To trade for a ruck or not to trade

[SydneySainter]

Big McEvoy fan myself, but is clearly not quite ready to be number 1 ruck, though will probably hold down that spot for rest of the season.

Many posts have stated that trading for a good ruck is an absolute must. Problem being though, really good rucks can be hard to find and usually attract quite a lot of currency. If the club were to go for Bellchambers, the Bombers would want a first round pick. Despite past history when handing Essendon a first round pick, still seems like a no-brainer. But, if we end up with only six or so wins for the seasons, will the inclusion of an elite ruck man be the easy answer?

If we're in a rebuilding phase, will trading first round picks just put us back another season or so? Don't think it will be the missing ingredient for flag success, like Jolly was for the Pies.

[stkildathunda]

LOL at 1st round pick and Tom Bellchambers in the same sentance....

[jonesy]

Cats and Hawks didn't need good ruckman to win a flag.

Whilst it's good to have one,our overwhelming prioroty has to be finding quality midfielders. It's a midfielders game

[PJ]

Whether it's through a trade or free agency with someone out of contract we have to look at at least another tall because Ben, Stanley and Kosi seem to be it (given this is probably Gardi's last year) and no one looks likely to impact a game in that position currently.

You get the feeling there maybe one or two on the table next year given our current situation.

[stkildathunda]

Cats and Hawks didn't need good ruckman to win a flag.

Whilst it's good to have one,our overwhelming prioroty has to be finding quality midfielders. It's a midfielders game

Dont rate Brad Ottens at all? Steven King?

[jonesy]

Cats and Hawks didn't need good ruckman to win a flag.

Whilst it's good to have one,our overwhelming prioroty has to be finding quality midfielders. It's a midfielders game

Dont rate Brad Ottens at all? Steven King?

For memory King rucked for us in 09, and Ottens played no part

[Teflon]

A jolley wont give us a flag -Pies have 10 or so rotating through midfield who can HIT A TARGET.

Why cant we get a ruck for less than a first round pick? - surely there are optfions to improve in this areas without giving away the farm?

[stkildathunda]

Cats and Hawks didn't need good ruckman to win a flag.

Whilst it's good to have one,our overwhelming prioroty has to be finding quality midfielders. It's a midfielders game

Dont rate Brad Ottens at all? Steven King?

For memory King rucked for us in 09, and Ottens played no part

King played 07 and Ottens played 07 & 09 in their premierships.

[jonesy]

King did us a lot in the 09 GF didn't he.
Ottens was barely a pinch hitter in the 09 finals,he was a cripple.
Blake was there ruckman,and a poor one at that

We've had a good history trading for ruckman. What did we give away for Brooks again? That was full of win. Imagine if those trades had of been used on midfielders


Let's fix the midfield

[SydneySainter]

LOL at 1st round pick and Tom Bellchambers in the same sentance....

Don't know, stranger things have happened. Brock McLean for pick 11, Mark Williams for pick 16...hang on...

[Sobraz]

Put every dollar you have on Ross going after Mark Blake at trade time... Just to add to the list....

[Junction Oval]

We know that our ruck situation is killing us at the moment, particularly at Centre Bounces.

There are 16 matches to go, so let's see how Ben develops in that time. As others have said, our priorities are mid-fielders and a good forward (not Fev).

[Saint_Ash]

Trading for another ruck now is not going to help us. I agree Big Mac is not quite there yet but I don't think he is far away.

Given that we look like going with 1 main ruckman, trading someone else in will not help Mac develop. If we were to trade for an experienced ruckman that may play for 4 or 5 more years, then that is 4 or 5 or so years that Mac is sitting on the list doing nothing and could very well look at other options.

I'm not sure that Bellchambers is much to any more developed than what Mac is, so not sure we would be any better off. As for blake......please no.

I would rather stick with mac even if there is a little pain for the rest of this year and maybe next and then have him dominate (well maybe anyway) for the next 8-10 years, rather than recruit a unproven youngster or an established ruckman for 4-5 years.

[stinger]

We know that our ruck situation is killing us at the moment, particularly at Centre Bounces.

There are 16 matches to go, so let's see how Ben develops in that time. As others have said, our priorities are mid-fielders and a good forward (not Fev).

agreed...

