Best game from a St Kilda ruckman for decades

[Legendary]

First of all - if you didn't watch the game live, you won't fully appreciate this thread.

Tom Hickey, take a bow.

I've watched a lot of footy, and I thought Spider at his peak was the best ruckman I've seen in a Saints jumper (too young to properly remember Carl).

Hickey played at Spider's level today.

He was so physically dominant in the contest and so influential with his hitouts that he turned the game in the 3rd quarter.

His follow up work was incredible for a big guy.

16 disposals (12 contested), 7 clearances, 4 tackles, 12 score involvements and 35 hit outs. It was very close between him and Steven for BOG in my opinion.

[Con Gorozidis]

Dont know about decades but he is very bloody good. A top 5-10 Ruckman in the comp.

[BackFromUSA]

Got my BOG. His ruck work was superb because rather than hit to a single set play they rotated the strike. I was able to predict the hit out direction and target by the way the players set up but his clearing of space in the air to dominate the drop then palm to the space IN FRONT of the target was a 100% improvement on previous weeks. The club must have had someone in to reorganise the taps and clearances. Gone was the set up where our midfielders too the outside defensive position at centre bounces (where you are in position to defend and tackle) to the more attacking arrow formation with the tap to runners. But that only works with a dominant ruckman. Hickey dominated. And he was great around the ground. I have always loved Hickey as our #1 ruckman but I also believe Lewie is only a couple of years behind!

[samuraisaint]

First of all - if you didn't watch the game live, you won't fully appreciate this thread.

Tom Hickey, take a bow.

I've watched a lot of footy, and I thought Spider at his peak was the best ruckman I've seen in a Saints jumper (too young to properly remember Carl).

Hickey played at Spider's level today.

He was so physically dominant in the contest and so influential with his hitouts that he turned the game in the 3rd quarter.

His follow up work was incredible for a big guy.

16 disposals (12 contested), 7 clearances, 4 tackles, 12 score involvements and 35 hit outs. It was very close between him and Steven for BOG in my opinion.

And how good was that goal he kicked? Absolute beauty! And he had a hand in the game sealer that Lewis Pierce got.

[Munga]

He's dominated a number of games this year. He'd be top 5 B&F, maybe top 3.

[carn_sainter]

I agree completely. Hickey gets my BOG too.

I often get ahead of myself and compare him to Spider. He has excellent foot skills around the ground, is a very good overhead mark and his ball handling skills below knee level and on the deck are top notch. His follow up is always brilliant...like Josh Bruce, he always gives massive effort without always getting commensurate reward.

Today he got plenty of reward. Some of those handballs from clearances were brilliant...on top of his hit outs he had 7 clearances.

He was putting it on a silver platter in the third. Steven worked hard for all of his touches and clearances but Hickey gave him a massive and well deserved hand for quite a few of them.

Also like Spider, there were a few hit outs where he clearly changed his mind in mid air about where he was going to put the pill and then knocked it to clear advantage of a moving midfielder.

We had an even contribution today but the reason we got a gap on the scoreboard is the third quarter centre clearances and it was Hickey that was more responsible than any other Saint for that.

Awesome set shot snag as well.

[8856brother]

The Big Boy decision was a no brainer really at this stage.

[saint-stu]

Hmm like Hickey, but Gardiner in 2009 was amazing.

[Toy Saint]

The Big Boy decision was a no brainer really at this stage.

McEvoy was never as dominant in the ruck as Hickey was today. Credit to our recuriting department.

[BigMart]

Best game since R1 anyway...

[Bernard Shakey]

And just watch what Lewie will do in a couple of years!

Great game Tom? I love you!

[kosifantutti]

I think we were 16 points down near the end of the first quarter when Hickey served it up on a plate twice in a row. Once to Steven and once to Armo? I think. Which resulted to goals for Members and Blacres.

[kosifantutti]

I think we were 16 points down near the end of the first quarter when Hickey served it up on a plate twice in a row. Once to Steven and once to Armo? I think. Which resulted to goals for Members and Blacres.

Edit: It was worth watching again.

We were 10 points down.

Hickey to Armo to Membrey goal. 4 Points down

Hickey to Steven to Acres goal. 2 points up.

Just brilliant efficient football. Two hitouts and four kicks for two goals in a minute.

[BackFromUSA]

I think we were 16 points down near the end of the first quarter when Hickey served it up on a plate twice in a row. Once to Steven and once to Armo? I think. Which resulted to goals for Members and Blacres.

Edit: It was worth watching again.

We were 10 points down.

Hickey to Armo to Membrey goal. 4 Points down

Hickey to Steven to Acres goal. 2 points up.

Just brilliant efficient football. Two hitouts and four kicks for two goals in a minute.

Game changing ruck work.

