Time to get Griffiths trained as a ruckman

[theflea]

Some people have learned too much about patience here , lets not go backwards again.

Griffiths wont be successful as a ruck, thats my opinion though and as usual don't mind being proven wrong.

We do need a second ruck though because orren might retire this year or next.

If he doesn't like contact as a fwd, he will be laughable in the ruck.

 

[Mr Magic]

Think about it for a moment, before you dump over this.

With Maric needing to be nursed through out the rest of his career, Stephenson a short term option and Derickx not showing a lot, we need another ruckman and he can play a similar role to Vick.

Griffiths is 200cm, 101 kgs, can run, can jump, can mark, can kick. Yes there are questions over his fitness, but if he can play majority of the rest of the year as the #1 ruckman at Coburg, he is going to build that tank, and his body will get more battle hardened.

I dont see him being a KPD or the KPF that he was hyped as, with McBean taking him over in this role, and Elton taking the KPD spot, I think this may be the only place left for him to develop.

If he can develop as a ruckman, i think he could become a very important tall in the next few years, and prolong his RFC career.

I hope this guy makes it.

Not a stupid suggestion.

I think he may have to be left as a real power forward role like Hawkins except not quite that type of bulk.

That way he can use his size to get the edge in marking whereas atm he gets pushed off a bit I think because we cannot see him.

Don't think he is a defender except for big forwards like Daniher etc..

I would give him a couple of years to develop some power in his body. If this still isn't working then try the ruck/forward option.

IMO not a stupid suggestion at all though

 

[Mr Magic]

If he doesn't like contact as a fwd, he will be laughable in the ruck.

if he doesn't like contact why does he play footy???

Why does he not like contact???

 

[leemo]

I can see where youre coming from and ive thought about it before too purely because he has the height, but Ruckmen need aggression and he just doesn't have it. And you can't teach it.

 

[Wally Matera]

I disagree. if he is a good depth player, where exactly is he providing this depth? Astbury has moved ahead of him down back and Azza is ahead of him up front. There aren't any other positions for him. He is now pretty much depth for the depth. The worry for me is that I can't recall him ever taking the bull by the horns and ripping it up at VFL level. Surely, with all the talent and promise that he supposedly has and at his size, he should have done it at least once by now.

Give him a break, Griffiths is 22 FFS. We held onto Schulz for 7-8 years. Azza is 29 and has played 3 games. History shows that he is closer to a shit game than he is a good one. Do you expect that we can just go to the market every couple of years and pull out an "Azza" to fill a 3rd forward target? You're dreaming.

By the time Azza is back to pissing it up in his local, Griffiths will hopefully have developed to a level gives us better options than Azza. We piss Griffiths off at the end of the year, Azza end of 2014... then what have we got?

Good list manaagement skills there mate. People are talking as though Griffiths is a ****in car crash. Far from it.

 

[JR#8]

Would probably only manage two games as a ruckman before his shoulders gave him trouble.

Plus we have Griggs so I don't see the point.

 

[Mr Magic]

Would probably only manage two games as a ruckman before his shoulders gave him trouble.

Plus we have Griggs so I don't see the point.

yeah, I was thinking maybe the problem is his shoulders, doesn't have the confidence in them yet

 

[zimma]

So that's it with Griffiths?

Failed Pick?

I think he needs two more years. You can't rule out KPPs that quickly.

I think it proves rather easy to start to rule out any player when they've been on the books an extended period of time and barely shown a glimpse. Whether you blame injuries or the club shafting him with constant position changing you surely can't argue he's come close to living up to the huge hype he got or his apparent potential. As much as I would love to be proved wrong, I can see him being overtaken by younger players and not ever really amounting to much more than either depth or even depth for the depth players at this stage.

 

[Bojangles17]

Has been a pretty disappointing pick to date, would be worth a try. I wonder whether he lost a bit of confidence with chaplin arriving, effectively stole his spot. Im sure he will req. a trade at years end, despite not pressing claims with solid performances, there are no gaps.

 

[wart101]

i think griffo would be frustrated, he is a natural forward after all and not all players can play both ends!!!

 

["The Roar Is Back"]

Have no issue with his development what so ever . We recruited Brad Miller , Aaron Edwards and have kept McGuane on our list knowing they have limited ability yet are providing cover until Griffith and Astbury develop . If they don't make it , it's a be X against the clubs developing of KPP players .

 

[blaisee]

Think about it for a moment, before you dump over this.

With Maric needing to be nursed through out the rest of his career, Stephenson a short term option and Derickx not showing a lot, we need another ruckman and he can play a similar role to Vick.

Griffiths is 200cm, 101 kgs, can run, can jump, can mark, can kick. Yes there are questions over his fitness, but if he can play majority of the rest of the year as the #1 ruckman at Coburg, he is going to build that tank, and his body will get more battle hardened.

