Ruck strategy?

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Feb 28, 2007
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With Naismith going down with an ACL, which is obviously terrible news for him and the team I thought I would create this thread for us to all discuss the Swans 2018 ruck strategy.

Currently in 2018 with Naismith gone we only have 3 recognised ruckmen on our list.

Sinclair (200cm) - 64 games
Cameron (204cm) - 0 games
Amartey (196cm) - 0 games

and as you can see only one of those ruckmen have any experience at an AFL level, with Amartey especially looking no where near ready, and Cameron looking a fair way off in the JLT game as well.

Now we have other players who have rucked before, or Longmire has signaled before today could play in the ruck

Ried (196cm) - 120 games
Aliir (194cm) - 16 games
Towers (188cm) - 49 games

Now none of them are ideal, but Towers has had limited success in the ruck, though mostly in him roving to his opponents taps, and then getting a clearance.

So, obviously Sinclair has to play, he is our main ruckman for 2018, but what else do you think Longmire will do as Sinclair can't ruck for entire games, in fact he can probably ruck for at best 60% of a match? Who will Longmire have rucking for the other 40% of the match?

Also, since Sinclair does not have the best record when it comes to injuries, usually getting injured at least once in a season, what do you imagine Longmire will do if Sinclair misses a few games, who will be rucking for us and in what way?
 

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Feb 28, 2007
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If we needed to could Tippett be enticed to come back? He is still listed yeah?

In theory it is possible but it doesn't sound likely.

At list lodgement at the end of 2017 we didn't have too bad rucks on paper as we had Tippett, Naismith, Sinclair, Cameron and Amartey, but with Tippett and Naismith gone from that list suddenly our ruck stocks look dangerously thin.
 
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Sep 14, 2007
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I think we will use Cameron as our number one ruck then use a combination of Towers and Aliir.

As much as it pains me to say it the dogs did o.k without an established ruck in 2016 so it has been done before.

We just need someone to give a contest and provide an extra option around the ground.
 

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A slightly out of shape, retired Dean Cox would offer more than Sinclair.

Personally I would like to see Towers and Aliir/Reid (both flexible players in defence and forward respectively) just take the load, because we've never relied on ruck dominance anyway. Gives Towers a chance to build on his game, and means we avoid having Sinclair in the 22. Then Reid stays up forward for the rest of the time with Buddy, and they're our only two talls.
 

storeymjs

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Sep 24, 2014
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If there was one player we probably couldn't have afforded to lose it was Naismith. I fear for what other ruckmen will do to Sinclair/Cameron/Towers/Aliir/Amartey but oddly after watching them against the Lions it doesn't seem to affect the midfielders as much as you'd expect it too. Will be interesting to see how Cameron goes against Dawson Simpson on Friday night
 
Oct 2, 2016
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Sinclair is our number 1. Cameron our number 2 right now. We'll play with 1 ruck in most games.

Also we're probably being a little harsh on Cameron. He played a good season in the WAFL before we drafted him, it's not the same level as AFL but body wise there are similarities. I'm hoping for him to step up
 
Last thing we want is Reid rucking. Not that he's any worse than the other options, but certainly more injury prone and we need him forward.
 

msb77

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Sep 23, 2013
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The midfielders just need to step up further, half the time the ball is anyones after a ruck contest. Gives cameron a golden opportunity that he has to take full advantage of. Its a loss but not the end of the world.
 
Bold prediction: Tippett is back in the team come June.

Wouldn't it cost us nothing if he trained/played in the 2's as injury cover. What incentive though would there be for him. He has probably checked out of the demands of day to day commitment of AFL (Um in before somebody tells me checked out a long time ago) May have moved on to another career already.

Pretty unlikely as the Swans would be seen to be going backwards and not having faith in the team to cover injuries. I'm all for it though if they could talk him into it.
 

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