[BackFromUSA]

I think we were 16 points down near the end of the first quarter when Hickey served it up on a plate twice in a row. Once to Steven and once to Armo? I think. Which resulted to goals for Members and Blacres.

Edit: It was worth watching again.

We were 10 points down.

Hickey to Armo to Membrey goal. 4 Points down

Hickey to Steven to Acres goal. 2 points up.

Just brilliant efficient football. Two hitouts and four kicks for two goals in a minute.

Game changing ruck work.

[BringBackMadDog]

Didn't watch much footy in 2009 and 10? Michael Gardiner was exceptional in a lot of games. In saying that, Hickey was brilliant today and is easily the best ruckman we have had since Gardiner

[saintsRrising]

Best game since R1 anyway...

I just watched the replay after having watched him live.

The quality of Hickey's game today was IMO his best ever for the Saints.

Taps and handballs to players in space who could then continue running on.

He was very good around the ground too.

It was truly a great game by Hickey.

[st.byron]

Best game since R1 anyway...

I just watched the replay after having watched him live.

The quality of Hickey's game today was IMO his best ever for the Saints.

Taps and handballs to players in space who could then continue running on.

He was very god around the ground too.

It was truly a great game by Hickey.

Just watched it as well. Awesome game by Hickey. The quality of his tapwork has improved so much. Really providing hitouts to advantage. And the follow ups with clearances and handballs to runners, especially Steven. We have an agile and mobile big fella with a good footy brain.
I also noticed Dunstan's work at centre bounces and stoppages. Blocking to create space, little handballs to a runner. Not flash, but very effective.

[The Fireman]

awesome work by Hickey but you are only as good as your opposition allows you to be. Looking forward to seeing him dominate better opponents.

[To the top]

I noted on here going back in time that Hickey had gone past McEvoy and by quite some margin (in fact, if I recall correctly Mc Evoy found himself in the Reserves late in his final season at St Kilda confirming that opinion of mine. Hickey had taken his place and was exciting for the reasons commented on).

So to trade McEvoy, and particularly as we also were able to attract Longer to the Club was an absolute no brainer.

From there, and unfortunately, Hickey has a succession of injury concerns impacting on his preparations, appearances and form.

Now, off the back of his first full pre-season preparation we are seeing what we saw when the decision that Mc Evoy was surplus to needs was very correctly made.

By comparison, Mc Evoy is a plodder who can mark but who can not jump hence a very ordinary ruckman who can not be deployed elsewhere around the ground because he is a plodder and was and is exploited accordingly (even with the loss of weight).

[To the top]

NB: Don't forget Gardiner who was exceptional for us and who retired a season too early.

[st.byron]

NB: Don't forget Gardiner who was exceptional for us and who retired a season too early.

His body was shot. That's why he called time.

[skeptic]

I think he really benefited from having a chop out in Pierce... He's good Hickey but of his many strong qualities, I don't believe incredible endurance is destined to be top of the list.
By himself he gets tired.

Having Pierce, who can seemingly also play forward was a very sound structural decision

[bigcarl]

I think he really benefited from having a chop out in Pierce... He's good Hickey but of his many strong qualities, I don't believe incredible endurance is destined to be top of the list.
By himself he gets tired.

Having Pierce, who can seemingly also play forward was a very sound structural decision

No doubt it helped Hickey a lot. The question now is whether structurally we can afford to play two pure ruckmen and still have a forward line of McCartin, Bruce and Menbrey. And Riewoldt occasionally.

Would it cost us too much in terms of run and carry?

If not, someone is going to have to give Hickey a fair dinkum chop out and spend say 30 to 40 percent of the game in the ruck. Not little cameos. Next season that may be Carlisle.

Otherwise we are going to be vulnerable when Hickey tires. Particularly against teams that play two good genuine rucks.

It's a curly question.

[ROLS-LEE]

I noted on here going back in time that Hickey had gone past McEvoy and by quite some margin (in fact, if I recall correctly Mc Evoy found himself in the Reserves late in his final season at St Kilda confirming that opinion of mine. Hickey had taken his place and was exciting for the reasons commented on).

So to trade McEvoy, and particularly as we also were able to attract Longer to the Club was an absolute no brainer.

From there, and unfortunately, Hickey has a succession of injury concerns impacting on his preparations, appearances and form.

Now, off the back of his first full pre-season preparation we are seeing what we saw when the decision that Mc Evoy was surplus to needs was very correctly made.

By comparison, Mc Evoy is a plodder who can mark but who can not jump hence a very ordinary ruckman who can not be deployed elsewhere around the ground because he is a plodder and was and is exploited accordingly (even with the loss of weight).

I said the same thing about big Mac and had a debate with P66 over it. Big Mac will never be like cox or improve as a player like P66 said he would.