Player Watch Welcome to Hawthorn, Ned Reeves. Extends to 2026!

[HODGEYROAD]

So much Gawn about this guy for me.

Big Max took time to develop, and then become the best tap ruckman in his 5th year. He just dominated hit outs and hit outs to advantage.

But it was in his 7th season that Max built his game to dominate around the ground, and even more recently up forward.

He's as big a talent as we have one our list, Reeves.

I can see him very quickly dominating hit-outs, the other stuff will take time, but its been really promising he was hitting the scoreboard after the bye.

Gawn was an all Australian at 24 years of age from memory, the two ACL's did set him back early in his career.

 

[Jazzfan]

Gawn was an all Australian at 24 years of age from memory, the two ACL's did set him back early in his career.

2016. His fifth year.

Big Reeves has only had two seasons.

Gawn wasn't even getting as many hitouts as Reeves in his first three years.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

2016. His fifth year.

Big Reeves has only had two seasons.

Gawn wasn't even getting as many hitouts as Reeves in his first three years.

Yeah Gawn was 24 in 2016. So I wasn't wrong.

 

[burger09]

He's not going to be a Gawn, Grundy running machine. That could be Ramsdens go.

He's a Sandilands/ Witts, dominate the hit outs and push forward or back as an aerial threat. Good skills for his size. He's had a very encouraging year. Some of his palm work has been a pleasure to watch.

Top 25 in 12 months? Tell him he's dreaming.

 

[H00t]

He's not going to be a Gawn, Grundy running machine. That could be Ramsdens go.

He's a Sandilands/ Witts, dominate the hit outs and push forward or back as an aerial threat. Good skills for his size. He's had a very encouraging year. Some of his palm work has been a pleasure to watch.

Top 25 in 12 months? Tell him he's dreaming.

Top 25 player in the comp is such a high bar for any ruck to reach. There’s been maybe 7-8 rucks that definitely got that high in the last 20 years. And a few that maybe scraped in.

I agree he’s not going to be a running machine. And he’s still really playing catch up to have just average fitness.

What is most exciting is his tap work is going to get much better over the coming years as he builds synergy with our mids.

 

[Billyc]

Top 25 would have him as at least the second best player in the side behind Sicily. I don’t see that happening next year.

I don’t see him as a generational ruck like Gawn but I am bullish on him being a really good player for us

 

[Jazzfan]

His tap work is just ridiculous for a player so young IMO. For a modern ruck in general tbh.

Super soft hands and can hit players on the move.

I know it's coincided with average opposition, but you just can't discount our improved clearance numbers in the month prior to last weekend.

Anyone in any doubt this kids an elite AA level talent, go back and watch the first 15 minutes v the Cats.

You just don't see almost 7ft 23 year olds having such a dominance on the game.

Same with his pick up off the ground and snap against the crows. Was pretty wild for someone so big.

His influence on games is going to be massive when he's in his prime.

 

[HODGEYROAD]

His tap work is just ridiculous for a player so young IMO. For a modern ruck in general tbh.

Super soft hands and can hit players on the move.

I know it's coincided with average opposition, but you just can't discount our improved clearance numbers in the month prior to last weekend.

Anyone in any doubt this kids an elite AA level talent, go back and watch the first 15 minutes v the Cats.

You just don't see almost 7ft 23 year olds having such a dominance on the game.

Same with his pick up off the ground and snap against the crows. Was pretty wild for someone so big.

His influence on games is going to be massive when he's in his prime.

Desperately hope you're right Jazzfan

 

[Dewyyyyy]

His tap work is just ridiculous for a player so young IMO. For a modern ruck in general tbh.

Super soft hands and can hit players on the move.

I know it's coincided with average opposition, but you just can't discount our improved clearance numbers in the month prior to last weekend.

Anyone in any doubt this kids an elite AA level talent, go back and watch the first 15 minutes v the Cats.

You just don't see almost 7ft 23 year olds having such a dominance on the game.

Same with his pick up off the ground and snap against the crows. Was pretty wild for someone so big.

His influence on games is going to be massive when he's in his prime.

Spot on. His tap work will be the best in the league.

His tank is holding him back if he can continue to work on it he’ll become good enough around the ground, which means he will be able to push forward and back where he becomes a genuine threat, which I see him being rarely out marked.

Him leading from full forward was awesome to watch against North too.

