rnd 13 Vs North Melb -Clarke (28) Hannath (2)
Rnd 14 Vs Geelong - Clarke (24) Hannath (6)
Rnd 15 Vs St Kilda - Clarke (17) Sandilands (11)
Rnd 16 Vs WCE - Sandilands (32) Clarke (13)
Rnd 17 Vs Richmond - Clarke (25) Hannath (2)
Rnd 18 Vs Adelaide - Sandilands (26) Clarke (10)
Rnd 19 Vs Carlton - Sandilands (28) Clarke (17)
Rnd 20 Vs GWS - Sandilands (28) Clarke (20)
Rnd 21 Vs Melbourne - Clarke (20) Sandilands inj. (3)
Rnd 22 Vs Port - Clarke (30) Hannath (8)
Rnd 23 Vs St Kilda - Sandilands (42) Moller (3) Hannath (0)

QF V Geelong - Sandilands (31) Clarke (19)
PF v Sydney - Sandilands (33) Clarke (19)
GF V Hawthorn - Sandilands (44) Clarke (8)

Sandilands and Clarke are the best combination IMO, and alot of the combinations above were forced due to injury. If we had every ruckman fit and available I would want to line up round 1 with 211 and Zarke.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

With Gumbleton going down and a lot of discussion around the forward structure and the inclusion of Hannath/Clarke/Tabs.

I thought it would be good to analyse who we used in the rucks last year and how they went (hitouts in brackets). I certainly can't see Sandi coping on his own without one of Clarke, Kepler, Hannath or Moller coming into the 22 that played the Bulldogs.

Rnd 1 Vs WCE - Griffin (20) Kepler (10)
Rnd 2 Vs Bulldogs - Griffin (23) Kepler (2)
Rnd 3 Vs Essendon - Griffin (32) Kepler (8)
Rnd 4 vs Hawthorn - Griffin (22) Kepler (1)
Rnd 5 Vs Richmond - Griffin (23), Hannath (11) Kepler inj. (0)
Rnd 6 Vs Gold Coast - Griffin (31) Hannath (9)
Rnd 7 Vs Collingwood - Hannath (14) Griffin inj. (3) *Dawson with 6 for the lulz
Rnd 8 vs Sydney - Clarke (27) Hannath (6)
Rnd 9 Vs Melbourne - Clarke (21) Hannath (5)
Rnd 10 Vs Adelaide - Clarke (29) Hannath (1)
Rnd 12 Vs Brisbane - Clarke (28) Hannath (6)
Rnd 13 Vs North Melb -Clarke (28) Hannath (2)
Rnd 14 Vs Geelong - Clarke (24) Hannath (6)
Rnd 15 Vs St Kilda - Clarke (17) Sandilands (11)
Rnd 16 Vs WCE - Sandilands (32) Clarke (13)
Rnd 17 Vs Richmond - Clarke (25) Hannath (2)
Rnd 18 Vs Adelaide - Sandilands (26) Clarke (10)
Rnd 19 Vs Carlton - Sandilands (28) Clarke (17)
Rnd 20 Vs GWS - Sandilands (28) Clarke (20)
Rnd 21 Vs Melbourne - Clarke (20) Sandilands inj. (3)
Rnd 22 Vs Port - Clarke (30) Hannath (8)
Rnd 23 Vs St Kilda - Sandilands (42) Moller (3) Hannath (0)

QF V Geelong - Sandilands (31) Clarke (19)
PF v Sydney - Sandilands (33) Clarke (19)
GF V Hawthorn - Sandilands (44) Clarke (8)

Sandilands and Clarke are the best combination IMO, and alot of the combinations above were forced due to injury. If we had every ruckman fit and available I would want to line up round 1 with 211 and Zarke.

We will not know for a while now but I reckon Ross was going to use two ruckmen plus Gumbleton.
I tip he will still go that way . Rd1 Sandi / Clarke with another tall at FF. ( Apeness or Taberner ).

 

[calaisking]

How's Clarko travelling? He's a really important part of our team, would be a big blow not having him against Collingwood

 

[masai]

With Gumbleton going down and a lot of discussion around the forward structure and the inclusion of Hannath/Clarke/Tabs.

Sandilands and Clarke are the best combination IMO, and alot of the combinations above were forced due to injury. If we had every ruckman fit and available I would want to line up round 1 with 211 and Zarke.

I'd go with 211 & Zarke at present, and then re-assess it when Griffin returns to A1 form.

I'm going to go old fashion here with our ruckman and ask why do we need to bench them ?. When "resting" the ruckman goes forward and plays the Gumby / Kep role. Ruckman don't get any shorter and all they really need is to provide a contest with Balla & Walters zinging around at their feet.

Maybe we will play 3 rucks in our 22, when Griff returns.

 

[Quokka]

If Griffin can come back with the form he had last year I'm really torn on Sandilands & Clarke or Sandilands & Griffin as my first choice. Sandlilands and Griffin would smash it in the rucks but don't add the same level of run as Clarke does although out of the three Sandy has probably showed the most up forward so far. I know Clarke is best 22 and will play if fit and I think we lose too much trying to add another running player and one ruck so as long as any combination of two out of those three play in most of our games this year I'll be more than happy.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

How's Clarko travelling? He's a really important part of our team, would be a big blow not having him against Collingwood

I would say 50/50 to play RD1.

 

[go_the_dockers]

The big question I have is will be played 2 KPF's and 2 rucks (one resting forward) or 1 KPF and 2 rucks (one resting forward).

With Gumbleton out and the depth we have in other positions I think we only play one permanent KPF, 1 ruck and 1 ruck\fwd. I can not justify including Taberner, Bradley or Hannath (at the moment) when we have players like Crozier, Sutcliffe, Sylvia pushing for a spot in the best 22 unless the KPF players start dominating the WAFL.

 

[Fred Ziffel]

If Griffin can come back with the form he had last year I'm really torn on Sandilands & Clarke or Sandilands & Griffin as my first choice. Sandlilands and Griffin would smash it in the rucks but don't add the same level of run as Clarke does although out of the three Sandy has probably showed the most up forward so far. I know Clarke is best 22 and will play if fit but I think we lose too much trying to add another running player and one ruck so as long as any combination of two out of those three play in most of our games this year I'll be more than happy.

Zac has been less than okay when played in the forward line. He is a way better ruckman.

 

[Quay Club]

With Gumbleton going down and a lot of discussion around the forward structure and the inclusion of Hannath/Clarke/Tabs.

I thought it would be good to analyse who we used in the rucks last year and how they went (hitouts in brackets). I certainly can't see Sandi coping on his own without one of Clarke, Kepler, Hannath or Moller coming into the 22 that played the Bulldogs.

Rnd 1 Vs WCE - Griffin (20) Kepler (10)
Rnd 2 Vs Bulldogs - Griffin (23) Kepler (2)
Rnd 3 Vs Essendon - Griffin (32) Kepler (8)
Rnd 4 vs Hawthorn - Griffin (22) Kepler (1)
Rnd 5 Vs Richmond - Griffin (23), Hannath (11) Kepler inj. (0)
Rnd 6 Vs Gold Coast - Griffin (31) Hannath (9)
Rnd 7 Vs Collingwood - Hannath (14) Griffin inj. (3) *Dawson with 6 for the lulz
Rnd 8 vs Sydney - Clarke (27) Hannath (6)
Rnd 9 Vs Melbourne - Clarke (21) Hannath (5)
Rnd 10 Vs Adelaide - Clarke (29) Hannath (1)
Rnd 12 Vs Brisbane - Clarke (28) Hannath (6)
Rnd 13 Vs North Melb -Clarke (28) Hannath (2)
Rnd 14 Vs Geelong - Clarke (24) Hannath (6)
Rnd 15 Vs St Kilda - Clarke (17) Sandilands (11)
Rnd 16 Vs WCE - Sandilands (32) Clarke (13)
Rnd 17 Vs Richmond - Clarke (25) Hannath (2)
Rnd 18 Vs Adelaide - Sandilands (26) Clarke (10)
Rnd 19 Vs Carlton - Sandilands (28) Clarke (17)
Rnd 20 Vs GWS - Sandilands (28) Clarke (20)
Rnd 21 Vs Melbourne - Clarke (20) Sandilands inj. (3)
Rnd 22 Vs Port - Clarke (30) Hannath (8)
Rnd 23 Vs St Kilda - Sandilands (42) Moller (3) Hannath (0)

QF V Geelong - Sandilands (31) Clarke (19)
PF v Sydney - Sandilands (33) Clarke (19)
GF V Hawthorn - Sandilands (44) Clarke (8)

Sandilands and Clarke are the best combination IMO, and alot of the combinations above were forced due to injury. If we had every ruckman fit and available I would want to line up round 1 with 211 and Zarke.

