Bruce: the missing ingredient!!!!!

[SydneySainter]

We've missed him like nobody's business. Just hope Richo stays with playing the two ruckman now. I don't want Bruce rucking again.

Let's hope we can find ONE decent Ruckman first, not the 'Wet Cardboard Cut Out' we have at the moment!!!!!

I somehow don't think that recruiting another ruckman is high on our radar at the moment. Hickey may not be perfect, but at least for now, he's more than serviceable in his current role. As Longer was last year.

I think, if anything, we'll have to off-load a ruckman at the end of the season. Without knowing current contractual situations, both Hickey and Longer are at that point of their careers where neither will be content with being a "backup" option.

Outside mids are what we're in desperate need of and will be at the top of our recruiters radar. After that, they'll probably be more interested in chasing another forward before another ruck.

[Scollop]

The Saints are a MUCH better side for the inclusion of Josh Bruce AND Koby Stevens AND Ben Long AND Dylan Roberton AND Blake Acres.

Except when those guys were all in the side earlier in the year, we were putrid.

At their best, each and every one of these players can be very good and damaging to an opposition, but why must we have just a best 22 instead of a whole playing list that the footy department works with and manages based on the opposition and based on the long term goal of building a group that can play finals. The problem with the theory of best 22 is that some coaches actually play the same team week in week out. You have to be able to give young guys opportunities when you are are building and it's better when you bat deep and when you have a plan and integrity in team selection

Not only is it good in the long run for the team with hot competition for spots, but it also means that you can get experience and gametime into guys and you can experiment and provide flexibility to the player and to the team.

Guys like Austin perhaps should have been playing in the early rounds instead of the team that was named against Brisbane and North. We need to get as many games as possible into guys like White and Rice and even DMac because there could be greater upside with some of these guys rather than playing the perceived best 22. We also gave preference to Coffield and Hunter instead of playing these other guys, which to me, is not good for the confidence of the players that have been on the list for 2-3 years. Sure both of the 18 year old debutants are very good and it was exciting for the club and for supporters, but ther's plenty of time for these guys and history shows that you need to manage their work load.

Ther's another thread which discusses the fact that we don't provide enough opportunities to our youth and that has been to our detriment. The OP in particular highlights games played for the 21-23 year olds

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=95504

[samuraisaint]

We could play Billy as first ruck this week, with all the injuries we've got to our key defenders. Play Billy in the ruck, Marshall at CHB, Hickey in forward line, and give Billy a chop out in the ruck when resting. Billy to do the monstering ruck duties on the boundary and provide the bulk of the heavy work, and hopefully we can match them in the air in the forward line and down back.
Just my take.

[SydneySainter]

We could play Billy as first ruck this week, with all the injuries we've got to our key defenders. Play Billy in the ruck, Marshall at CHB, Hickey in forward line, and give Billy a chop out in the ruck when resting. Billy to do the monstering ruck duties on the boundary and provide the bulk of the heavy work, and hopefully we can match them in the air in the forward line and down back.
Just my take.

Playing all of Billy, Marshall and Hickey in the one team would make us a little too slow.