RUCK

[saintjake]

There's no disputing McEvoy's tap work is awful. I think he has great potential, but geez he needs to get his act together pretty quickly when it comes to his tap work. It seems like every centre bounce, the opposition midfielders are able to get an easy clearance.

But there's no obvious solution to this (in the short term). I agree with the above messages, it is really disheartening that he is being beaten by players who have played only a couple of games.

the answer is that our mids have to try and be smarter and read the opps ruckmans hands

[battye]

There's no disputing McEvoy's tap work is awful. I think he has great potential, but geez he needs to get his act together pretty quickly when it comes to his tap work. It seems like every centre bounce, the opposition midfielders are able to get an easy clearance.

But there's no obvious solution to this (in the short term). I agree with the above messages, it is really disheartening that he is being beaten by players who have played only a couple of games.

the answer is that our mids have to try and be smarter and read the opps ruckmans hands

Not sure if Armitage and company can acquire those skills overnight, particularly with Hayes missing.

I wonder if instead of trying to be fancy and tapping to advantage (which he doesn't do anyway) McEvoy wouldn't be better off just timing his jump a little better and going for the massive thump forward?

[lefty]

Macca has been really poor in the ruck, we just are not winning the taps/center clearances.

Perhaps try Stanley as a option to ruck (if he's actually done that before)

[Eastern]

I think if we look at our ruck stocks realisticlly, the plan would have been for BIG BEN to be the 2nd or even 3rd banana this year, with MG being our 1st option rotating with Kosi because of the sub rule. MG not coming up and Kosi only playing one game so far has meant that Ben has had to shoulder the load by himself, a massive task for a 22yo.

I see Ben developing into a Kingy type ruckman once he develops a bit more strength and nouse around the ground. He is not, and never will be an athletic type ruckman. All ruckmen take time to develop. Ben is the type/style of ruckman that takes even longer. He is doing it tough at the moment, but he WILL come good. We need to be patient with him !!

[gringo]

Stanley is a very tall forward and can't ruck either. We have two development rucks and then not much else, MG is going to keep injuring himself, as is Kosi and Archer is a little short. At least if we develop Archer his body is solid enough to cause some grief to the opposition.

[PJ]

I see Ben developing into a Kingy type ruckman once he develops a bit more strength and nouse around the ground. He is not, and never will be an athletic type ruckman. All ruckmen take time to develop. Ben is the type/style of ruckman that takes even longer. He is doing it tough at the moment, but he WILL come good. We need to be patient with him !!

Agreed but in the mean time we need to do something or else or we are going to get flogged consistently.

Kingy and harves have their work cut out for them but seriously they need to come up with something better than what we have.

1/ Ben second ruck option and starting in the forward line

2/ If Kosi's ankle is better 1st ruck

3/ Alternatively - Go back to Stanley as 2nd ruck option and in the forward line.

[SaintSimmo]

Macca was terrible last night, didnt use his body and everytime he was in the ruck adelaide got the clearance, at least when blake rucked he provided a contest and you would find we won most, if not all our clearances when blake was rucking, we need Gardi back quick cause thats where we are getting smashed atm and is making it very hard to win a game and kick a large score, it is a vital part of the game and when your opponent gets the ball into their 50 through the clearance almost every time, it is very hard to win.
I'm also not oblivious to the fact that Hayes was a huge loss for our midfield and we struggle to get the clearances without him but we have other players that can do this role, such as Armitage, its just they need a better supply so they can take it out of the centre and get it forward!!!

[matrix]

whens brogan contracted till?

[SydneySainter]

There's no disputing McEvoy's tap work is awful. I think he has great potential, but geez he needs to get his act together pretty quickly when it comes to his tap work. It seems like every centre bounce, the opposition midfielders are able to get an easy clearance.

But there's no obvious solution to this (in the short term). I agree with the above messages, it is really disheartening that he is being beaten by players who have played only a couple of games.

the answer is that our mids have to try and be smarter and read the opps ruckmans hands

Exactly, the door swings both ways. As much as Macca isn't doing well in the ruck, the mids aren't doing him any favours.