[spert]

A good ruck division in a grand final will give you a lot better chance at a premiership than a losing ruck. I reckon winning a premeirship with a losing ruck is more of an exception to the rule. There is more improvement yet in Macca, but I think we should just run Stanley as much as possible with him, even though Stanley needs more bulk and is pretty raw.

[noob]

Ben will improve aswell as the midfield because If you say ben is still a way off from being a good ruckman the midfield will improve reading the oppositions ruckman by the end of the year.

[plugger66]

Why would we do anymore trades. The window is shut unless something drastic happens in the next 4 weeks. We will draft now for the next 5 years unless of course we trade a star away to get a couple of yound guys.

[Con Gorozidis]

Im happy to get a mature back up ruckman 21-25yo.

No way id risk any draft pick in the top 50 for a ruckman. With our tight slary cap we arent going to land a big fish like jolly.

So we need to scour the country for a 21-25 y.o late pick up.

Id have given patto another year as a back-up on minimum wage. is he playing anywhere out of interest?

but if we can get some 25yo ruck from the sanfl or something who is tough resilient and reliable id be happy. doesnt have to be a star.

[GrumpyOne]

Im happy to get a mature back up ruckman 21-25yo.

No way id risk any draft pick in the top 50 for a ruckman. With our tight slary cap we arent going to land a big fish like jolly.

So we need to scour the country for a 21-25 y.o late pick up.

Id have given patto another year as a back-up on minimum wage. is he playing anywhere out of interest?

but if we can get some 25yo ruck from the sanfl or something who is tough resilient and reliable id be happy. doesnt have to be a star.

Agreed. Our midfield is being killed because our rucks are being beaten.

Need a tall ruckman from somewhere, the new sub rule has cut down the midfield rotations, so a ruckman who actually taps to our players is essential. We have Archer in development, Stanley is not a ruckman's bootlace, Gardy is gone, so we need a backup for Kozi and Ben.

[BigMart]

Why would u need to draft another back up ruckman...

In todays rules only one straight ruckman can get a game, then a pinch hitter....like setanta last game...

Ben, whilst not competing in ball ups has improved around the ground with his grabs....he beat warnock easily the other night.....

All ben need to get better is about 5kg through the chest, and a stronger core...

Young stanley is the athletic type ruck/fwd....but needs to come on...

Getting another dinosaur will stuff his development.

[plugger66]

Why would u need to draft another back up ruckman...

In todays rules only one straight ruckman can get a game, then a pinch hitter....like setanta last game...

Ben, whilst not competing in ball ups has improved around the ground with his grabs....he beat warnock easily the other night.....

All ben need to get better is about 5kg through the chest, and a stronger core...

Young stanley is the athletic type ruck/fwd....but needs to come on...

Getting another dinosaur will stuff his development.

Totally agree. The days of 2 ruckmen that cant play anywhere else are over. Unless the backup ruckman is going to like Leigh Brown there is no point and as you point out it will not help Stanley doing that anyway.

[3rd generation saint]

We need goal kicking midfielders and half forwards right now.
Ben will improve in the ruck as he get's stronger, but getting the ball out of the middle and winning contested possession is our main problem.

[mad saint guy]

Don't think we need to trade for a superstar. Just a readymade, reliable player who we can count on to nullify the stars and beat the hacks. North, Brisbane and Sydney have too many rucks and most of them can play. See if we can get one of McIntosh, Seaby, Leuenberger, Pyke or Clark. All have played good footy as the main man and none of them would be too happy in their current situation. We really should have taken Giles or Robert Campbell last year though.

[plugger66]

Don't think we need to trade for a superstar. Just a readymade, reliable player who we can count on to nullify the stars and beat the hacks. North, Brisbane and Sydney have too many rucks and most of them can play. See if we can get one of McIntosh, Seaby, Leuenberger, Pyke or Clark. All have played good footy as the main man and none of them would be too happy in their current situation. We really should have taken Giles or Robert Campbell last year though.

Why the hell would any of those players you mentioned get released or even worse how whould some of them help us? And Robert Campbell isnt even close to playing at Melbourne. He is a hack and who the hell is Giles. Sometime people live in fantasy land.

[BigMart]

None of those are any better than ben.....hence their current situation...

I reckon kosi could be one of the better #2 in the league.....