 

[Brant]

Think Reeves bigger asset will eventually be his ability to go forward and snag a goal a game. His forward craft improvement this year was a delight to see

Assuming he gets his shoulder fixed, that could be apparent as early as next year, for mine.

I think it'll take him 2-3 years to build his tank such that he's a beast around the ground, but I think he can be a better-than-serviceable tap Ruckman averaging 1-2 shots a game by the end of 2023. Especially if we stick with playing 2x Ruckmen.

 

[Ned Ryerson]

Still love this story. Serving up huge slices of humble pie to those who were crying about nepotism when he first hit the list.

 

[Judd2Sewell]

Hopefully he comes back a bit more solid and with a larger tank. I've been pleasantly surprised with his goal kicking, which is a huge plus.

 

[lyger]

If we are going to talk rankings, I’d be happy if Ned was considered top 100 next year, top 75 the year after, and then top 50 after that.

But I do think Ned has huge scope for improvement and could come on quicker than anticipated.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

A pretty good effort for him to get back and play games to hold us together until Big Boy got back.

We should all be pretty pumped that he’s going to be fit for preseason and hot 2023 at pace, because he is a special talent.

 

[mustang]

Hopefully he comes back a bit more solid and with a larger tank. I've been pleasantly surprised with his goal kicking, which is a huge plus.

Seeing as his shoulder is being op on so no weight club will probably have him running more in the off season.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Ned Reeves ​

“As a young ruckman at 210cm, Ned is getting better and better we just feel like this year was another step in the ladder for him going forward. Unfortunately he got injured, but he’ll back bigger and better next year. He’s a really good learner and listener who wants to get better. He works hard on his craft and we saw really good growth in all areas of his game, including his aerial work to be able to mark the ball and go forward at times. His ruck craft is coming along nicely, his centre bounce work is his strength, and he is working really hard with his around the ground craft as well. I think both the team and he needed for him to come back (he returned for some games late in the year prior to his surgery), it gives him and us great confidence going forward. When he came back he took it to another level again and that was important.” Robert Harvey

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

The big noodle is back on deck early.

 

[MrPremiership]

When is the official back to training day?

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

When is the official back to training day?

It’s normally around the first week of November.

 

[MrPremiership]

It’s normally around the first week of November.

Can't wait to hit up Bunjil Bagora for a peep. Will get some training reports back there too

 

[Hodgey 15]

The big noodle is back on deck early.

He is gunning up nicely.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

For all the talk of doom and gloom with the departure of JOM, Gunners, Mitchell etc if we get a fit and firing combo of Reeves and Meek for most of next year our greatest weakness this year (the ruck division) will become a relative strength.

I reckon we lost probably 3 games this year solely due to having Kossy and Nash as our rucks so it's not out of reach that we could win a few more games this year based on this change.

 

[Brant]

For all the talk of doom and gloom with the departure of JOM, Gunners, Mitchell etc if we get a fit and firing combo of Reeves and Meek for most of next year our greatest weakness this year (the ruck division) will become a relative strength.

I reckon we lost probably 3 games this year solely due to having Kossy and Nash as our rucks so it's not out of reach that we could win a few more games this year based on this change.

Underrated post.

Without getting too focused on the timings, I'm looking forward to Ned at FF & asking Meek to cannon into the opposition Ruckman for 5-10 mins at a time, then switching Ned onto the ball against a sore/tired opponent.

His service to midfielders is already promising, but I reckon he's good for 1+ goals a game if he spends time forward.

 

[Simon Crawshay]

Underrated post.

Without getting too focused on the timings, I'm looking forward to Ned at FF & asking Meek to cannon into the opposition Ruckman for 5-10 mins at a time, then switching Ned onto the ball against a sore/tired opponent.

His service to midfielders is already promising, but I reckon he's good for 1+ goals a game if he spends time forward.

Yeh I reckon the likes of Witts, Gawn, Nankervis, etc were licking their lips last year thinking about going up against a Nash/Kossy ruck combo.

They won't be so fond of going up against a 210cm man mountain in Reeves and a 203cm and 109kg physical beast in Meeks! That's a combo to be reckoned with.

At worst I see us squaring the ruck ledger most weeks which is all we need really.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Can't wait to hit up Bunjil Bagora for a peep. Will get some training reports back there too

I'll see you there.