SuperCoach 2015: Adelaide ruckman Sam Jacobs to thrive as changes reward more than just hit-outs
Gilbert Gardiner Herald Sun December 28, 2014 7:00PM
RELIABLE and athletic ruckmen with deft hands at stoppages will be of utmost importance in SuperCoach 2015.
The workhorse is back in vogue after recent changes to reduce the number of ruckmen from four to three.
There’s also been an adjustment in scoring with rucks now rewarded for hit-outs to advantage.
What does this mean? Sam Jacobs is worth every cent.
Big Sauce Jacobs not only ranked second for overall hit-outs last year, he led the league in taps to advantage (257 at 33 per cent).
Jacobs averaged 115.4 from 22 games and is priced accordingly.
Shane Mumford and Stef Martin round out the top three on the money list, but it’s Aaron Sandilands (4th), Todd Goldstein (5th) and Matthew Lobbe (7th) who look the value.
Sandilands recovered from three seasons wrecked by injuries to play 21 games and in doing so led the league for hit-outs.
He ranked second to Jacobs with 235 hit-outs to advantage at 29 per cent. Goldstein enjoyed similar success at North Melbourne with 716 hit-outs (4th overall) including 29 per cent to advantage.
2014 SuperCoach bolter Stef Martin is way overs as a bona fide ruckman, while a soft start to the season could benefit Shane Mumford despite the high entry price.
Mumford’s ability to impact around stoppages with tackles and pressure boosts his value.
Wary of Port Adelaide’s twin towers in Matthew Lobbe and Patrick Ryder, the former looms as the value ruckman as long as he can maintain high stoppage minutes.
Lobbe held down Port’s ruck duties last year and looks to thrive under the heavy workload.
Prefer to watch the Lobbe-Ryder double act before investing hard-earned on the Power talls.
Luckless talls Matthew Kreuzer and Matthew Leuenberger head the list of cheapies and need only avoid injury to post solid numbers.
Meanwhile, the retirement of West Coast champion Dean Cox throws Scott Lycett ($418,400) in the deep end - worth keeping an eye on despite an awkward price.
Gold Coast recruit Peter Wright is the pick of the big kids.
2015 TOP-PRICED RUCKMEN
1. Sam Jacobs (Adelaide) $620,100
2. Shane Mumford (GWS Giants) $613,700
3. Stefan Martin (Brisbane) $600,200
4. Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle) $580,800
5. Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne) $574,400
6. Patrick Ryder (Port Adelaide) $543,400 fwd
7. Matthew Lobbe (Port Adelaide) $541,300
8. Ivan Maric (Richmond) $535,900
9. Will Minson (Western Bulldogs) $501,400
10. Nic Naitanui (West Coast) $488,300
HITOUTS TO ADVANTAGE LEADERS (to Round 23)
1. S. Jacobs (33%) 257
2. S. Hampson (30%) 98
3. A. Sandilands (29%) 235
4. T. Goldstein (29%) 211
5. M. Lobbe (28%) 193
6. S. Mumford (27%) 168
7. M. Pyke (26%) 115
8. W. Minson (25%) 193
9. R. Warnock (25%) 141
10. P. Ryder (25%) 135
Stats: Champion Data