Position Rucks Discussion

Which ruckmen will you be starting (new poll 4/3/19)

  • Grundy $708

    Votes: 102 69.9%
  • Gawn $692

    Votes: 97 66.4%
  • Martin $574

    Votes: 3 2.1%
  • Westhoff $550

    Votes: 9 6.2%
  • Goldstein $548

    Votes: 48 32.9%
  • Nankervis $533

    Votes: 4 2.7%
  • Witts $481

    Votes: 7 4.8%
  • Lycett $441

    Votes: 3 2.1%
  • Kreuzer $433k

    Votes: 2 1.4%
  • Smith $173k / Clarke $143k

    Votes: 18 12.3%

  • Total voters
    146
Joined
13 Dec 2018
Messages
785
Likes
1,660
AFL Club
Geelong
It's a reasonable idea, where it loses me vs Goldy is that Goldy could actually be a keeper at 105-110 if Gawn does indeed come back to the pack. Where as Witts is less likely to imo, so while that 70k may come in handy while putting together a starting team you are nearly locking in another trade on a 480k player, I guess it comes down to how you predict the Gawn/Goldy situation unfolding.
 
Joined
13 Apr 2012
Messages
6,024
Likes
15,759
AFL Club
Port Adelaide
So who else has cooled on Grundy? A month of missed training is a bloody big block and I’d wager a lot of Grundys scoring power comes from his ability to move well from contest to contest.

I’m starting to favour Gawn of the 2 big boys, Preuss and all.
 
Joined
13 Dec 2018
Messages
785
Likes
1,660
AFL Club
Geelong
So who else has cooled on Grundy? A month of missed training is a bloody big block and I’d wager a lot of Grundys scoring power comes from his ability to move well from contest to contest.

I’m starting to favour Gawn of the 2 big boys, Preuss and all.
I favour them both becoming monks, deciding that they need a break from footy and pilgrimaging to Tibet where they spend a year meditating in the mountains so that i may find some value in the rucks and get some sleep.
 
Joined
26 Dec 2018
Messages
201
Likes
153
AFL Club
GWS Giants
after all these games of failure with goldstein not playing as the solo ruck, not sure if i should be surprised by their continuous coaching incompetence. at this rate im sreiously gonna pick mumford/westhoff combo
 
Joined
1 Jun 2017
Messages
147
Likes
331
AFL Club
Richmond
Have been set on Grundy and Gawn all summer, ideally would still like them both. But have recently taken a look at Jarrod Witts as a R2 instead of Gawn.

Here’s my reasoning: good personal matchups on paper, added responsibility as captain maybe lifts his game and his age of 26 and games played of 80 is setting up for a perfect ruck formula to breakout. He had 5/9 105+ scores before his bye last year while the Suns were half healthy. Also allows me to upgrade elsewhere.

RD1- vs St.Kilda (A) (vs Lewis Pierce)
RD2- vs Fremantle (H) (vs Sandi*)
RD3- vs Bulldogs (A) (vs Tim English)
RD4- vs Carlton (H) (vs Kreuzer*)
RD5- vs Adelaide (A) (vs Jacobs/O’Brien)
RD6- vs Brisbane (H) (vs Stef/Archie)
RD7- vs West Coast (A) (vs Hickey/Vardy)

Quite a good looking draw and with injury concerns around Kreuzer and Sandi it could get easier. Plus barring West Coast and Adelaide away games it doesn’t look like an awful draw. Think he can manage a 100 average for 7 weeks to then upgrade to the clear best R2 option in Gawn at a hopefully reduced price or a Goldy type back to his best.

With this I definitely wouldn’t hold him any longer as I can see the Suns keeping their heads above water for a little bit but think like a few other clubs the 2nd half of the season is gong to be a rough one.

Thoughts?
Only thing that comes to mind is that if you pick a ruck with the intention of trading him at the bye, you'd prefer to pick someone with a later bye, so that you can bring in someone who has had their bye. E.g. Nankervis is someone who could lift his average again in theory, having only played just over 50 games and who has increased scoring each year. And he has a round 14 bye.
 

JB16

Rising Star Nominee
Joined
14 Jan 2016
Messages
225
Likes
107
AFL Club
Collingwood
Only thing that comes to mind is that if you pick a ruck with the intention of trading him at the bye, you'd prefer to pick someone with a later bye, so that you can bring in someone who has had their bye. E.g. Nankervis is someone who could lift his average again in theory, having only played just over 50 games and who has increased scoring each year. And he has a round 14 bye.
Suns have the round 14 bye.

This would be my scenarios if I went through with it:
(After 6 rounds average- using Gawn as R2 upgrade example)
95 under- accept mistake, trade to Gawn
95-105 reassess, decide if Gawn is needed. Either hold until bye or pull trigger on Gawn.
105+ hold until round 14 bye, upgrade to Gawn at bye.

It is a risky move, but the points for the Suns have to go somewhere and Witts has averaged 90’s while only showing glimpses of his potential. There has been games where he has had 8 tackles or 20 possessions. Just hasn’t found the consistency yet.
Either way, think he’s something to think about
 
Joined
12 Jan 2014
Messages
3,764
Likes
11,762
AFL Club
West Coast
Suns have the round 14 bye.

This would be my scenarios if I went through with it:
(After 6 rounds average- using Gawn as R2 upgrade example)
95 under- accept mistake, trade to Gawn
95-105 reassess, decide if Gawn is needed. Either hold until bye or pull trigger on Gawn.
105+ hold until round 14 bye, upgrade to Gawn at bye.

