Luey and Bellchambers are very even in terms of kicks, hitouts and contested possessions. However, Luey gets more involved in the play after the initial ruckwork, with more handballs (7.2 v 4.0), tackles (4.8 v 3.0), clearances (2.3 v 1.0) and 1%ers (3.8 v 2.0).
Bellchambers influence comes from his marking, both contested (2.0 vs 0.2) and uncontested (2.5 v 1.3), which gives him more Inside 50s (2.0 v 0.3) and Rebound 50s (1.5 v 0.7).
Luey also tends to make more mistakes - clangers (3.2 v 2.5) and DE% (64.1% v 83.3%).
It’s hard to split them. I think the club has made the right call in giving Tommy a few games in a row and challenging Luey to win back his spot.
Maybe an outlier, but last night Sydney was anihilated for hitouts, but still managed to win the game.
Today its not enough to be a good tap ruckman, they have to take marks around the ground, pick up contested possessions, clearances and follow their opponent from one end of the ground to the other.
As is so often the case, long periods of injury can cloud the reality of a players ability. When I think Matthew Leunbeger I think of Pick #4, endurance beast/extra midfielder. The game and expectations of ruckman have evolved throughout and a mixture of this, plus the impact of injuries upon his development, have meant that a relatively injury-free Leuey isn’t at the standard I thought he would eventuate with a clean run at it. I feel for the bloke as it’s pretty hard to change your style of play when you barely got a chance to play your natural one to begin with.
No doubt will play a part over the next few years between Draper’s development/ThomasBeechCoomber’s injuries.
But let’s hang tight and wait to poach Sam Hayes once Fark Port get his aerobic capacity above 2x oval laps and somewhere near Paddy Ryd… I mean AFL standard.