What if Ottens/Blake gets hurt?

hobart cat

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Thread starter #1
Still basking in the glory of this season and shouldnt be thinking of such negative things I suppose.

However, in light of the King axing, I can't help but wonder what happens if at some point Otto or Blakey suffers a long term injury.

Otto has had his fair share - and Blake is such a genetic freak you cannot help but think he's a likely candidate to go down with something.

This would force us to either bring in West, who's still a good year or 2 in the magoos away from being senior ruck material, or look at having to bring someone else (Mooney??) up the ground to change in the ruck.

We all know from seeing it before that the latter scenario badly effects our structure. Cam is much better suited as a permanent forward.

So this is why I would of liked to see King maintained on a one year deal.
 

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#2
Still basking in the glory of this season and shouldnt be thinking of such negative things I suppose.

However, in light of the King axing, I can't help but wonder what happens if at some point Otto or Blakey suffers a long term injury.

Otto has had his fair share - and Blake is such a genetic freak you cannot help but think he's a likely candidate to go down with something.

This would force us to either bring in West, who's still a good year or 2 in the magoos away from being senior ruck material, or look at having to bring someone else (Mooney??) up the ground to change in the ruck.

We all know from seeing it before that the latter scenario badly effects our structure. Cam is much better suited as a permanent forward.

So this is why I would of liked to see King maintained on a one year deal.
Simple answer - we'd likely be buggered, far more so by an Ottens injury.
 
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#5
Worst case scenario we could have Ego, Nath and Cam around the ground to take the pressure of West if he was forced to play but it wouldn't be ideal. Ego would go alright in the ruck i think 196 cm and strong as an Ox and although we have shown we can adapt our backline without him he is brilliant at CHB. Maybe Nathan should be prepared for some rucking during the off season as it would greatly increase his strength and fitness and he has wonderful touch on the ball ( tap to SJ in prelim) so it would bring him into the game more. Don't move cam from the forward line.
 

Rosso

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#6
Hawkins played a fair bit of his jnr footy in the ruck so I'd say he'd be more of an option rather than Egan or Nath. Moons did the job for us in 2004 but he is far too valuable up forward to have him roaming in the backline. I would hope the club looks to pick up a mature age ruckman to help the cause although I believe West is capable of holding his own.
 
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#7
Hawkins played a fair bit of his jnr footy in the ruck so I'd say he'd be more of an option rather than Egan or Nath. Moons did the job for us in 2004 but he is far too valuable up forward to have him roaming in the backline. I would hope the club looks to pick up a mature age ruckman to help the cause although I believe West is capable of holding his own.
Maybe they could pick up that Steven King guy, you know, the St Kilda player...?
 

And_ROOS

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#10
Really whoever we would put in the ruck would lose most of the contests, so instead of putting a Mooney or an Egan in and damaging structure id be more inclined to put a forward like a Hawkins or someone similar with a big body in. We take Mooney out and we lose a 60 goal forward. We take Egan out and we lose a gun CHB. But if we chuck Hawkins in there we dont really lose anything.
 

hbk_aus

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#11
Really whoever we would put in the ruck would lose most of the contests, so instead of putting a Mooney or an Egan in and damaging structure id be more inclined to put a forward like a Hawkins or someone similar with a big body in. We take Mooney out and we lose a 60 goal forward. We take Egan out and we lose a gun CHB. But if we chuck Hawkins in there we dont really lose anything.
Depends how Hawkins comes on - if he excels, then maybe we could spare Moons to pinch-hit. But most teams only have 2 real front-line ruckman, so we are no different to them. We were quite spoilt for choice this year.
 

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randyzany

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#12
How much did King manage to get at St Kilda? It's disappointing that we had to let him go but if he wanted more than 300,000 a year than we had no choice. I would have thought 200k -250k was a fair deal considering that he hadn't done much for the last 2 - 3 years on a supposed 500k salary.
 

