Position Ruck Discussion

[Ironhawk]

RE: ........I would expect most clubs would be running two rucks if there is a six man bench....... .if all rucks end up only playing 60-70% game time........
Why do you think rucks time on the ground will be reduced with a 6 man bench?
If a ruckman, who has good endurance and played most of the game solo last year, why wouldn't he play most of the game now with the reduced quarters?

They may not. I figure at least some coaches may be trying to keep players fresher, so they are more energetic when on field. Rucks included. Similar to what already happens with Naitanui. Thinking more on it, I doubt this will happen with the key rucks who already average 90%+ game time and haven't had injury history, but it might.

 

[Bermi]

.........It (Kreuzer injury) leaves new recruit Marc Pittonet as the likely starting ruckman ahead of the resumption of the season, although Teague believes forward Levi Casboult could also stake his claim for the position after a strong showing in round one.

"(Pittonet) has been really physical and competitive at training," Teague said.

"That's probably the area we've loved the most. Hopefully he brings that physical component.

"Having said that, Levi was outstanding when he went into the ruck in round one. We've got a couple of options there, so they're going to have to fight for spots.

"(But) if 'Pitto' keeps training the way he is, I think he'll definitely be putting his hand right up."

https://www.afl.com.au/news/440308/...m-off-once-blues-coach-against-bigger-benches

 

[Kidult]

I would expect most clubs would be running two rucks if there is a six man bench. I highly doubt we would see similar ruck scores to Rd 1 if that happens, as you would expect most rucks to be spending a lot of match time on the bench.

I'm expecting we probably will get the extended bench if the AFL are still considering this, as reported. It is not going to be confirmed until the week of Rd 2 either way, which will give us 2-3 days max to plan for it. Might end up being worth holding off bringing in Gawn/Grundy for a few weeks until a price drop if they are on reduced minutes (I currently have neither)?

...I have no idea what to do with my trades now. I was considering trading out Nic Nat, but as he usually scores highly (best points per minute of anyone), if all rucks end up only playing 60-70% game time, he's almost the best ruck option.

Time to prepare yet another trade option I think, already have multiple possibilities, pending certain players getting named.

Grundy has to go up before he goes down with a be of 89 so try get him 1st

 

[Bermi]

..........Given quarters will drop from 30-32 minutes to 24-26 minutes this season, the need for the No.1 ruckman to rest will be diminished........

Double take: Why the Saints are reconsidering their ruck combo
St Kilda's ruck combination of Rowan Marshall and Paddy Ryder has given coach Brett Ratten food for thought during the shutdown period
By Mitch Cleary - 1 hr ago

THE REDUCTION in quarter lengths has forced St Kilda to reconsider how often it uses its double ruck act for the remainder of 2020.
After recruiting Paddy Ryder last October, the Saints had planned to pair the All-Australian with emerging ruckman Rowan Marshall for a 50-50 split between ruck and attack just as they did in round one.
However, with quarters being slashed by 20 per cent, the Saints acknowledge they will need to be more strategic with their ruck make-up.

"I think we'll need to be flexible with the combination," coach Brett Ratten told Fox Footy.
"Rowan's ability to stay in the ruck and ruck all day, and now with the game reduced, it might mean for some games we just take the one ruckman into the game and use somebody smaller to just be a support act.
"That's something we've thought about.

"Ryder's ability to get his hands on the ball and give us first use around centre bounce is still going to be critical.
"We got Paddy in there to give Rowan some support, being 24 we didn't want to make him ruck every game by himself all year.
"It's something about the longevity about his career as well and that's why we got Paddy into the club to make sure that we can make him (Rowan) through and so he is a 12-13-year player for our football club."

Before Ryder's arrival on a two-year deal, Marshall spent 2019 as the Saints' sole No.1 big man with chop-outs from the now departed Josh Bruce. Max King (202cm) and Tim Membrey (190cm) were the other tall targets used in the season-opener.
Given quarters will drop from 30-32 minutes to 24-26 minutes this season, the need for the No.1 ruckman to rest will be diminished and is tipped to force a re-think competition-wide.
Ratten highlighted the match-winning efforts of North Melbourne's Todd Goldstein against the Saints in round one in a game he played 98 per cent game time.

