Rucks Discussion

Joined
16 Mar 2012
Messages
3,547
Likes
611
AFL Club
Carlton
Depends who goes down IMO. If Kreuzer goes down then I expect Rowe to come in as Warnock is a pure ruck who can't do much else, whereas should Warnock go down, Wood (who also has no strings to his bow other than ruckwork) would likely come in as Kreuzer offers options around the ground and will likely play ruck/fwd.
Kreuzer plays his best as a permanent ruck. Wood will only play if Warnock and Kreuzer are injured. Both players get injured fairly regularly so it's possible but Rowe and Wood are SC irrelevant anyway.
 

Nk29

Captain
Joined
16 Sep 2012
Messages
5,595
Likes
96
AFL Club
Geelong
Kreuzer plays his best as a permanent ruck. Wood will only play if Warnock and Kreuzer are injured. Both players get injured fairly regularly so it's possible but Rowe and Wood are SC irrelevant anyway.
Yeah that's very true. Kreuzer's best was when he was playing in tandem with Hampson I reckon when he got to ruck for the majority of the time. I'd probably start him (and risk him burning me for the third year in a row) if Hampson was still there, but I'm just concerned Warnock will cut into his rucking minutes.
 
Joined
18 Mar 2012
Messages
2,908
Likes
2,565
AFL Club
Essendon
seen a bit of love for dixon but im not sold on him with nicholls development and big Z.smith due back im not sure dixon will be anything more then a fwd , so unless he kicks a few bags or the other rucks go down i dont think he will make his way into The Muppets for 2014
 

av1jme

Dual Best & Fairest
Joined
26 Apr 2013
Messages
3,299
Likes
56
AFL Club
Sydney
I think coaches are more so wanting a cover for the Ruck in case of an injury give the lack of R/F this year.

seen a bit of love for dixon but im not sold on him with nicholls development and big Z.smith due back im not sure dixon will be anything more then a fwd , so unless he kicks a few bags or the other rucks go down i dont think he will make his way into The Muppets for 2014
 
Joined
23 Mar 2012
Messages
19,855
Likes
929
AFL Club
Carlton
Regarding Carlton rucking situation my thoughts and expectations are that Malthouse looks like he will play Kruezer and Warnock in team every week he can.
The tricky part is Warnock really is not value as a forward and is only a ruckman. Kruezer on other hand is a ruckman that can play up forward but his best football is played when he is onball. It would seem to me that if Warnock is in 22 he must be rucking at least half of the match which means Kruezer won't be rucking as much as he sometimes has in past. I'm not sure if my idea of using Warnock to ruck plus then be subbed or starting sub and then rucking is partly in his thinking but it might happen at times. What I cannot see happening is Kruezer subbed. That would only happen if he got injured. The thing is Kruezer could be used in a role that would even see him used at times from half back partly as tall defender/onballer whilist Warnock rucks. I don't see him doing that for big chunks of matches but could happen at times just to maximise his value to team overall as a big guy that loves to move around. He could end up playing a little bit in that role, a third of match in ruck and the rest of it his kind of resting time as tall up forward. It is even possible he could be used at time, not just to rest of forward but a centre forward stint to roam right up the ground rather than stay at home forward. I think it is in my clubs best interest to explore all these options to get best value out of him with Warnock in the same team.

This then means the main stay at home key forward would be Waite. I see Casboult and Rowe still at stage of being tall forwards still finding their way in game but neither would every be considered to be helping out in ruck for any more than 10 minutes at a time in emergency situations. If for some reason Warnock and Kruezer were unavaiable at same time in parts of season I would not expect Casboult or Rowe to be playing in ruck. One of them would be in team each week mainly as designated 2nd key forward. Neither ever in team as 1st or 2nd ruck role. I sense in time Casboult if he got better at kicking could be very handy CHF but for now he is still learning.
What I would expect is Maltouse has drafted Wood on rookie list as emergency to play if the 2 main rucks were injured at same time which has happened in the past like it did to Ratten in 2012 season of horror.

Whatever happens I feel as long as Kruezer is not injured even if he only rucks half a game most weeks there is scope for him still score close or around 100 as a solid scoring SC ruckman without ever averaging the massive totals Cox has averaged in past. You kind of get what you pay for with him and I trust the tractor to work his way into games next seaason even when not rucking. Just feel these next few years he will come into his prime.

I think this next season is tricky for picking rucks in SC game as the luxury of good scoring RUC/FWD types we had in 2013 version will be removed so it will be more to spending your rucking funds on the non-DPP rucks in SC. I personally have no trust in Minson averaging as well as last season and with Cox getting older and losing FWD status and Nick Nat also losing FWD status and uncertain of what to expect from him in 2014 it is not easy to decide on rucks for SC next season. Leunberger I jumped on from start in 2013 but with Dawson Simpson at Lions in 2014 maybe his scoring may drop off a little due to not having ruck all to himself.

Sandilands is a true veteran now so whether he is worth investing in is iffy. With McEvoy at Hawks even Hale and Roughy may not be as much value going forward.

I feel left feeling even though I know it is risky investing in Mumford it maybe worth it seeing he seems to have ruck to himself at GWS next season.

I'm personally leaning towards not investing too much coin in rucks and going with Kruezer + Mummy and 2 rookies in ruck of which one will be R/F so I can use someone like Dixon as DPP between ruck and forward when I need him.

Goldy looks a solid option but I just feel less confident of him having 2 good seasons in a row for some reason.
 
Last edited:
Joined
27 Feb 2013
Messages
3,929
Likes
223
AFL Club
Collingwood
A rowsus-length analysis x.x
Regarding Carlton rucking situation my thoughts and expectations are that Malthouse looks like he will play Kruezer and Warnock in team every week he can.
The tricky part is Warnock really is not value as a forward and is only a ruckman. Kruezer on other hand is a ruckman that can play up forward but his best football is played when he is onball. It would seem to me that if Warnock is in 22 he must be rucking at least half of the match which means Kruezer won't be rucking as much as he sometimes has in past. I'm not sure if my idea of using Warnock to ruck plus then be subbed or starting sub and then rucking is partly in his thinking but it might happen at times. What I cannot see happening is Kruezer subbed. That would only happen if he got injured. The thing is Kruezer could be used in a role that would even see him used at times from half back partly as tall defender/onballer whilist Warnock rucks. I don't see him doing that for big chunks of matches but could happen at times just to maximise his value to team overall as a big guy that loves to move around. He could end up playing a little bit in that role, a third of match in ruck and the rest of it his kind of resting time as tall up forward. It is even possible he could be used at time, not just to rest of forward but a centre forward stint to roam right up the ground rather than stay at home forward. I think it is in my clubs best interest to explore all these options to get best value out of him but Warnock in team.

This then means the main stay at home key forward would be Waite. I see Casboult and Rowe still at stage of being tall forwards still finding their way in game but neither would every be considered to be helping out in ruck for any more than 10 minutes at a time in emergency situations. If for some reason Warnock and Kruezer were unavaiable at same time in parts of season I would not expect Casboult or Rowe to be playing in ruck. What I would expect is Maltouse has drafted Wood on rookie list as emergency to play if the 2 main rucks were injured at same time which has happened in the past like it did to Ratten in 2013.

Whatever happens I feel as long as Kruezer is not injured even if he only rucks half a game most weeks there is scope for him still score close or around 100 as a solid scoring SC ruckman without ever averaging the massive totals Cox has averaged in past. You kind of get what you pay for with him and I trust the tractor to work his way into games next seaason even when not rucking. Just feel these next few years he will come into his prime.

I think this next season is tricky for picking rucks in SC game as the luxury of good scoring RUC/FWD types we had in 2013 version will be removed so it will be more to spending your rucking funds on the non-DPP rucks in SC. I personally have no trust in Minson averaging as well as last season and with Cox getting older and losing FWD status and Nick Nat also losing FWD status and uncertain of what to expect from him in 2014 it is not easy to decide on rucks for SC next season. Leunberger I jumped on from start in 2013 but with Dawson Simpson at Lions in 2014 maybe his scoring may drop off a little due to not having ruck all to himself.

