The ruck debate

Who will be the new number one ruckman ?

  • Clarke

    Votes: 6 13.0%

  • Griffin

    Votes: 3 6.5%

  • Darcy

    Votes: 26 56.5%

  • Apeness

    Votes: 3 6.5%

  • strnadica

    Votes: 5 10.9%

  • Free agent/trade

    Votes: 3 6.5%
  • Total voters
    46

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heavho

heavho

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Sandilands has been an amazing player for us. His latest injury is a big blow. Will he make it through the entire 2017 season? Only time will tell but it is most likely unlikely. Retirement is around the corner.

So who takes the mantle of freos new number one ruckman going into the future ?

There are currently a few possibilities Clarke does he extend his contract ? Darcy fast track into his big body ? Doe Griffen get back into his form of a few years back? Or is there is a surprise with someone like apeness or strnadica ?

Do we chase someone in free agency/trade period?
 
Think the calf issue is only just a hiccup in an otherwise solid preseason for Sandi. He'll have still done 3/4 of the preseason once the season starts. Fingers crossed.... Sandi for 2 more years.

Griffin will be the main backup this year until Clarke gets fit. Ideally Apeness plays the full season as fwd/ruck and becomes capable of shouldering a full game in the ruck from next year on if and when required(Sandi rested/injured).

Sean Darcy has two years to develop mainly at Peel with a few games at Freo. In his 3rd year he'll over take the main role.


Clarke is the unknown in all this, if he doesn't get on the park much this year he's not going to get any offers and will more than likely re-sign back up with us.
 
Personally I think Darcy maybe that guy down the track after a bit of development in him. Sandilands down gives all these guys a shot in the pre season games to show what they can do. I think we need to bring someone else into the club through free agency/trade period though to help out all these guys out while they develop. Someone that is more than capable of competing with the best
 

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Unique Name said:
Think the calf issue is only just a hiccup in an otherwise solid preseason for Sandi. He'll have still done 3/4 of the preseason once the season starts. Fingers crossed.... Sandi for 2 more years.

Griffin will be the main backup this year until Clarke gets fit. Ideally Apeness plays the full season as fwd/ruck and becomes capable of shouldering a full game in the ruck from next year on if and when required(Sandi rested/injured).

Sean Darcy has two years to develop mainly at Peel with a few games at Freo. In his 3rd year he'll over take the main role.


Clarke is the unknown in all this, if he doesn't get on the park much this year he's not going to get any offers and will more than likely re-sign back up with us.
Click to expand...
Mostly agre. A few thoughts.

Not too many on here have Apeness in their best 22 posts, but he is probably a certainty now.

Clarke is surely not in our future plans.

Will they train at stoppages now assuming we do not win the hit out?
 
theGav56 said:
Mostly agre. A few thoughts.

Not too many on here have Apeness in their best 22 posts, but he is probably a certainty now.

Clarke is surely not in our future plans.

Will they train at stoppages now assuming we do not win the hit out?
Click to expand...
Apeness comes into calculation for 2017 temporarily while Sandi is out. Agree on Clarke
 
Tbh I see Sandilands retiring and one of Clarke or Griffin being moved on at season's end. That'd probably require trading for an opposition ruck. If we do well enough here and Darcy develops well then we won't be in that bad of a spot going forward. We'll also have Apeness and Strnadica developing as ruck/forwards. One of these two making it will be important as all other rucks I've mentioned here probably are more first rucks and may struggle in a forward/ruck role. If both Clarke and Griffin go or we really aren't confident in which one of them is left I wouldn't rule out a cheap trade/DFA/mature aged ruck being added to our list as well.


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Clarke's best is great and worst is awful.I'm guessing injury has prevented any consistency.I think he'll have to have a very solid and consistent season to be offered much at the end.Griff is lion hearted but I'm thinking his best is behind him so more of the same.
Sandi I'm hopeful will go round once more and then it's Apeness,Darcy,Strnadica,pinchhitters like Tabs and a speculative recruit taking our ruck division into the future.
It's not ideal. (Sandi powering on into his mid sixties is ideal).
It's not dire.
 
Clarke and griffins knee injuries have made a impact on their football that's for sure. A real shame because they have shown potential in some games.
 

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Yeah Logue will be our number one ruck, strndica being groomed to take over fyfes midfield role when he leaves next year and we De Luca to be our full forward for the next 10 years
 
heavho said:
By the looks of the pole everyone pretty much thinks he is the future. Let's hope he is all we hope for and more
Click to expand...
I really like his left foot kicking and second effort. Let's hope he is properly develop in WAfl level as main ruck, even if griffin and Clark come back to second, I hope Cameron play them as forward or loose man . Result will still come for peel with the younger players playing.
 
heavho said:
By the looks of the pole everyone pretty much thinks he is the future. Let's hope he is all we hope for and more
Click to expand...
Surely we will be in the market for another ruck though. Perhaps a mature ager in the Griffin mold who can step in and be competitive when required. The issue with both Clarke and Griffin is that they spend too much time being unavailable. Our midfield could partner with a B grade ruck and do ok if required.
 
Last edited:
theGav56 said:
Surely we will be in the market for another ruck though. Perhaps a mature ager in the Griffin mold who can step in and be competitive when required. The issue with both Clarke and Griffin is that they spend too much time being unavailable. Our midfield could partner with a B grade ruck and do ok if required.
Click to expand...
Good point , currently I think callum Sinclair will be available and not sure about nicholls as he just extend his contract to 2017.
If nothing comes out , I think fit Sean will be fast track Sandi style with apeness and properly stranatica upgrade for 2018 . Clarke might get another year extension if Griffin / Sandi retire .
 
A lot of our ruck planning will be determined by whether Zarke can perform at anything like his best. If he can get his leap and athleticism back, then it buys some time for Darcy to develop at WAFL level with some senior appearances thrown in when Sandi needs a rest.

If Zarke is a bust this season then we might have to chase a mature ruckman as depth. Although if both Darcy and Strnadica perform well at WAFL level, and Big Griff goes around again, the club might reckon that's enough to get by with.
 
Both the kids we picked up this year look like excellent prospects although Strnadica has done very little ruck at training. With no pressure on the club to fast track their development, I think we are well placed with big Sean and Luke for 2018/19 and beyond.
 
I'd love if Sandi could keep going in 2018. I guess the question will be whether his body holds up.

I think Darcy is now the club's preferred long term option, so with Zarke on a 1 year deal his days in purple could be numbered.
 
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