I actually find the position so ironic given it was Hawthorn's tall forwards that won them the game at the other end and they picked just as many
The problem was playing Goldy off the bench and then having CCJ and Xerri forward together instead of playing Xerri and CCJ off the bench and having Goldy play close to 100% TOG with 30% ruck and 70% forward. The decision to play the best forward of the 3 from the bench was baffling. They corrected it in the 2nd half and almost came back to win the game as a result.
Xerri needs to be the #1 ruck, Goldy is great but they're not playing for now. Goldy is the best forward and should play there mostly. CCJ can be capable if you've got people to tell him where to run but he's definitely the weak link of the three.
Turnovers were a huge issue for them but isolating Lewis and Gunston on their undersized defenders was North's biggest mistake, that they sacrificed their help defender to do it was just more confusing.
I mean it's funny, Sydney played just as tall a side with McLean, Franklin, McDonald and Hickey, Melbourne were possibly even taller with Gawn, Jackson, McDonald and Brown. Hawthorn went with Lynch, Reeves, Lewis and Gunston in the same game. Port had Lycett, Marshall, