Ruck question

[PhatBoy]

Long time watcher who has never played the game.
Can someone tell me why, when it is blatantly obvious that the opposition ruckman is too strong and keeps winning every physical contest at a throw-in, the weaker ruckman doesn’t stand off him and actually run and jump at the ball instead?

just occurred to me watching McInerney dominate every ball up or throw in at the Gabba that his opponent is just on a hiding to nothing standing side by side. What is to stop him standing five metres away and running at the ball and removing the option of being bodied or moved off the drop of the ball?

 

[Ambrosia]

Long time watcher who has never played the game.
Can someone tell me why, when it is blatantly obvious that the opposition ruckman is too strong and keeps winning every physical contest at a throw-in, the weaker ruckman doesn’t stand off him and actually run and jump at the ball instead?

just occurred to me watching McInerney dominate every ball up or throw in at the Gabba that his opponent is just on a hiding to nothing standing side by side. What is to stop him standing five metres away and running at the ball and removing the option of being bodied or moved off the drop of the ball?

The stand of tactic can be easily countered by the opposition ruckman by protecting the drop of the ball. That being said when you are an undersized ruckman you need to mix up your strategies and keep your opponent guessing.

 

[RUNVS]

The stand of tactic can be easily countered by the opposition ruckman by protecting the drop of the ball. That being said when you are an undersized ruckman you need to mix up your strategies and keep your opponent guessing.

That is why you need to punch the opposition ruckman in the stomach or groin when they jump up. It is a tactic I am shocked is not used more.

 

[Power Raid]

That is why you need to punch the opposition ruckman in the stomach or groin when they jump up. It is a tactic I am shocked is not used more.

The Hopoate is underemployed in our great game

 

[ExYarraValley]

Simple answer umpires pluck frees to the so called superior ruck. Watch Nic Nat today v Hunter. Body contact free kick Nic Nat.

 

[eth-dog]

Long time watcher who has never played the game.
Can someone tell me why, when it is blatantly obvious that the opposition ruckman is too strong and keeps winning every physical contest at a throw-in, the weaker ruckman doesn’t stand off him and actually run and jump at the ball instead?

just occurred to me watching McInerney dominate every ball up or throw in at the Gabba that his opponent is just on a hiding to nothing standing side by side. What is to stop him standing five metres away and running at the ball and removing the option of being bodied or moved off the drop of the ball?

It depends what you're confortable with. Whenever I was in there I always tried to get front position.

Sometimes the opposition is simply too big and you just have to whack the arm as much as possible

 

[Quivorir]

Simple answer umpires pluck frees to the so called superior ruck. Watch Nic Nat today v Hunter. Body contact free kick Nic Nat.

Some ruckman are allowed to do whatever they want in the ruck. NicNat and Mumford are two examples. Others even look at their opponent and its a free kick against.

 

[ExYarraValley]

Some ruckman are allowed to do whatever they want in the ruck. NicNat and Mumford are two examples. Others even look at their opponent and its a free kick against.

There was free in the West Coast v Saints game at a boundary throw in which was ridiculous. Nic Nat took front spot Hunter jumped on him and the umpire called it a free.

 

[greatwhiteshark]

Long time watcher who has never played the game.
Can someone tell me why, when it is blatantly obvious that the opposition ruckman is too strong and keeps winning every physical contest at a throw-in, the weaker ruckman doesn’t stand off him and actually run and jump at the ball instead?

just occurred to me watching McInerney dominate every ball up or throw in at the Gabba that his opponent is just on a hiding to nothing standing side by side. What is to stop him standing five metres away and running at the ball and removing the option of being bodied or moved off the drop of the ball?

Nothing at all stopping the ruckman standing off and coming over the top to tap the ball, biggest problem is that the throw in is so inconsistent in length and height that you could end up not competing.
But I agree the art of ruckwork seems to be a bit lost on the modern ruckman.

 

[PhatBoy]

Nothing at all stopping the ruckman standing off and coming over the top to tap the ball, biggest problem is that the throw in is so inconsistent in length and height that you could end up not competing.
But I agree the art of ruckwork seems to be a bit lost on the modern ruckman.

it’s not something I’ve ever paid that much attention to because you’re just waiting more to see who ends up with it than how it gets there but when I actually do watch a one sided ruck battle I find myself wondering why the inferior ruckman just kind of accepts that he’s getting beaten and puts himself in the same position time and time again

 

[Sphynx]

On a separate point, the blocking free kick in the ruck is complete garbage that continually gets paid by AFL umpires.

As long as the ruckman has his eyes on the ball and doesn't hit the other opponent high, in the back or hold/grab them, using your strength or positioning your body to block out the opposing ruckmans run is no different to doing the same thing in a marking contest or when competing for a ground ball.

Continually grates me when umpires pay free's against ruckman for legitimately using their bodies smartly to block their opponents run and jump and beat their opponent. It's part of the art.

You are allowed to shepherd an opponent and block them physically when within 5m of the ball in general play, which almost all ruck contests are within that 5m zone. I'd almost argue you shouldn't even have to look at the ball initially as long as you aren't breaking other rules of the game such as holding/high/in the back etc. There is no rule in Australian Rules Football that states you have to look at the ball in a contest.

I hate that the AFL umpiring department just make these "interpretations" that have major knock on impacts to the rest of the game that just become automatically indoctrined.

Shepherding and blocking is a definite skill of the game. Using your body is a part of the game. Protecting the ball drop with your body is a part of the game.

The game shouldn't just be "the best athlete wins", especially when it comes to rucking......


The same applies to players going back with the flight of the ball. You are not allowed to make forceful front on contact with a player in a marking contest unless attemping a mark or a spoil. there's nothing in the rules that states anything to do with looking at the ball constitutes a spoil or a mark.

You can attempt a spoil without looking at the ball, infact some of the cleanest I've seen is players anticipating the ball drop by the position of the opposition marking players hands....

 

[greatwhiteshark]

it’s not something I’ve ever paid that much attention to because you’re just waiting more to see who ends up with it than how it gets there but when I actually do watch a one sided ruck battle I find myself wondering why the inferior ruckman just kind of accepts that he’s getting beaten and puts himself in the same position time and time again

I think if the boundary throw in was landing in the same area 99% of the time then it would possibly happen more. Once the third man up rule was removed from the game ruckman have just stood there side by side in a show of strength. Makes little sense when you are very much over powered.

 

[TheWoodenSlug]

Nothing at all stopping the ruckman standing off and coming over the top to tap the ball, biggest problem is that the throw in is so inconsistent in length and height that you could end up not competing.
But I agree the art of ruckwork seems to be a bit lost on the modern ruckman.

Spot on. It's easy to get a run and jump at ball ups because you know exactly where it's going to land and - once you get used to each umpire - how high it's going up. On the other hand, boundary throw ins can be a bit of a lottery - it's impossible to predict where the ball will land, so you wouldn't know where to start from to get a run and jump. Most likely you'll get the starting position wrong and give the opposition ruckman an easy, uncostested hitout.

That said, it's worth a shot every now and then if what you're doing isn't working anyway.