Official: McEVOY worst tap ruckman in competition

[WinnersOnly]

I have posted this on a number of occasions before, that I believe Ben McEvoy is the worst tap ruckman in the competition. I have just watched the replay of the Port game and Ben has NFI about placing the ball to his team mates advantage when he wins a tap. He consistently hit it to his feet regardless of where his team mates were and on numerous occcasions palmed it straight to the waiting opposition midfielder. His inability to hit the ball to our advantage and our midfielders being totally flat footed and beaten to the ball by their opponents put untold pressure on our defense against Port.

There is no quick fix for this as the Saints Coaches, List Managers and Recruitment team chose to not draft another ruckman eg McAulay. IMO they have made a grave error in judgement in putting all there stocks in McEvoy, because he is never going to be a 'top class ruckman'. He is a reasonable marking option at dropping back and filling holes but even that is limited if his opponent can jump.

The same people allowed Dawson to leave without an adequate replacement recruited or ready to go. We seem to have an inordinate amount of players with poor decision making and or kicking skills at the club. This will always be the difference in these players winning games to being classed as battlers in a poor team - Jones, Stevens, Gilbert, Blake, Peake, Ray, Dempster, Polo, Clarke and Geary. I cant believe with all the trading and delisting at the end of the 2011 we couldn't offload some of these players on upgraded models.

I think at years end the Saints will be forced to go shopping for a tall key backman and another capable ruckman eg Mitch BROWN and Scott LYCETT of WCE. The ridiculous thing from a list management point of view is that they will have to pay above market rates to attract these players.

Yes our recruiting and list management has improved but they still have a long way to go !

[Dr Spaceman]

Hate to be pedantic but how does you watching a replay make this ranking official?

[WinnersOnly]

The official tag was just my frustration at how poor he is at a skill that shouldn't be that difficult.

[Sobraz]

Big Mac had a poor game, but he did keep working throughout and improved as the match went on IMO... Took some strong marks, and never gave up trying to have an influence...

I think you've gone wayyyyyy over the top in your criticism.. In general, he has been coming along very nicely, for a young, developing first ruck...

He did have a slight case of the fumbles on Sunday, a few of his marks didnt stick on first bite... He also did the horrible turnover coming out of the backline, but to be fair, it didnt seem like he had mnay options being presented to him... But his execution was poor...

As for his ruck work, I was disappointed with his centre bounce efforts... He seemed like he'd been at the Cain Ackland school of Centre Taps, jumping a mile too early and getting stuck in no mans land.. Im thinking this will improve as he increases match time.. In terms of tap work, Stanley is much more of a natural IMO...

Which brings me to the point that, in what we saw of Stanley on Sunday, and what we know of Mac, I strongly feel we will have a powerful ruck combo in years to come as these 2 develop.. They have very contrasting styles which can cover most sides well...

I think you've gone too early on Mac... Game one, he will improve...

[WinnersOnly]

Sobraz I appreciate your optimism but I doubt I will be proven wrong on this. Tap work is about being able to out jump your opponent and unless you can do that the best you can acheive is to negate your opponent. Ben cant jump and when he does win the contest (by default) he has no feel or vision as to where his team mates are. His midfileders have no faith in his rucking ability to hit them or to hit a spot (routine) hence no one moves for him. For me he has very a limited scope for improvement and will always be a lumbering negator.

I agree with Stanley however he will develop into a far more efficient ruckman than McEvoy could hope to be!

This is the exact reason why when Goddard was asked which player he would choose from another club SANDILANDS was his first chose!

[Buckets]

Watching the game again makes it official huh!


s*** might ask the AFL for a job I could be just the official they are looking for! I watch plenty of replays during the week!

[joffaboy]

Any egoic thread titled "Official" should be disregarded

[kosifantutti]

I have posted this on a number of occasions before, that I believe Ben McEvoy is the worst tap ruckman in the competition. I have just watched the replay of the Port game.....

I've just read your post again and it is officially the worst post ever.

[saintbrat]

He did have a slight case of the fumbles on Sunday, a few of his marks didnt stick on first bite... He also did the horrible turnover coming out of the backline, but to be fair, it didnt seem like he had mnay options being presented to him... But his execution was poor...

has anyone checked one #18's game? with the same scrutiny- time and space lost on several occassions due to 'fumbles' on his part too.... but is he 'officially' the worst receiver?
or as has been shown to Nick it's sometimes in the delievery?

[plugger66]

Stats show he was the best tap ruckman on the night. Replay may be a different game. Who knows but I do know this poster does have an agenda.