It is a risky move, but the points for the Suns have to go somewhere and Witts has averaged 90’s while only showing glimpses of his potential. There has been games where he has had 8 tackles or 20 possessions. Just hasn’t found the consistency yet.
Either way, think he’s something to think about
My query is -if the new rules do make it easier for the ball to get cleared out of the centre it will advantage the team which has the dominant midfield. Teams like the Suns do not have that kind of midfield. Last year of the top 10 rucks by average, 8 played for top 10 teams. Only Martin and Sandi were outsiders. So although guys like English look cheap as first rucks I am not sure they are the way to go. If it is a rookie priced ruck like Clark or Fort then the chance of a big cash grab might justify the risk. Mummy, it he can keep the sticky tape tight enough might be the interesting one. Need to see him get his act together in the JLT.
 

Rowsus

Statistician
Joined
19 Mar 2012
Messages
29,140
Likes
64,922
AFL Club
Melbourne
I'm sticking with my plan, of hopefully picking 3 Rucks priced under $300k each.
I have a feeling, that by season start, teams with a cheap R2 will be very very popular.
Probably won't be too many going the whole hog, and grabbing 3, like I hope to, though.
 
Joined
12 Jan 2014
Messages
3,764
Likes
11,762
AFL Club
West Coast
I'm sticking with my plan, of hopefully picking 3 Rucks priced under $300k each.
I have a feeling, that by season start, teams with a cheap R2 will be very very popular.
Probably won't be too many going the whole hog, and grabbing 3, like I hope to, though.
Can I guess Phillips, Preuss and one of Clark/Fort?
 
Joined
1 Jun 2017
Messages
147
Likes
331
AFL Club
Richmond
Suns have the round 14 bye.

This would be my scenarios if I went through with it:
(After 6 rounds average- using Gawn as R2 upgrade example)
95 under- accept mistake, trade to Gawn
95-105 reassess, decide if Gawn is needed. Either hold until bye or pull trigger on Gawn.
105+ hold until round 14 bye, upgrade to Gawn at bye.

It is a risky move, but the points for the Suns have to go somewhere and Witts has averaged 90’s while only showing glimpses of his potential. There has been games where he has had 8 tackles or 20 possessions. Just hasn’t found the consistency yet.
Either way, think he’s something to think about
Yikes, I was living in 2018 there!
 

Rowsus

Statistician
Joined
19 Mar 2012
Messages
29,140
Likes
64,922
AFL Club
Melbourne
Can I guess Phillips, Preuss and one of Clark/Fort?
...... of the 3 I currently have sitting in my team, you have 1 correct! Preuss.
I fully expect to be swapping some around during the JLT, and of course, it is possible I will need to start a Witts/Goldy type, if the Rookies/cheapies look too dodgey.
 
Joined
25 Jul 2012
Messages
47,729
Likes
107,811
AFL Club
Collingwood
I'm sticking with my plan, of hopefully picking 3 Rucks priced under $300k each.
I have a feeling, that by season start, teams with a cheap R2 will be very very popular.
Probably won't be too many going the whole hog, and grabbing 3, like I hope to, though.
Hi Rowsus

Fascinated and intrigued by this strategy , certainly like seeing some left field out of the box thinking.

Does your < $ 300,000.00 then exclude Mumford & English (certainly see the appeal in him) ?

I think you mentioned Nicholls before , so the 3rd could be Pierce/Pittonet/Brooksby.

My greatest fear would be after 3-4 weeks all may not be playing , so no points , no $$$ generation so would need to completely restructure your side.

Obviously I have read the pros and cons over the years of the Top 2 ruckman repeating , so is this a case of that and also thinking that Martin , McEvoy , Goldstein , Nankervis etc not going in that 105-107+ bracket and a wait and see until the Rucks situation become clearer.

Curious as to what you think Gawn & Grundy will average this season ?

Obviously you have thought long and hard about this , do you think similarly priced players on other lines being "safer/viable" options eg Roberton , Hanley , Libba , Daniher , Bailey , Battle , Moore etc etc could work as well (although if you did I guess they would be in your team) , and you must be happy with your Defenders & Forwards selected.

Personally I am happy to start Grundy , Goldstein , Fort and if the rookies don't appear will downgrade to English for cash.

Hopefully it all pans out for you , keen to see how it works.

Hope some of my ramblings made sense.

Good luck
 
Joined
25 Mar 2012
Messages
4,834
Likes
1,761
AFL Club
North Melb.
I'm sticking with my plan, of hopefully picking 3 Rucks priced under $300k each.
I have a feeling, that by season start, teams with a cheap R2 will be very very popular.
Probably won't be too many going the whole hog, and grabbing 3, like I hope to, though.
I am a fan of the strategy this year and i have a similar ruck team going at the moment with Preuss, Nicholls and Fort. It is very much dependent on JLT but i am hopeful we will get at least 2 decent cheap rucks.
 

Philzsay

Leadership Group
Joined
21 Mar 2012
Messages
10,448
Likes
14,965
AFL Club
Essendon
My interpretation on what Max Gawn was really trying to say:

"I hate the forward line, but I have to tow the company line. Just keep me in the ruck all day for goodness sake and leave that Pruess fella up forward. Better yet leave him at Casey and let those part timers be me my fill ins".
 
Top