Best game from a St Kilda ruckman for decades

[kosifantutti]

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 never thought McEvoy was a great ruckman and I was happy to see him traded, but there's no need to rewrite history.

In their one season together, McEvoy played every game and Hickey played 12.

And "plodder" is a bit over the top for a bloke with two premiership medallions.

[saynta]

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 never thought McEvoy was a great ruckman and I was happy to see him traded, but there's no need to rewrite history.

In their one season together, McEvoy played every game and Hickey played 12.

And "plodder" is a bit over the top for a bloke with two premiership medallions.

Are you sure of your facts? In Kosii, Milne and Blake's last game, I recall that Hickey was the preferred option to Big Mac and i think the writing was on the wall for him then and there.

[kosifantutti]

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/20 ... 30831.html

[saynta]

http://afltables.com/afl/stats/games/20 ... 30831.html

Thanks for that. Shows me how the memory can play tricks.

I thought McEvoy didn't play in that game.

Maybe he got hurt or was taken off after half time.

[kosifantutti]

He played 89% of the game. Roberton went off for Kosi.

[saynta]

He played 89% of the game. Roberton went off for Kosi.

Thank you once more. I was at the game and my memory was that Hickey had a future that didn't include being second fiddle to McEvoy.

The stats you provided don't back that up though, do they? Although, history has proven my opinion to be right.

[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.

Anyone have an opinion on whether we can fit two ruckmen in?

[skeptic]

My feeling is we can, but one of them needs to be able to play a key position, at least for a while.

My feeling is that Hickey is better suited to around the ground then being in forward 50m... My hope is that Pierce could be that guy with Paddy and Bruce whilst Roo works up the field

[bigcarl]

My feeling is we can, but one of them needs to be able to play a key position, at least for a while.

My feeling is that Hickey is better suited to around the ground then being in forward 50m... My hope is that Pierce could be that guy with Paddy and Bruce whilst Roo works up the field

Membrey?

[BigMart]

Can never have 4 talls in the one fwd line... It's a recipe for disaster and not required... We need 3 smalls (Weller plus 2 others)

The reason Pierce was able to play las week was because of Roo... If you think about it, you can work out why

[BigMart]

McEvoy is far better than a plodder... His numbers are solid

140 games
12ppg
19 HO per game
4.5 marks (1.5 contested)
4 tackles
0.4 goals


He actually leads Tom Hickey in ever stat category at this point. I think Tom may go past him... But to prove our point, we don't have to be inaccurate

Daniel Gorringe (who Hickey smashed in three of those centre bounces) is almost hopeless.

[saintsRrising]

My feeling is we can, but one of them needs to be able to play a key position, at least for a while.

My feeling is that Hickey is better suited to around the ground then being in forward 50m... My hope is that Pierce could be that guy with Paddy and Bruce whilst Roo works up the field

Membrey?

I hope that you do not mean for Membrey to play relief ruck? He is only 188cm.

Looking at 2017 Carlisle has rucked and is 200cm and so can obviously relieve in the ruck. As can Bruce.


If you play say Hickey/Pierce then even though for a ruckman Pierce looks comfortable forward he is certainly not yet capable of playing a lot of game-time there. That will mean a ruckman having a fair amount of benchtime, and that in turn means overloading your mids in the rotations.

Longer look to be No 1 ruck or bust.

[bigcarl]

My feeling is we can, but one of them needs to be able to play a key position, at least for a while.

My feeling is that Hickey is better suited to around the ground then being in forward 50m... My hope is that Pierce could be that guy with Paddy and Bruce whilst Roo works up the field

Membrey?

I hope that you do not mean for Membrey to play relief ruck? He is only 188cm.

Of course not, though he does have a good leap. No, just that Skeptic didn't mention him and I was hoping he wasn't dropping Membrey to get another ruckman in.

But I am very mindful that Hickey needs a fair dinkum chop out from someone.

And I'm not just talking about the odd little three-minute cameo. Someone who can give him a decent breather for say, 30-40 per cent of the match.

We've seen what he can do when he's afforded a proper spell and I want to see more of the same from him.

A lot of the kudos went to Steven, but Hickey was sublime in his ruckwork, albeit against poor opposition.

It'sxa tough gig being an AFL ruckman. There's room only for at most two per side, particularly in our case when we have specialist key forwards such as Paddy. So you feel for guys like Pierce, who, despite appearing really promising, seemingly will have to rely on injuries to get a run.

[bigcarl]

My feeling is we can, but one of them needs to be able to play a key position, at least for a while.

My feeling is that Hickey is better suited to around the ground then being in forward 50m... My hope is that Pierce could be that guy with Paddy and Bruce whilst Roo works up the field

Membrey?

I hope that you do not mean for Membrey to play relief ruck? He is only 188cm.

Of course not, though he does have a good leap. No, just that Skeptic didn't mention him and I was hoping he wasn't dropping Membrey to get another ruckman in.

But I am very mindful that Hickey needs a fair dinkum chop out from someone.

And I'm not just talking about the odd little three-minute cameo. Someone who can give him a decent breather for say, 30-40 per cent of the match.

We've seen what he can do when he's afforded a proper spell and I want to see more of the same from him.

A lot of the kudos went to Steven, but Hickey was sublime in his ruckwork, albeit against poor opposition.

It's a tough gig for a kid like Pierce who has ambitions to be an AFL ruckman. There's room only for at most two per side, particularly in our case when we have specialist key forwards such as Paddy. So you feel for guys like Pierce, who, despite appearing really promising, seemingly will have to rely on injuries to get a run.

[Hemi Baxter]

We're not good enough to afford the luxury of playing two ruckmen.

I can see Pierce turning out once or twice again this season but he has a long long way to go to get any sort of spot. His only real asset is his aggression, although he is getting much better at positioning himself. After 4 seasons of nothing much this is the first glimmer he has shown. As for homework uncompleted there is plenty to work on: he can't jump and he's extraordnarily slow.