Rookie Ruckman We Are Into

[Baz_Kitchner_Wall]

He played full back for Werribee as an 18/19 year old. My VFL insider says he is surprised how big he has become. Only 2 AFL sides in the SANFL suggests his competition in the ruck was not elite (that is what I was told - I know nothing about SANFL). Compared him to Nick Meese at Williamstown. He said he is not tall enough. Bustling type.

[Saints58]

There's a huge difference between SANFL and AFL. If he's slow and lumbering I'm not sure how he makes it.

Agreed there is a huge difference between the state leagues and the AFL but what other way do we judge a player we have to go by the state league form look at Willkie state league player a lot of teams are putting in effort to take players from the state leagues Like the WAFL,SANFL,VFL some players will not make it some will but that's footy.

[Sanctorum]

There continue to be reports in the press that St Kilda are likely to recruit Harry Boyd to support Rowan Marshall in the ruck next year.

In an article in today's Herald Sun Marshall is quoted as saying he is excited at the prospect of playing alongside Max King as a KPF.

It stands to reason that Ross Lyon, who has always placed great value in big strong ruckmen, may look at using Harry Boyd as a tap ruckman (given that is what he does well) to give the mids first use of the ball, with King and Marshall the main marking targets in front of goals.

If that works that could be the key to winning a lot of games in 2025!

[Baz_Kitchner_Wall]

Can someone help this old fella's memory out. Did Jason Blake ruck under Ross Lyon or GT ? I recall GT did not rate ruckman. Blake may have been retired before Ross was on board. Jason was far from a big strong ruckman but had a great leap and was ultra-competitive with great endurance. He rucked against giants.

[skeptic]

Can someone help this old fella's memory out. Did Jason Blake ruck under Ross Lyon or GT ? I recall GT did not rate ruckman. Blake may have been retired before Ross was on board. Jason was far from a big strong ruckman but had a great leap and was ultra-competitive with great endurance. He rucked against giants.

Def GT. Didn’t he crush Sandilands one day in Tassie?

He may have pinch hit for RTB but I remember in 07 we recruited Matty Clarke, then Gardiner the following year as well as King so we were pretty sorted bar an in game injury or a bad week

[Sanctorum]

Can someone help this old fella's memory out. Did Jason Blake ruck under Ross Lyon or GT ? I recall GT did not rate ruckman. Blake may have been retired before Ross was on board. Jason was far from a big strong ruckman but had a great leap and was ultra-competitive with great endurance. He rucked against giants.

Stats show that Jason Blake from 12 games in 2011 had 49 hit-outs, he also played ruck a few times in 2009/10....he was 189 cm & 91 kg.

Not surprising therefore that the more althletic Michito Owens at 191 cm & 91 kg also pinch-hits in the ruck sometimes - 49 from 23 games in 2023, but less often in 2024 with only 12 from 23 games.

[B.M]

Absolute nonsense that GT did not rate ruckmen

He just didn’t rate our ruckmen (Knobel/Ackland) or any average players who just tapped the ball.

Tap ruckmen are a liability and the most overrated players in the game

[Baz_Kitchner_Wall]

Absolute nonsense that GT did not rate ruckmen

He just didn’t rate our ruckmen (Knobel/Ackland) or any average players who just tapped the ball.

Tap ruckmen are a liability and the most overrated players in the game

I disagree with you about tap ruckmen. You obviously have never played footy.

You obviously don't remember Damien Bourke destroying the Saints at Kardina Park
That Sean Darcy struggles to get a game at Freo because Luke Jackson a tap ruckman holds the #1 spot.
Luke gets more of the ball but is a leaping tap ruckmen.

[B.M]

Yeah… never played!

Hit outs are the most useless stats in footy statistically proven to not correlate to wins, or even clearances.

Unless you have Max Gawn rucking against Caleb Daniel

Btw
Sean Darcy is the tap ruckman, Luke Jackson is the around the ground ruckman