No need to pander to that type.
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Bamboozling, really.
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not sure how much more this thread can bear
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It’s not all black and white, you know.
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If we can’t find a suitable ruck daniher mckernan and draper might have to share the load.
I reckon this could bite us hard.
Belly does not have a great record with injury and we simply can’t expect draper to carry the load single handedly.
We need another ruckman. Question is where the hell do we find one.
I’d have been chasing Dawson Simpson but he probably sees a real chance to get the number one spot at giants.
We could do worse than get Mumford for 12 months.
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Needs rebooting you think?
Woosha is all over the shop here. One minute Draper is on the verge of selection. The next he is a “baby”.
If Draper Has a big preseason, and gets himself into the gym.
He might well be a decent back up option.
Draper is already a backup option. 180+ tapouts in 3 VFL Finals plus possessions and goals tells me he is at very worst ready as a back up to Tommy B.
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Draper needs to watch as much vision of ruckmen around the ground as he possibly can. Do a Zerrett. Absorb as much as you can, learn from that footage. The alternative is game experience and that takes time.
doesn’t mind a mixed public message does Worsfold.
It’s exciting to have a kid in the VFL that we are going to follow with such keen interest.
But even if he shows excellent form he will need Belly to either be rested or injured to maybe get an opportunity. Depends on who they recruit. But if Draper does bridge that gap through pre-season and playing VFL next year then it’ll be an early awaited debut for who should be our next number one ruckman.
You don’t think that happens already?
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I’m happy to send him some videos of Grundy and Cox (Dean Cox - not that seppo flog) if not.
If Draper’s improvement continues at the same rate he has been going …He will be ready (as a backup) for Round 1.
His upside is huge …the sooner we get him some senior games the better. The big issue we have with Sammy at the moment is keeping Adelaide away from him.
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Stewart took a few ball-ups in the forward line during the VFL finals and did ok - tapped one right down Green’s throat from memory. Only saw him take maybe one or two centre bounces though.
He’d obviously need a lot of work, but he’s got the leap and the endurance, so maybe it’s an option for us.
Probably right earlier in the year, but think that’s a bit unfair on Stewart after the VFL finals. Reckon he’s come on a long way with his body work and physicality.
Absolutely sacked Ellis go give Younan (I think) a clear run for a goal against the Tigers. Also, as I posted, did ok in fwd line ball-ups, won the taps a few times.
I dunno if he’s a serious ruck option, but I reckon he’s a different player to the one we last saw in the AFL.
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I have few doubts that Draper could start in round one and get thirty taps.
Probably more, maybe even much more.
But if holding him back for half a season, gets him to be a 15-20 possession player rather than a 5-10 possession player, then it will be worth the wait.
If he starts doing that in the VFL he won’t be able to be kept out anyway.
He’s probably going to be our most anticipated debut after Shiel this season.
Can’t wait.
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Don’t underestimate how big the step up is from VFL to AFL for a ruckman still learning the game. I agree he’s coming along nicely but at this stage of his development I can still see him getting destroyed by a Grundy or Gawn level ruckman.
I’d say we definitely need an experienced ruckman to come in. Doesn’t necessarily have to be AFL experience either. Just someone who has played at a good level as a number 1 ruckman for more than 5 minutes. We wouldn’t want the lack of an adequate backup to Bellcho costing us a final
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I agree. But the issue here is not whether to start Sammy in round 1 ! The issue is whether he is adequate back up for Tommy B. I am arguing that he is adequate backup,
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