Seeing the early stats reminded me how well Griffin was going before he went down. Hopefully he can get back to his best as he can also take a grab and is a decent kick.

 

[Spoken4]

Dawson as back up ruck? He killed Jolly in the last quarter of our game against Collingwood last year. Even roved his own taps!!!

 

[Quokka]

Zac has been less than okay when played in the forward line. He is a way better ruckman.

Agree and like go the dockers said it gets hard to fit everyone in without a ruck who can rest up forward as another tall target. Clarke is improving around the ground and maybe his best spot will be that HF, around outside the 50m sort of area where he can still run but then we need two tall forwards and with Crozier and co pushing for selection?

IMO its too risky to go into a game with Sandilands and part timers so personally I'm still in favour of two rucks first and work it out from there.

 

[Ysaye]

The big question I have is will be played 2 KPF's and 2 rucks (one resting forward) or 1 KPF and 2 rucks (one resting forward).

With Gumbleton out and the depth we have in other positions I think we only play one permanent KPF, 1 ruck and 1 ruck\fwd. I can not justify including Taberner, Bradley or Hannath (at the moment) when we have players like Crozier, Sutcliffe, Sylvia pushing for a spot in the best 22 unless the KPF players start dominating the WAFL.

I think (like last year) they will figure they need at least two KPF types for some situations, but one of these may be someone that can play another roles other than ruck. People that I think may come under this category could be:

(*) Chris Mayne - probably the default option (used last year).
(1) Anthony Morabito - may also be played as a HBF, HFF or Wing.
(2) Tanner Smith - May also play as a backman (Key position or not) as required.
(3) Alex Silvagni - see Tanner Smith.

These players might not be super-effective in terms of output, but they could fill perhaps the role?

If this happens, then I see them still playing two ruckmen; I think the default option is probably still Sandilands / Clarke, but Clarke would have to ahead of the game to be picked before Griffin....

 

[clivenator26]

Sandi & Clarke it has to be, Sandi & Hannath if Clarke isn't fit early.

I don't want to see us play 3 rucks ever, we trialled it once, other clubs have tried it, it never works.

 

[theGav56]

Zac has been less than okay when played in the forward line. He is a way better ruckman.

That is something that is missing in Seppo's breakdown, but it is also something that is an important part of the equation. We all know that Clarke is a superior ruckman to Bradley. The position that is up for grabs is really 2nd Ruck/forward.

How many goals did each of those combos contribute?

and maybe

How many clearances when our #2 ruckman is rucking?

 

[Arcassius]

How much run would we have with a Griffin & Zarke combo - possibly a touch better suited to the running game, although Sandi is more imposing at contests

 

[Tonga Bob]

If Griffin can come back with the form he had last year I'm really torn on Sandilands & Clarke or Sandilands & Griffin as my first choice. Sandlilands and Griffin would smash it in the rucks but don't add the same level of run as Clarke does although out of the three Sandy has probably showed the most up forward so far. I know Clarke is best 22 and will play if fit and I think we lose too much trying to add another running player and one ruck so as long as any combination of two out of those three play in most of our games this year I'll be more than happy.

I concur. Out of interest how is Moller's development going?

 

[Quokka]

The guys who get down to training will know a lot better than me but I think the signs are still looking good to the point that long term he might-possibly-be-no-pressure-but-we'll-see-and-I'm-just-putting-it-out-there-and-not-trying-to-make-a-fanfare.... that Ruck/Forward we all desperately want.

But Clarke's showing us how long the tall guys take to build towards real form and although he might get a few more games along the way I'd have thought he's at least another two years away from regular AFL. But there's nothing to say so far that he wont be given that time.

Of course take all that with a fairly big grain of salt, after all I've seen the guy play like twice

 

[Schauermann]

Well, Clarke, Kepler and Griffin all in doubt for Round 1. So Sandi/Hannath could be likely in Rd1. Later we probably will go mainly with Sandi/Clarke until somebody shows he better as ruck/forward. Perhaps even prefer Kepler, when he is fit again...