[SydneySainter]

When is Bellchambers out of contract? I doubt Essendon can keep Ryder, Hill and Bellchambers all on the same list.

[spert]

We have no rucks- Stanley has no idea how to use his body at all. Macca is a tall foward, backup ruck, and MG is past it with age and injury and probably won't contribute much more for us. Kosi and Blake are not ruckman, just contesting bodies. Some bad recruiting has gone on at this club.

[3rd generation saint]

Kosi needs to go first ruck, yes he may not be a natural ruck, but he does nullify the opossing rucjkman from getting a clean tap.

[sasaint]

I know you won't like it but why did they give Rixy the arse?

Dominating WAFL and can't be any worse than what we have!

If he has found form then get him. We need a true ruck option desperately. Or target Bellchambers in the trade period. He is having a cracker of a year. The game now has so many stopages that a clearance is critical.

[Sainternist]

I was thinking exactly the same thing. Our opponents keep putting 3 men on him and then the delivery to him is poor, so he leads to the pockets. He has been nullified. It's almost as though his on field role has been made redundant. It has been a nightmare for him. He is an incredibly frustrated player.

Trying something completely new e.g. putting Roo into ruck could revolutionise his game and potentially could give him a new dimension as a player.

RL needs to be as experimental as he can. Why not? We have nothing to lose in that area.

[bobmurray]

There's no disputing McEvoy's tap work is awful. I think he has great potential, but geez he needs to get his act together pretty quickly when it comes to his tap work. It seems like every centre bounce, the opposition midfielders are able to get an easy clearance.

But there's no obvious solution to this (in the short term). I agree with the above messages, it is really disheartening that he is being beaten by players who have played only a couple of games.

the answer is that our mids have to try and be smarter and read the opps ruckmans hands

Sounds like the GT era all over again.....

[dcstkfc]

whens brogan contracted till?

32 year old Dean Brogan?

[St Ick]

Roo in the ruck?! I would consider playing him in a Pavlich type role on the ball, but do we have any forward options with no Roo?

Is no one else critical of the St Kilda powers that be who begged MG to stay on this season when he ummed and arrred for months at seasons end?

[saint66au]

I think if we look at our ruck stocks realisticlly, the plan would have been for BIG BEN to be the 2nd or even 3rd banana this year, with MG being our 1st option rotating with Kosi because of the sub rule. MG not coming up and Kosi only playing one game so far has meant that Ben has had to shoulder the load by himself, a massive task for a 22yo.

I see Ben developing into a Kingy type ruckman once he develops a bit more strength and nouse around the ground. He is not, and never will be an athletic type ruckman. All ruckmen take time to develop. Ben is the type/style of ruckman that takes even longer. He is doing it tough at the moment, but he WILL come good. We need to be patient with him !!

In the last 3 weeks Mac has come up against ruckmen (Bellchambers, MacAuley, Jacobs) with equivalent or less experience than him. Each time he has been thumped comprehensively

To me Ben has been one of the biggest dissapointments of the last few weeks. Thought he started the season really well and had a good NAB Cup, but since the Tigers game has shown very little

Sadly though were gonna have to tough it out with him. Stanley is brushed aside like an autumn leaf every time he rucks and with Kosi's dodgy ankle I fear for his mobility and vertical leap, not to mention lack of fitness

[Teflon]

Im not convinced McEvoy is a ruck......

IF we could get a Bellchambers - great. We need to do a Sydney, get the wallet out and grab a ruckman cause we will be smashed without a decent one.

Why you would re rokkie Eddy and NOT a back up ruck with a fragile Kosi and an even more fragile Gardiner is odd.

[stinger]

Im not convinced McEvoy is a ruck......

IF we could get a Bellchambers - great. We need to do a Sydney, get the wallet out and grab a ruckman cause we will be smashed without a decent one.

Why you would re rokkie Eddy and NOT a back up ruck with a fragile Kosi and an even more fragile Gardiner is odd.

carlscum has four or five.....