If I was picking the team, I would have actually picked Smack. Tell me he would have been any worse
2 Likes
If we didnât have issues with the forwardline, Joe Daniher would revolutionise the role of a ruckman. I honestly think he could win a Brownlow if that was his no. 1 position.
But key forwards are the most important part of a premiership side so he needs to stay there until we pick up Patten and Cameron in the next 2 trade periods.
1 Like
I cringe every time I catch the glimpse of a Tarp City game and see Ryder jogging around for them.
The day he walked out was the day that we had absolutely no hope of having any form of sustained midfield dominance in matches.
6 Likes
Target a ready made ruckman from another club - you mean like we did with Luenberger?
2 Likes
Would be playing Smack personally
3 Likes
Tbell in his 1st game back took 7 marks last week including 3 contested. Luenberger has taken 5 marks for the year - thatâs pathetic for any player let alone the tallest in the team. Why was TBell dropped after 1 game when we persist with others who perform far worse week after week?
5 Likes
I was a wrap for Leuny last year but he canât take a mark. Has he clunked any this year? Agree with bringing back Smack. Was wondering how smack would go at CHB.
Sorry. 5 for the year. Pretty poor return
I didnât think Leuy was too bad today,and I couldnt see Belly laying 7 tackles
Strap a GPS to TBell and tell him he has five games in the ones to get his total kâs run up 30%. He rucks 80% FF 20%, must repeatedly lead up like a crazy â â â â . JoeDan rucks 20%, and plays a Reiwoldt CHF role the rest of the time. Ultimatum to the lazy git (TBell) , cover more ground and be first choice or squander a tonne of natural ability. Might work, might not. Hooker back for Hartley, Stewart up at FF, to CHF when Joe rucking. Hartley works on his attacking game in twos. Hooker, Hurley get injured, Hartley in. Stewart decoy lead up forward on occasion and Fanta target lead up⌠swapping it around as a âsmall forward line Plan Bâ, when needed.
I assume TBell was dropped due to it being over in WA on a big ground where he would be needed to do a lot of running. Itâs clear he is not ready for that, letâs not forget he virtually hasnât played senior football for 3 yearsâŚ
Not only canât Lueny take marks, on the rare occasion he happens to get the ball in his hands, he does not even have the co-ordination to kick it and takes embarrassing fresh air shots. He did that again today.
Smack should be played - at least he would be better around the ground.
2 Likes
Yet we picked Francis! TBell at least has been running out games in the VFL & didnât look exhausted last week. Its not like Sandilands is quick or mobile anyway & only spent 76% on the ground.
3 Likes
Itâs been the crux of the problem for ever. But it will take some sort of massive leap of faith to run with a midfield of:
Zac Merrett
Parish
Heppell (slow)
Colyer
McGrath
Zaharakis
Fantasia
McKenna
Tippa
Jackson Merrett
Long
Morgan
While running Watson, Stanton, Goddard, Myers, Hocking etc in the 2s.
Scarily this might be an extreme version of what we require. And I say extreme, but the thing is that thereâs no half measures in this game. For every player you add back in who canât cover the ground with the required speed and endurance you are putting more work onto those who can, leading them to struggle with running out games with the same impact and leading to the opposition being able to run all over everyone in the final quarter.
As you say, 16 quick runners with good endurance going through the midfield. It doesnât actually matter how good they are or how many touches they get. As long as the touches they do get are reliable, and the rest of the time they are running and getting into the right positions then weâll have a team that can put Zac and Daniher and Hurley and Fantasia in positions to win us games.
1 Like
you put words to the sentiment I hold. thanks.
Good article this: http://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/19235793/footy-forensics-afl-ruckmen-redundant
Tl:dr version - there is no longer any correlation between winning the hit outs and winning the match (whereas there WAS a strong correlation in the early 90s)
Given the Bulldogs won a premiership with limited ruck stocks, maybe we should just go full Grant Thomas and bring Smack back while upping JoeDanâs time in the ruck.
4 Likes
Itâs the midfield. Good Ruckman does not equal winning.
Wouldâve picked Smack yesterday. Turn him into an extra midfielder around the stoppages, and he is capable of getting a clearance. Unlucky to be dropped in the first place, but with Leuey and Belly back at 100%, I donât see him getting much more game time. Seems as though Woosha enjoys playing the 1 traditional ruckman with Joey helping out.
A good ruckman can make a side, you only have to look back at Cox, Goldstein in their prime. Itâs not about taps, but then generally being another mid.
Gawn really elevated melbourne with his form, looney was supposed to be like that for us. But his skills appear to be completely gone and he is not using his endurance to advantage crating space.
Belly is never going to be that, but he could be a force with contested marks around the ground. But to do that his endurance to hit the contest consistently needs to grow.
Smack is an interesting one, because around the ground he is pretty good. Yet at the ruck contest he is too small and gives away frees, if they could work out a way for him to nullify the ruck contest and play as a follower more he could be the solution for a while.
No surprise we have fallen off the cliff ever since losing Ryder.