What is Grant talking, we have seen Setterfield play in the middle.
He was extremely strong against Collingwood and Melbourne as an inside mid, and dominated VFL matches as an inside mid (literal leather poisoning)
And how can you say smashing our mids at training doesn’t count for anything? His way off the mark here
Nobody (marginal players anyway) has any “runs on the board” when you have a new coach.
I think there is tbh. I am just not seeing him going to another level as yet. His kicking has had some improvement and its very good for a player his size but he rarely troubles any defenders going forward still
Would you suggest this year he spends 50% ruck/50% forward in the VFL with Phillips?
Help develop the forward craft needed for AFL games. We all know he can carry the ruck all day (at VFL level) if need be.
Does rely on Phillips being fit as well.
It’s tough for Bryan. The only way he’s getting into the side is if he can play significant forward minutes. But is forward craft was the main knock on him as a junior.
Does it seem like Weideman will be the second ruck on game day?
That’s a big development issue imo.
He should have been played as a Forward and working on the craft at training
You keep pushing this.
He isn’t a forward. Nothing about him is a forward.
He is a pure ruck.
Players need to be versatile, especially ruckman.
Contested marking is a non-negotiable for 200cm+ players.
Check out his draft profile, that was exactly what he was when we got him
It’s partly development, but partly recruiting
Nick being still very young (21) is my pause on going to over the top on his prospects. I would not be surprised he is a very good overall ruckman post age 24
I wouldn’t hate playing Bryan as a defender Max Gawn style.
He is athletic enough to go with any fwd, and he may learn some leading patterns/craft playing on some quality fwds
When did Max Gawn play as a key defender?
I think McEvoy or even early days Ryder are better examples.
He doesn’t have the body to ruck full time at AFL level, and doesn’t have the forward nous to play a support role.
He’s still years away from the big league.
One of the issues we have with stoppages around the ground, is that Draper really struggles when rucking body-on-body.
Which is why Phillips was useful as the second ruckman, as that is his big strength.
Draper/Phillip or Bryan/Phillips ruck duos are ones that work. The Bryan/Draper duo struggles rucking around the ground, and both are excellent at the centre bounces.
Yeah, that’s the most difficult part of being a ruckman, and the stamina it requires to be wrestling the opposition’s biggest strongest bloke all day.
I think Draper has shown improvement in that area in the back half of last year. Basically, as he himself is still building the body for it.
huge if true
I’d be very concerned if the players shared Grant’s attitude regarding having “runs on the board”. Caldwell should have no right to feel like he owns a spot in the team based on last year’s form. Very few players should. If it’s the 2000 team, maybe I can understand some players feeling like they’ve earned a spot. This team finished with 7 wins and team balance was questionable all year. Training is the time for the new coach to spot players that fit his way of playing. Otherwise what’s the point in pre-season match practice?
Having said all that, I would probably have Caldwell in my team as I haven’t seen training take place yet and I rate him more than most. Just found it hard to believe that some of us would expect someone like Caldwell to feel unfairly treated if he was left out in Round 1. What a toxic playing culture that would be, if it was true.
He spent a lot of time drifting back as a loose defender, Jackson would take around the ground ruckwork
I was the stethoscope