West Coast – a club Ratten pointed to as a ruck yardstick in pre-season – admitted on Friday it would look closely at who it would use at Nic Naitanui's back-up given the quarter sizes.

 

[Lost In The Sky]

West Coast – a club Ratten pointed to as a ruck yardstick in pre-season – admitted on Friday it would look closely at who it would use at Nic Naitanui's back-up given the quarter sizes.

Oscar Allen is now fit and firing so I fully expect him to play Round 2 with stints in the ruck. I doubt Hickey will get a gig, He wasn't very effective in Round 1 so the question then is do we also select Williams alongside Allen... Williams was mighty close to playing Round 1 and I personally think having both Allen & Williams play could be handy. Both of them are very capable forwards.

 

[Dazza]

Have Grundy and Jacobs, who had a combine score of 313 points in round 1, don’t plan altering the combination in the near future. Conroy on the bench.

Need to fix a few holes elsewhere in my team

 

[Professor]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1267744783839055872

 

[Darkie]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1267744783839055872

@Diabolical

I've got Hickey in SCSUL should you need him at some point.

 

[Vicwood]

Oscar Allen is now fit and firing so I fully expect him to play Round 2 with stints in the ruck. I doubt Hickey will get a gig, He wasn't very effective in Round 1 so the question then is do we also select Williams alongside Allen... Williams was mighty close to playing Round 1 and I personally think having both Allen & Williams play could be handy. Both of them are very capable forwards.

Hope Williams get the nod, I need bodies in DEF.

 

[Professor]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1268510807882559489

 

[Kidult]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1268510807882559489

141k price seems ok for a pretty low projection on the back of how most rucks scored in round 1.

 

[Professor]

141k price seems ok for a pretty low projection on the back of how most rucks scored in round 1.

Price rise is good and should score 100 at a minimum. I wonder whether next year we will need to discard scoring averages from this year as not a true reflection of scoring due to condensed quarters.

 

[Kidult]

Price rise is good and should score 100 at a minimum. I wonder whether next year we will need to discard scoring averages from this year as not a true reflection of scoring due to condensed quarters.

Might end up staying at the short quarter who knows.
It'll be very interesting to see what the team at Herald do with prices and whatnot.

 

[Goodie's Guns]

Might end up staying at the short quarter who knows.
It'll be very interesting to see what the team at Herald do with prices and whatnot.

Was confirmed late last week that quarters would be returning to normal next year.

 

[Kidult]

Was confirmed late last week that quarters would be returning to normal next year.

This is the AFL we are talking about might end up very competitve games and higher scoring to make them reconsider.

 

[NT.Thunder]

Was confirmed late last week that quarters would be returning to normal next year.

Let's hope so, would love to see next season back to normal with no tinkering or BS, just a good old fasion season everyone can enjoy.

 

[BomberArmy]

Call me stubborn, call me stupid, but sticking to my original no Grawndy plans for the next few weeks at least. Could put me wayyyy behind the 8 ball or could be a stroke of genius.. ? currently running NicNaismith

 

[Kidult]

Call me stubborn, call me stupid, but sticking to my original no Grawndy plans for the next few weeks at least. Could put me wayyyy behind the 8 ball or could be a stroke of genius.. ? currently running NicNaismith

Very ballsy, I myself whilst impatiently waiting for the season to commence was having some fun and traded out Grundy to Jacobs which gave me a more balanced side across all lines other than that massive VC loophole hole.

 

[BomberArmy]

Very ballsy, I myself whilst impatiently waiting for the season to commence was having some fun and traded out Grundy to Jacobs which gave me a more balanced side across all lines other than that massive VC loophole hole.

Probably more stupid than ballsy, but I just can't bring myself to pay so much for Grundy or Gawn, even though they're both beasts at times.. will get one of them at some stage just betting against them atm

 

[Kidult]

Probably more stupid than ballsy, but I just can't bring myself to pay so much for Grundy or Gawn, even though they're both beasts at times.. will get one of them at some stage just betting against them atm

Yeh to me the gap between those 2 and the 3rd-6th should come closer than previous years.