Ruck stocks now

[samoht]

Pierce is a very natural tap ruck man he might have to be Benny Macced and played before he is ready. I'm thinking Hickster and rhys are probably going to do the bulk of the ruck though.

I still reckon ruckmen are over-rated for their hitouts(as most go nowhere or to 50/50 contests, anyway).
Can Hickster, Rhys or Pierce gather 20 possessions per game consistently and be agile enough to run down opponents as well as take important marks around the ground and clear the path for smaller players - that's the type of ruckman I want to see.
Hit outs are mostly neither here nor there (see Sandilands for proof).

[noob]

I believe Pierce will be a very solid ruckman once he beef's up.

[FQF]

I believe Pierce will be a very solid ruckman once he beef's up.

When can we expect him to be eligible for senior selection?

[plugger66]

I believe Pierce will be a very solid ruckman once he beef's up.

When can we expect him to be eligible for senior selection?

Baring injury or poor form to Hickey or Stanley Id say another year or two.

[Enrico_Misso]

Pierce is listed at 88kg.
For his 202cm frame as a ruckman he probably needs to put on at least 15kg more of muscle.
For example Dean Cox is 204cm and 106kg.

But Lewis is very agile.
He has showed good ground skills and mobility with Sandy.
Has a good leap.
But desperately needs to bulk up as he gets brushed aside in the ruck.

[lefty]

Pfft... Jolly is an utter dud, hate the guy.

If you're going for youth, then do it, don't muck around with someone over 30 ffs. Its pointless.

[Enrico_Misso]

Lewis is still only 18.
So we have to be a bit patient.

Prob won't get a senior game till 2015.

[bergholt]

Pierce is listed at 88kg.

He was listed at 88kg a year ago when we drafted him. Surely he's a bit heavier than that now?

[BigMart]

The powerful intimidating combo of Hickey and Stanley.... Stick figures

Mumford, Pyke, Natinui, Kruzer, Luenberger, Bellchambers, Sandilands, Goldstein, Lobbe, Jacobs and co will monster them...

Our Ruckman will have about 60games experience between them

Stanley 40 games 9.5d, 3.5m, 3.5 Hit Outs
Hickey 20 games 10d, 3m, 10.5 hit outs

McEvoy 91 games 11.6d, 4.6m, 18.2 hit outs

We will be horribly exposed.... Mac will be missed next year

[Con Gorozidis]

Lewis is still only 18.
So we have to be a bit patient.

Prob won't get a senior game till 2015.

+ 1.

[Con Gorozidis]

The powerful intimidating combo of Hickey and Stanley.... Stick figures

Mumford, Pyke, Natinui, Kruzer, Luenberger, Bellchambers, Sandilands, Goldstein, Lobbe, Jacobs and co will monster them...

Our Ruckman will have about 60games experience between them

Stanley 40 games 9.5d, 3.5m, 3.5 Hit Outs
Hickey 20 games 10d, 3m, 10.5 hit outs

McEvoy 91 games 11.6d, 4.6m, 18.2 hit outs

We will be horribly exposed.... Mac will be missed next year

Stanley and Hickey will both be 23 at seasons start (Hickey only just).

I knows thats still young for Ruckmen but really they should be ready to make somewhat of a fist of it.

It will be Rhys 6th season and 6th pre-season and he had already played senior SANFL in 2008.

The Rhys has to be ready next year.

[Zed]

Hickey, Stanley, Pierce, Holmes - in that order.

Lewis Pierce is going to be a good one.

I agree.

We are at least 2-3 years away from challenging for the 8 again .. at which time Hickey will be 25 and in his prime. Why would we want to recruit another ruckman when we could get 50 odd games into Hickey (or Stanley/Pierce) and have him ready for when it really matters most.

[Wayne42]

Some Trade wrap i read today had us enquiring about West from Geelong

[Greg T]

Not sure whether hickey / Rhys's will cut it.
Hopefully hickey has beefed up a bit over summer.
Obvious the premiers rated big boy.

