Position Ruck Discussion

[Herbie66]

If only it was 2021 , we could all just lock in English

 

[freowho]

Most teams I see are spending way too much on top end premiums. In the past you might have 2, maybe 3 mids above $600k with a defender, ruck and forward at $550k.
I've seen so many teams with Gawn and Grundy who are $700k and 4 mids above $600k and Whitfield at $600k. Should be fine by supercoach finals but you'll be way back for the $50k.
Most coaches also seem torn who to leave out of the mids with analysis of the draw and preseason fitness a priority. Surely Gawn ticks both those boxes for exclusion.
I understand rucks are more difficult to fix and I wouldn't take a bad pick just for the sake of it but Gawn looks like a trade in target to me. If I can find someone with job security who can make some cash and outscore their price at R2 it's a deal.

 

[Herbie66]

450K could turn Rankine & King into a combo of Smith/Steven/Lynch/Brayshaw/Acres/Wingard if you can pull another 50k or so from somewhere.

I think even the failed picks of this lot net you 80 ppg maybe make you 50k and use as a stepping stone, as long as they are playing.

If you can find some 60-65+ scoring rookies up forward, it's probably not worth it but if as i suspect some of these guys throw out 40's or get dropped it's well worth it imo

Be nice if we actually get to see Rankine play a game.

King looks like a perma-bench option.

Briggs ? Cameron ? Cavarra ? Davies ? McAdam ? Hosie ? Mosquito ? Sturt ? Xerri ?

plenty of names , but are any going to be selected Round 1 and be any good at SC ?

 

[OnTopBar]

But you could be compounding the problem there also, for me there are still question marks surrounding Ceglar.

Yes, Ceglar is hard to judge, particularly with Big Boy going down with what looked like a corked thigh which probably inflates both Ceglars and Pattons influence. I'm by no means set yet.

 

[BlueNwhiteHoops]

Be nice if we actually get to see Rankine play a game.

King looks like a perma-bench option.

Briggs ? Cameron ? Cavarra ? Davies ? McAdam ? Hosie ? Mosquito ? Sturt ? Xerri ?

plenty of names , but are any going to be selected Round 1 and be any good at SC ?

I would likely have Brander & Budawick/Close as my 2 bench rookies, I don't plan on picking King unless there is no one else or Rankine unless he is playing round1

 

[mpollock]

Have

This is my problem - I've been on that merry go round of rucks and it's an aweful feeling week in week out trying to get off.

Have been there as well. Perhaps the decision comes down to: 1). How fit is Gawn 2). How many rookie rucks named round 1

 

[Herbie66]

I would likely have Brander & Budawick/Close as my 2 bench rookies, I don't plan on picking King unless there is no one else or Rankine unless he is playing round1

Are you planning any F rookies onfield or the breakout/mid-price madness lottery game ?

 

[Herbie66]

May just start Gawn and correct to Naismith after Round 2 if that looks to be the way ?

 

[Zagbag]

Naismith basically hasn't left my side since SC opened - but I wouldn't be using me for advice, having started 2019 without Gawn or Grundy.

I also started SandiWitts in 2017 and Blicavs in 2013, so I probably have some systemic Ruck illness.

 

[jobeywatto]

In the last 2 years only one midfielder has averaged more than Gawn and that Titch. Yes Gawn has had an interupted pre-season to some extent but I don't think it's that serious that won't see him put out decent number for the first few rounds.

Preuss is also out for the first part of the season.

 

[freowho]

May just start Gawn and correct to Naismith after Round 2 if that looks to be the way ?

Comedy Gold.

 

[Snowman]

Comedy Gold.

I’m not seeing the humour. Personally don’t think it’s the worst plan I’ve heard here

 

[OnTopBar]

I’m not seeing the humour. Personally don’t think it’s the worst plan I’ve heard here

Would be a better move if someone like a Martin was at R2. I did that last year with McEvoy > RO'B which helped fund 3 early upgrades and shot me up the rankings from 55k at round 5 to 12k at round 8.

 

[50 shades of Wade]

Would be a better move if someone like a Martin was at R2. I did that last year with McEvoy > RO'B which helped fund 3 early upgrades and shot me up the rankings from 55k at round 5 to 12k at round 8.

Thats actually not a bad idea

 

[frosty1]

If only it was 2021 , we could all just lock in English

English, Williams and Draper, R1, 2, 3 2021 locked in already.

 

[OnTopBar]

Thats actually not a bad idea

Thats actually not a bad idea

I'll be definitely looking at something similar this year, it wont be in the Ruck line but if I see a rookie that's got great JS and cash generating potential that I haven't got then I'll be flicking someone to them, most likely a midpricer that's earn't some $$

 

[jobeywatto]

If there werent any rookie rucks firming for rd 1 I wouldnt be looking at Naismith as closely as i currently am. Williams, Cameron and Xerri all help to reduce the risk of having him at r2 significantly as you arent left in no mans land if he gets injured within the first month.

On top of this Gawn has had an interupted preseason and faces nic nat first up. Then vs GWS who arguably have the best midfield so who knows how many HOs to advantage he has. Also predicting them to lose their first 2 games so he gets a lower share of 3300. Then proceeds to play Marshall/Ryder who arent too bad around the ground. Rd 5 he vses Witts who if i remember correctly, there were very few rucks that got their season avg against him. After rd 5 his draw opens up significantly, wont have enough funds to go Naismith - Gawn in 1 rookie downgrade by this stage. However if Naismith makes 130k by rd 7-8 with an achievable avg of 85 and Gawn goes 115-120 he will drop to low 600s. Thats basically a swing of 200 - 250k. We will be lucky to get 5 rookies to make that much money for us this year.

You can do this for Naismith too, though.

In the first 8 weeks he has ROB, Phillips, Witts, Kreuzer, Jacobs, Stef Martin, Goldstein, and Nic Nat. Some very tough match ups in there - I can only see Naismith getting the best of Phillips and Jacobs from that group. You'd also have to think that Sydney aren't going to be much chop again this year, especially in the midfield, so he may find HTAs hard to come by. And his career best season is still only 69, which is around what you'd expect from a 170k rookie.

 

[ScoringFreely]

Are we forgetting that Naismith has big Cox teaching him how to get in the hole and drill the opposition ?

 

[Ratzondix]

One thing in Naismiths corner is he’s 206cm and can jump as well. Should win a lot of taps. Sinclair doesn’t win taps or possessions and can’t kick. Sydney were 1st or 2nd last in ruck wins last year. Horse wouldn’t want another year of getting smashed in the ruck contests with Sinclair who can’t find the ball around the ground.

 

[aps1]

You can do this for Naismith too, though.

In the first 8 weeks he has ROB, Phillips, Witts, Kreuzer, Jacobs, Stef Martin, Goldstein, and Nic Nat. Some very tough match ups in there - I can only see Naismith getting the best of Phillips and Jacobs from that group. You'd also have to think that Sydney aren't going to be much chop again this year, especially in the midfield, so he may find HTAs hard to come by. And his career best season is still only 69, which is around what you'd expect from a 170k rookie.

Witts did ok for HTAs with arguably a worse midfield. (As an aside, I think the scoring for rucks is a little broken and may over inflate their worth.)

I think we need to look past the career best averages, especially with the low games count, otherwise we'd never pick a mid priced player. It whether you think the opportunity is there to improve and whether that is worth the risk.