Analysis Who should ruck?

Which ruck combo

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Can't go too far wrong

I'd go Nank if fit for one of the others. Just cause he's the best we have.

I'd go Soldo as the tap because he fixes a weakness we have in taps, and adds to our midfields ability to get the ball at stoppages and break free. he's a good kick behind play simply because the opposition won't kick near him (a really important role genuinely tall rucks do have - no stats but vital)

Chol is all athleticism and good skills. But he's not much of a ruck.

So Nank Soldo = great mix of all ruck traits

Nank Chol = probably the most athletic and dynamic around the ground and forward ruck combo in the AFL. But comparatively weak in taps.

Choices choices :think:
 
For me teams with a dominant ruck tend to rely on their hit outs to advantage... this is where Soldo shines as he can compete and break even or win as he showed against grundlewald.

I think teams that don’t have a dominant ruckman can shark a tap out well enough that it’s more advantageous to have a nankervis who competes like an additional midfielder.

In saying that Soldo has been no chump the last few and competed well enough around the ground.

Tough one. It would be great to be able to swap and change them around often depending on oppo but I reckon that’ll mess with consistency and momentum too much.
 
Be nice to have all 3. Did think about Cotch for Nank with Vlaustin more of a mid and a ruck dropping back.
Na probably over thinking it. It's a problem though because I don't want to see Chol or Soldo go out.
 
For mine I think they will go with Nank and Chol as they are better equipped to play with quick ball movement game plan. Chol and Nank are also better forward options when they are down there as part of rotations where as Soldo is pretty much ruck then bench for his rest breaks.

With CCJ also starting to come on rapidly in the VFL now that he has been given responsibility I can see a situation where Soldo is pinched by a side looking for a first ruck option and that wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing for either party as 4 genuine ruck options won't fit into 2 spots and I don't see guys hanging around long term to continue to play VFL.
 
I went with Nank and Chol. Our game plan doesn't revolve around winning the tap (hence grigg being our chop out ruck starting in 2017). Soldo is on the path to develop into a fine tap ruckman but I think Nank and Chol bring more value in their "all-rounder" ability to be the big mid, or centre half forward and jag a goal or two or drop back and clunk marks/make a contest in front of an oppo tall forward.
 
Walt Kowalski said:
Can't base your whole set up on one scenario. Have to factor in the entire game.
Click to expand...

WOW, that was a literal response. Let me explain the part of my post I mistakenly took for granted.

I assumed you would automatically factor in the 6/6/6 rule which has changed our setup behind the ball and makes centre clearances more vital throughout the whole game than 2017.

Football is like any team sport and you have to play the percentages. (Eg why teams kick in to the boundary after a behind, not up the guts) I believe winning more centre clearances throughout the game gives us a higher percentage of winning which is why I suggested Soldo be first ruck and Toby 2nd.

Finally, have a look at how many games are won in the last minute. Every professional coach of a team sport in the world has to have a plan should that situation arise.
Without soldo in the centre, our only options in that situation are to try to win the ball back or trust to luck.


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Greggy said:
I’d like us to trial Soldo as main ruck and Nank as floating ruck forward, just think Having the physicality of those 2 would be nice. It may not work if Nank makes us a slower forward line but it’s an option.
Click to expand...

On Fri night Lynch and Jack looked really good in tandem. I wouldn't want to see Nank in there tbh.

I really think our best option is Nank or Soldo as the main ruck, and then Chol as back up. The good thing about Chol is he can run thru the mid on the wing or drop back in defence to chop out when the other ruckman is on the ground. Think it makes our rotations better.

Bigger picture thing though, fwiw. I really enjoy and rate ruck work. I'd like to see the four man interchange continued, but one of them has to be a ruckman, and that player can only interchange with the other ruckman (nominated before the game), meaning you have to have a proper ruck on the ground at all times. As good as a meme as Grigg the premiership ruckman has become, I'd much rather see proper rucks going at it every bounce and throw in, rather than wingmen trying to nullify contests. Would also work to slow the game a bit so the 6-6-6 thing would become less of a necessity.
 

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Walt Kowalski said:
On Fri night Lynch and Jack looked really good in tandem. I wouldn't want to see Nank in there tbh.

I really think our best option is Nank or Soldo as the main ruck, and then Chol as back up. The good thing about Chol is he can run thru the mid on the wing or drop back in defence to chop out when the other ruckman is on the ground. Think it makes our rotations better.
Click to expand...

af98c-this.gif


Whilst I realise there is still a bit of knock on Chol's ruck work, I was amazed to see him jump well over Grundy at the centre bounce - and even that big lump of pelican poo they call Cox. Nank's body on body rucking is superior to his centre ruck work, so that's how I'd be inclined to trial it. Chol taking the centre bounce and Nank rotating into the Ruck around the ground work with Cholly pushing forward / back. I would even be prepared to experiment a little in time too. I think there are a few unusual set ups that could evolve with Cholly's athleticism and Nank's bullocking work.
 
Last edited:
db26 said:
Problem is there neither of them a good tap ruckman and against the best of rucks we will struggle it's been proven. Make no mistake Soldo made a big difference combating Grundy yeah his not like Nank around the ground but he plays to his limitations while Chol does the part around the ground. I wouldn't change a winning formula that's working simple as that.Our midfield is loving Soldo in the middle.
Click to expand...
Winning formula will always involve Nank.Big part of the reason we've won 50 games out of 60(guessing).All we have done was improve our 2nd option.
 
Nank/Chol for me. Soldo is a better tap ruckman but our midfield doesn't rely on winning the hitouts, hasn't for a while now. I reckon we gain more from Nank's abilities around the ground more than Soldo's hitout abilities.
 
Soldo started slow but really hit his straps the last 2 games

chol hasn't been great in the ruck but has his moments , in general plays has done some great stuff , like on Friday night , when the game was still hot running around selling candy like he was Shai Bolton thank you very much - that must really spook opposition sides
but another aspect is him arriving in the right positions there was that goal against the Suns when he plucked one off a pack and strolled in for a goal
when Lynch run in and kicked one on Friday night city end Chol was following him in
and at the other end he was on hand but not required . He's getting to the right spots more often and covering some serious ground to get there
I can see that winning us a GF … just when they thought they had all bases covered Chol floats in and goals :)

I can see the match committee going with Nank & Chol

loving what all three are bringing

anyone dropped , or not promoted is entitled to have a quite tear
 
I'd like to think weather conditions and opponent could determine who plays in the ruck but not ideal to be swapping things around as there is much to be said for consistency. Soldo's tap work to at least even it up against the better rucks like Grundy is valuable and 666 has changed things. We can't set up with 7 or 8 behind the ball concede the centre bounce clearance and win it back as easily. As other has said, final minutes of the game we are a couple of points up against a monster ruck and I'd want Soldo in the middle.

I'm wondering if there is a way to play Chol in a different position, pinch hitting in the ruck, when the ball is in his area. I dont know if can he play wing sneaking forward for an option or back as a marking target out of defence. Does he have the tank? Worry about his will for the physical contest at times.

We seem to have had better clearance numbers recently, and id be interested in how much more effective we have been as a result. No point getting a dirty clearance only to turn it over and get scored against on the rebound.

This is going to be the biggest selection call all year.
 
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