I dont see him being a KPD or the KPF that he was hyped as, with McBean taking him over in this role, and Elton taking the KPD spot, I think this may be the only place left for him to develop.

If he can develop as a ruckman, i think he could become a very important tall in the next few years, and prolong his RFC career.

I hope this guy makes it.

spot on

problem is shoulder recos don't make good ruckman.

 

[Pounce]

I would like to see Griffiths play forward as his main position. Giving him stints in the ruck is an idea but he has suffered several injuries. He also went 3rd man up in the ruck against Fremantle last year and that didn't end well... If Griffiths did play in the ruck he would have the freedom to roam around the ground. This helped Vickery's confidence when he was struggling up forward.

I hope the club give Griffiths more time to develop. I know people expect a lot of Griffiths because of where he went in the draft but I think injuries have effected him more than some people know. He has played some good games in the AFL last year. I don't think playing for a team like Coburg would help a player's performance.

 

[jreesosb]

The kid has a history of suspect shoulders / ligaments so not quite sure about throwing him the ruck.

exactly what this person said

 

[ize_]

He could be an incredible ruckman, with his skills especially.

 

[DustinsGuns]

The issue with Griffiths is that he is just not that good.

He has never once teared up a VFL let alone an AFL game. Guys like, McGuane and Astbury have put in dominant VFL games before, hell even McBean has.

Trade bait imo. Would take a 3rd rounder

 

[Darth_Tiger]

Starting to have my doubts about him. Surely with his shoulder history ruck is out of the question, at least full time. Hope he can turn it around he has so much to work with, but with Astbury, McBean and Elton all vying for the same spot he is up against it now. Still would give him another year though.

 

[Riskingheadandshin]

A lot of people in here says he has no ticker or aggression, yet want to throw him in the ruck?!
I haven't seen much of him recently, but what I do remember last year was that one pack contest where he nearly killed himself!

 

[TigermanM2]

Give him a break, Griffiths is 22 FFS. We held onto Schulz for 7-8 years. Azza is 29 and has played 3 games. History shows that he is closer to a shit game than he is a good one. Do you expect that we can just go to the market every couple of years and pull out an "Azza" to fill a 3rd forward target? You're dreaming.

By the time Azza is back to pissing it up in his local, Griffiths will hopefully have developed to a level gives us better options than Azza. We piss Griffiths off at the end of the year, Azza end of 2014... then what have we got?

Good list manaagement skills there mate. People are talking as though Griffiths is a ****in car crash. Far from it.

Firstly I am not suggesting we get rid of him, far from it. However, players are starting to go past him at VFL level and he would want to pull his finger out and start performing to stop the trend. Go through the Coburg reports and check the comments and those of other players (some younger) playing in the same positions. There are worrying comments about his performances as opposed to some of the ringing endorsements of players he is fighting for a spot.

In terms of depth for Richmond:
Both McGaune and Edwards are now ahead of him in the forward pecking order. Arguably so is McBean. Elton may also be thereabouts.

Down back there is no doubt that Asbury is ahead and you could mount a case that McGuane is as well given that he was named as emergency when Chap was doubtful with his knee. Elton has also been doing well down back.

And with Shultz, he kicked 6 against 3 time premiers Brisbane in his second season in 2004 in what we know was a pretty shit side so he was worth persisting with, so not the best comparison. Unfortunately for Griff he hasn't really had a standout game and this is a much better side and harder to get in to.

I stand by my comment that he should be dominating at VFL level if he is the player some here think he is.

 

[Wallaby]

I've written him off.

By that I mean, he stays on the list for a year or 2 more (depending on contracts), but purely as depth. I'm not expecting him to get any better. Astbury is ahead of him on the depth chart.

I have Elton and McBean as the big guys who will be fine WHEN they improve. Astbury and Griffiths are in the group of IF they improve. And they are also behind Edwards and McGuane.

It's far easier to play KPD than KPF - which is why that's where Astbury and Griffiths are being played. That's all they can do, and all they seem capable of. When you see AFL reject Aaron Edwards being our best KPF in the VFL, you realize that we don't have much down there. Even Jack Watts kicked a few goals in the 2s and showed SOMETHING.

And IF they do improve - bonus. But from what they have shown so far, they are very unlikely to make it as decent AFL-level KPFs. Before you say - 'give them time like Hawkins' - Hawkins was still contributing to the Senior Geelong side as a teenager - not much, but he was worth a spot - or at least persevering with. Griffiths is nowhere near it.

So I think we're in the market for a couple more big, young guns to recruit next year and start developing. And if that means, to create list space, one of Griffiths or Astbury go - well, so be it. We have to find good players if we want to win a flag.