[noddy04]

Maybe winners only can go down to the club and take over the ruck department. From what i sawof Ben on Sunday he was pretty good all over the ground as well as in the centre square but then again im not a ruck expert like Winners Only

[WinnersOnly]

Stats show he was the best tap ruckman on the night. Replay may be a different game. Who knows but I do know this poster does have an agenda.

How many affective taps did he have that created a scoring clearance - Port 10 to Saints nil.

[WinnersOnly]

I have posted this on a number of occasions before, that I believe Ben McEvoy is the worst tap ruckman in the competition. I have just watched the replay of the Port game.....

I've just read your post again and it is officially the worst post ever.

Why is it when we offer constructive criticism of our players people like yourself go into meltdown. What I have posted re McEvoy is reality and we had better get used to it as they aren't any optons.

[plugger66]

Stats show he was the best tap ruckman on the night. Replay may be a different game. Who knows but I do know this poster does have an agenda.

How many affective taps did he have that created a scoring clearance - Port 10 to Saints nil.

He had the best taps to advantage percentage. As for scoring that maybe the other players fault. Have you actually thought of that? Sometimes agendas cloud peoples judgement.

[WinnersOnly]

Stats show he was the best tap ruckman on the night. Replay may be a different game. Who knows but I do know this poster does have an agenda.

How many affective taps did he have that created a scoring clearance - Port 10 to Saints nil.

He had the best taps to advantage percentage. As for scoring that maybe the other players fault. Have you actually thought of that? Sometimes agendas cloud peoples judgement.

Rubbish which arse did you pull that out of Plugger ?

[kosifantutti]

I have posted this on a number of occasions before, that I believe Ben McEvoy is the worst tap ruckman in the competition. I have just watched the replay of the Port game.....

I've just read your post again and it is officially the worst post ever.

Why is it when we offer constructive criticism of our players people like yourself go into meltdown. What I have posted re McEvoy is reality and we had better get used to it as they aren't any optons.

I'd hardly call it meltdown. Really just a comment on your use of the word 'official'

[samoht]

It's the clever, quick thinking clearance players with lightning reflexes and strong bodies that can stand up to tackles that clear the ball.
Most ruckmen (apart from Sandilands and one or two others maybe ) more or less negate each other.

[plugger66]

How many affective taps did he have that created a scoring clearance - Port 10 to Saints nil.

He had the best taps to advantage percentage. As for scoring that maybe the other players fault. Have you actually thought of that? Sometimes agendas cloud peoples judgement.

have an agenda.

Rubbish which arse did you pull that out of Plugger ?[/quote]


What is rubbish? His % to advantage was 24 the best other was 20. If you are going to say rubbish at least make sure you are right otherwise no one will respect any posts. Either crap like these or other crap ones you make.

[WinnersOnly]

Wheres the link to the stats? Gees I wonder how they measure those stats (hitting at your feet must be to advantage). I repeat we did not have one score resulting from a tap and clearance started by Ben McEvoy - Port had 10 by there ruckmen.

[plugger66]

Wheres the link to the stats? Gees I wonder how they measure those stats (hitting at your feet must be to advantage). I repeat we did not have one score resulting from a tap and clearance started by Ben McEvoy - Port had 10 by there ruckmen.

And i repeat he had the best HO to advantage so maybe it is the mids and others fault. We could look up stats all day to suit an argument. I think Ben is a long way from being the problem. Attitude, age, recruiting, salary cap and draft are much bigger issues.

[samoht]

Wheres the link to the stats? Gees I wonder how they measure those stats (hitting at your feet must be to advantage). I repeat we did not have one score resulting from a tap and clearance started by Ben McEvoy - Port had 10 by there ruckmen.

I'm surprised at how many taps from opposition ruckmen go straight to our players (and vice versa of course).
It's too bad our players aren't as deft at clearing the ball.

[Old Mate]

Bottom line is our centre work is close to the worst in the league, that's proven and cannot be argued...And McEvoy is currently part of the problem along with our midfield unit. I hope for our sake he dramatically improves or we find another option in next years draft/trade period. McEvoy is still quite young and has age on his side.

[spert]

McEvoy is developing slowly but surely and did a reasonable job the other night. I'm more interested in seeing how another tall in Stanley develops

[gringo]

He was good last year but had an inglorious start this season. It was an awful display with about 90%of his taps seeming to go to advantage of Port players.

[kos]

cant tap, CAN MARK!