Sandilands is a true veteran now so whether he is worth investing in is iffy. With McEvoy at Hawks even Hale and Roughy may not be as much value going forward.

I feel left feeling even though I know it is risky investing in Mumford it maybe worth it seeing he seems to have ruck to himself at GWS next season.

I'm personally leaning towards not investing too much coin in rucks and going with Kruezer + Mummy and 2 rookies in ruck of which one will be R/F so I can use someone like Dixon as DPP between ruck and forward when I need him.

Goldy looks a solid option but I just feel less confident of him having 2 good seasons in a row for some reason.
 
Joined
23 Mar 2012
Messages
19,855
Likes
929
AFL Club
Carlton
A rowsus-length analysis x.x
Without the stats....lol... I am more your spur of moment type as I go, fix up typo mistakes poster...lol...

Rowsus is full on stats armed man. :) When I got time I going to fully digest his theory series post for season ahead. I bet it will be worth it to wait to digest it closer to when season starts. They look big but I bet full of juicy stats laden information I will digest at right time.
 

av1jme

Dual Best & Fairest
Joined
26 Apr 2013
Messages
3,299
Likes
56
AFL Club
Sydney
Grundy is a very tempting pick considering that he's now R1 in Collingwood.
Same goes for Hickey at St Kilda.
 
Joined
23 Mar 2012
Messages
19,855
Likes
929
AFL Club
Carlton
Grundy does look like he has no1 ruck role at Colingwood already but I don't trust a young ruck keeping up a decent SC average this early in his career. Would not be surprised if Hudson takes over in season when work load for Grundy proves too much. I think he will be a good ruck but think I'll skip him for SC in 2014 unless I find some strong reasoning to change my mind.
 

av1jme

Dual Best & Fairest
Joined
26 Apr 2013
Messages
3,299
Likes
56
AFL Club
Sydney
If Grundy can score 80 on most weeks I think I'll be happy because the money saved on a premium ruck can be allocated to a premium midfielder.
 

Demolished

100 Games Club
Joined
13 Jun 2013
Messages
757
Likes
45
AFL Club
St Kilda
If Grundy can score 80 on most weeks I think I'll be happy because the money saved on a premium ruck can be allocated to a premium midfielder.
If you don't plan on upgrading a ruckman who only scores 80, you'll lose valuable points. See Rowsus' analysis. I had Leuey and Cox/Roughy this year instead of Minson and Goldy and it really killed me each week losing those differential points
 

av1jme

Dual Best & Fairest
Joined
26 Apr 2013
Messages
3,299
Likes
56
AFL Club
Sydney
That's a good point. I'll go and check Rowsus' analysis.
I'm hoping HMac will get a great preseason and he's capable of averaging over 100. Cheaper than Grundy as well.

If you don't plan on upgrading a ruckman who only scores 80, you'll lose valuable points. See Rowsus' analysis. I had Leuey and Cox/Roughy this year instead of Minson and Goldy and it really killed me each week losing those differential points
 
Joined
22 Feb 2013
Messages
9,669
Likes
20,537
AFL Club
Hawthorn
U have a point. There are no decent ruck rookies at all.

Unfortunately J Griffin is the back up to Sandi.
A point in another thread posed a question for me - who are the most likely ruck rookies? The Swan rookies possibly?
 

Giblet

Rising Star Nominee
Joined
26 Nov 2013
Messages
102
Likes
14
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Won't be surprised to see 1-2-1 strategy if some rookies don't appear in NAB, or Currie. Alot of cash on bench though.
 

av1jme

Dual Best & Fairest
Joined
26 Apr 2013
Messages
3,299
Likes
56
AFL Club
Sydney
Swans rookies?
Nankervis - could feature in some games this year
Derrickx - likely No.2, will come in if Pyke is injured.
Naismith - rookie-listed so not likely to see much of him



A point in another thread posed a question for me - who are the most likely ruck rookies? The Swan rookies possibly?
 

broges

100 Games Club
Joined
29 Sep 2012
Messages
633
Likes
92
AFL Club
Richmond
Quick question: anyone know when Jon Griffin is due to return from injury? This will influence my decision around Sandi.
 
Top