biglands....

[stinger]

big rumour that rett has broken down again.....that will flower the crows hopes.....

[GrumpyOne]

Heard same.... retirement mentioned.

[Snakeman66]

Yeh that's the story.

See my post in the Rohan Connolly thread.

http://www.saintsational.com/forum/view ... 63&start=0

[saintsRrising]

Yes he is at least out for a while.

I heard the Crows Fitness guy being interviewed yesterday on 3aw (sorry did not remember his name). He was in Malaysia enroute to dubai for the Pis game.

He said that they would have the results and scans back on Monday (I think it was)....


BUT that the best case scenario was that Biglands would not need surgery but would still miss a lot of football.

Worse case is that he will have to have a reconstruction again.


The way the guy was talking it will be the latter....and that the best news will still be grim news for the Crows.

[st.byron]

one of those situations where you want to feel sorry for the guy, but it's hard to see past the colour of his guernsey.

[LennyBoy]

Rumour confirmed yday but not yet released but Crow's medical staff as yet. Ivan Maric as first ruck, Crows for spoon in 2008!!!

[fingers]

was in the paper - out for the season

[saintsRrising]

Biglands on top of Hudson to the Dogs and Meesan to Melbourne and Roo retiring means that their midfield structure will be down a peg or two in depth and quality in 2008.

I had already had them on the slide in 2008.....this may steepen it a mite..

[mad saint guy]

The Crows will be better off for it in the long term. They were never going to be a serious contender this year and Biglands is just a standard ageing ruckman preventing their kids from getting game time.

Maric could be a great tap ruckman, Griffin looks to have talent and Tippet was highly rated when drafted. We could even see James Sellar get a few games in 08.

[vacuous space]

They also picked up Brad Moran off the Roos during trade week who's amazingly mobile for a big guy.

[mad saint guy]

They also picked up Brad Moran off the Roos during trade week who's amazingly mobile for a big guy.

Yep, another potentially good ruckman for them. These are the kind of guys that we needed to have in waiting when Everitt buggered off. We haven't recruited oung ruckmen and when we have we've refused to play them.

Even though Adelaide has lost 3 experienced ruckmen in the last two years, they are still far from having the weakest ruck division in the comp.

[saintsRrising]

, they are still far from having the weakest ruck division in the comp.

While I agree that they should now be in rebuilding mode.....I am not so sure about your comment on their ruck division and where it rates in the comp.

Cats Better
Weagles Better
PA Better
Freo Better
Swans Better
Dees Better
Saints Better
Lions Better
Kangas Better

Pies Better.....though perhaps not by a great deal

Doggies...about equal. though if Minson could rediscover his early form the Dogs would be in front.

Tigers..Injuries may give it to the Crows.

Hawks...about the same.

Essendon. Lack depth...but Hille is better than what the Crows currently have.


Blues .. Worse



So IMO that places the Crows as being far from having the strongest...rather far from the weakest.

Now in 2 or 3 years with games and development into them they may rate a lot higher...but in 2008 I would rate them as one of the weaker ruck combinations in the AFL rather than being far from the weakest.

[mad saint guy]

So IMO that places the Crows as being far from having the strongest...rather far from the weakest.

Now in 2 or 3 years with games and development into them they may rate a lot higher...but in 2008 I would rate them as one of the weaker ruck combinations in the AFL rather than being far from the weakest.

For 2008 they would be about 10th for their rucks, and I expect that ranking to improve significantly over the next few years. Usually when a team loses three experienced, proven ruckmen over a short period of time they are left with a glaring weakness that hurts the team for several years. Adelaide will probably narrowly lose in the ruck for most matches in 2008, but they won't be slaughtered we we have been for so long.

Maybe saying far from being the weakest was an exaggeration, but they aren't in the bottom four in the comp.

[Saints Premiers 2008]

So IMO that places the Crows as being far from having the strongest...rather far from the weakest.

Now in 2 or 3 years with games and development into them they may rate a lot higher...but in 2008 I would rate them as one of the weaker ruck combinations in the AFL rather than being far from the weakest.

For 2008 they would be about 10th for their rucks, and I expect that ranking to improve significantly over the next few years. Usually when a team loses three experienced, proven ruckmen over a short period of time they are left with a glaring weakness that hurts the team for several years. Adelaide will probably narrowly lose in the ruck for most matches in 2008, but they won't be slaughtered we we have been for so long.

Maybe saying far from being the weakest was an exaggeration, but they aren't in the bottom four in the comp.

msg where do you rate us then?

[LTN16]

Feel sorry for the poor bloke.

He was right with what he said though. He said that there is always someone worse off than you and you go and visit some of these people in hospital and that will cheer you up. Sounds like a good bloke.

[saintsRrising]

So IMO that places the Crows as being far from having the strongest...rather far from the weakest.

Now in 2 or 3 years with games and development into them they may rate a lot higher...but in 2008 I would rate them as one of the weaker ruck combinations in the AFL rather than being far from the weakest.

For 2008 they would be about 10th for their rucks, and I expect that ranking to improve significantly over the next few years. Usually when a team loses three experienced, proven ruckmen over a short period of time they are left with a glaring weakness that hurts the team for several years. Adelaide will probably narrowly lose in the ruck for most matches in 2008, but they won't be slaughtered we we have been for so long.

Maybe saying far from being the weakest was an exaggeration, but they aren't in the bottom four in the comp.

Like you MSG I think it will be of benefit to them.

They are in that awkward position of having too many players past their best.

But having said that Biglands if he was not injured may have played another 3 years.

Like you I think they should now put games into their younger players.....and not just rucks...to think beyond 2008.

[mad saint guy]

msg where do you rate us then?

Hard to tell since our two preferred ruckmen haven't been fit since 2003. Realistically, we probably won't see both King and Gardiner on the ground too often and they won't play much better than their recent form (ok backup ruckman).

If everything goes right we could have one of the top 6 ruck combos, however it isn't a long shot to suggest that we will again find ourselves with Rix and Blake forming the worst ruck team in the league.

[saintsRrising]

While Gardiner is an unkown...I would think that King's form of the last 2 years is a lot better than just an ok backup ruckmen.

Now yes King did miss a lot of 2007...but when he played he was quite capable.

In 2007 te ctas decided to get his body right.

In previous years the ctas (like) the Saints kept rushing him back.


I wonder where Kosi would be now if he had not been so unwisely played against the Cats when he was not ready to play.

[plugger66]

While Gardiner is an unkown...I would think that King's form of the last 2 years is a lot better than just an ok backup ruckmen.

Now yes King did miss a lot of 2007...but when he played he was quite capable.

In 2007 te ctas decided to get his body right.

In previous years the ctas (like) the Saints kept rushing him back.


I wonder where Kosi would be now if he had not been so unwisely played against the Cats when he was not ready to play.

Maybe i am wrong but I thought Kings form was pretty poor in the last 2 years. Maybe we just remember the GF but he was very lucky to play that game. I would be surprised if he more than just a C grader this season. I suppose compared to D graders like Rixy that is an improvement.

[ausfatcat]

pretty spot on plugger King performed well on the granny day (but did n't dominate), I would go further thou I'd say his last 3 or 4 year have been pretty poor.

[saintspremiers]

one of those situations where you want to feel sorry for the guy, but it's hard to see past the colour of his guernsey.

no F*** him.

He plays for the Crows that STOLE our flag in 1997.

I hate their guts.