[starsign]

Word is they have already booked some ruck in for a medical

[Kickit]

Ben Brown missed the draft when he was younger due to injury.
Now 21 and off the back of a successful season at Weribee he's expected to go in the last half of the draft.
I'd rather go with a backup with an upside than an old spud who should be playing each week, but is stopping the development of Hickey.
( Brown is 201 cm but prefers to play forward, because like McEvoy he doesn't win that many hitouts. Hes a good mark, a good set shot and was among the best for agility at the combine ).
At worst a VFL quality depth player. At best a future Full forward - ie that big bloke we don't have.
ps he's really ugly, but make sure you turn on safe surf if you do an image surf... aparently there is another Ben Brown.

[supersaints]

We need to recruit an older ruckman who doesn't expect to play every game but can fill in when the boys want a rest.
We could also be paying him to coach the players part time And could possibly move to full time if he proves a good coach.
IMO Ben went backwards due to lack of coaching in the art of tap outs
We still should appoint a full time ruck coach

[Ghost Like]

The powerful intimidating combo of Hickey and Stanley.... Stick figures

Mumford, Pyke, Natinui, Kruzer, Luenberger, Bellchambers, Sandilands, Goldstein, Lobbe, Jacobs and co will monster them...

Our Ruckman will have about 60games experience between them

Stanley 40 games 9.5d, 3.5m, 3.5 Hit Outs
Hickey 20 games 10d, 3m, 10.5 hit outs

McEvoy 91 games 11.6d, 4.6m, 18.2 hit outs

We will be horribly exposed.... Mac will be missed next year

Does all that really matter for 2014? McEvoy may be missed in 2014 but won't be in 2015 & beyond.

Stats are interesting but I would also like to see TOG & Hitouts to advantage...any chance of seeing McEvoy's stats for his first 40 games.

I also distinctly remember Lobbe & Jacobs being monstered two years ago, once Brogan departed, now they are being quoted as the ones doing the monstering.

I like the direction then Saints have chosen, with our current young players, the right recruits & trades, commitment by our senior core and we will bounce back strongly in the next 2 to 3 years. Beats the slow death we were embarking on.

[Middo]

The powerful intimidating combo of Hickey and Stanley.... Stick figures

Mumford, Pyke, Natinui, Kruzer, Luenberger, Bellchambers, Sandilands, Goldstein, Lobbe, Jacobs and co will monster them...

Our Ruckman will have about 60games experience between them

Stanley 40 games 9.5d, 3.5m, 3.5 Hit Outs
Hickey 20 games 10d, 3m, 10.5 hit outs

McEvoy 91 games 11.6d, 4.6m, 18.2 hit outs

We will be horribly exposed.... Mac will be missed next year

Hard to believe you were not consulted in regards to trading Macca , maybe you can give us an insight into who's going to be the one we missed in this years draft ..???
The whole point of Macca going is about a rebuild not next year...

[Burkey 1]

Must get Jolly now. Was pretty successful with Gardiner and King and we must do this again.

I know he is 30 but that should br irrelevant now that Mac has gone.

We need a mature, experienced big body to mentor.and protect Hickey.and Stanley or we.will be monstered in the short term.

We can keep him on as Ruck Coach when he eventually retires.

He wasnt a d**khead at Sydney nor under Malthouse.just became one under Buckley, says more about Buckley than Jolly i reckon.

We need a short term.fix and he will be excellent for a number of reasons and will.cost us next to nothing when it comes to picks, must get imho.

[BigMart]

Jolly is an arrogant prick

Average player also

[Gurgman]

Hickey, Stanley, Pierce, Holmes - in that order.

Lewis Pierce is going to be a good one.

Yep , im with you , i have seen people on here slag him ,the kid is young fast and can play , give him some time,

[Con Gorozidis]

Hopefully hickey has beefed up a bit over summer.
.

Hopefully most of our players beef up a bit over sumner.
We were weaklings last season.

[gringo]

When Lewie gets some muscle he will be a gun. He is a natural tap ruck man and also agile. He's old school in that he gets the ball to where it's most dangerous. Spider used to have his days when he would feed it out like someone with ESP- Pierce should be a ripper in that way. Watch his highlights- I would want to play as a mid underneath him.

Mac just didn't time the jump, Lewis does naturally.

[tony74]

I think Lewis will be very good.