CF

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#13
Take a chill pill for goodness sake. Let's see who we draft and then decide what are options are. But to start thinking about this stuff now really shows an obsessed mind ;)
 

hobart cat

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Thread starter #14
Take a chill pill for goodness sake. Let's see who we draft and then decide what are options are. But to start thinking about this stuff now really shows an obsessed mind ;)
Obsessed mind no doubt, thanks for paying homage. :)

to those who've suggested Hawkins, he's proven this year he's in need of a bigger tank just to play seniors in the FORWARD LINE.

in the ruck he would get to about 2 contests and then have to rest for the remainder of the quarter!!

This is a real concern for mine. Will destroy my summer. :thumbsdown:
 

The rabbi

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#17
Geeez, let this old bloke think. How many times have I seen a young ruckman forced to come into the side and grow as a player in no time?

Think about it fellas. How did Blake get the opportunity in the first place? How did King get his opportunity? How did Damian Bourke? Darren Flanagan? John Mossop? Rod Blake? David Manson?

Need I go on?
 
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Admin #18
West - no doubt about it. Ruckmen don't become AFL quality in the magoos, they have to spend time in senior matches. It'll hurt the team in the short term, but its a fact of life in footy.
 

And_ROOS

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#19
Except crock a potential 80+ goal a season player.....
Hmmm, Mooney = guaranteed goal scoring forward, Hawkins = second year player who hasnt proved anything.

While i have no doubt Hawkins will be an excellent forward, and if he has a ripper year then yes Mooney can pinch hit, but based on what we know RIGHT NOW id be more inclined to sacrifice Hawkins to ruck rather then Mooney.
 

Asty

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#20
West - no doubt about it. Ruckmen don't become AFL quality in the magoos, they have to spend time in senior matches. It'll hurt the team in the short term, but its a fact of life in footy.
I agree I would definately use West in the ruck (unless we recruit an alternative). He would only need to relieve otten/blake for 10 minutes a quarter and if we are a ruckman short may as well give him a taste so he knows what level he eventually needs to achieve.
 

rizzo

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#21
How could people suggest Moons, Hawk, Ego and Nath when we have a perfectly good (and talented) youngster in West floating around in the reserves. If we weren't going to play him if a ruck got injured we would delist him.

Get on the west train. Hes going to be a gun.
 

Brasil2007

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#22
How could people suggest Moons, Hawk, Ego and Nath when we have a perfectly good (and talented) youngster in West floating around in the reserves. If we weren't going to play him if a ruck got injured we would delist him.

Get on the west train. Hes going to be a gun.
Rizzo, you've hit the nail on the head again. We've got to play him sooner or later. If we can get some games into him this year it'd be good (even if it's only one or two).
 

thegerman

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#23
How could people suggest Moons, Hawk, Ego and Nath when we have a perfectly good (and talented) youngster in West floating around in the reserves. If we weren't going to play him if a ruck got injured we would delist him.

Get on the west train. Hes going to be a gun.
Totally agree there Rizzo.

This thread pretty much sums up some things from a supporter side of things, most don't have a clue about the list. Most only watch the seniors play and have no idea about the players running around in the twos.

West is capable, sure he may not be the tallest ruck around (say of Blakes size), but his mobility is quite good, his ball skills are also good. I'd say in a year or so he will be our backup, just needs to get a game.

With King gone, that will now be the case.
 

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#24
How could people suggest Moons, Hawk, Ego and Nath when we have a perfectly good (and talented) youngster in West floating around in the reserves. If we weren't going to play him if a ruck got injured we would delist him.

Get on the west train. Hes going to be a gun.

He is mobile and can mark and kick. He has a few qualities that Blake lacks. I agree with Rizzo and also think that he will be a very good player. He will be more versatile than Blake because he will have skills that are useful around the whole ground and not just at centre bounces and ball ups. I am convinced that Blake is just a tap ruckman and nothing more.
 

foxdog50

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#25
Dont worry one bit at all. West will play a few 1s game this year, Sh!T i dont know what this thread started up for. JUST REMEMBER THE NAME WEST!!!!
 
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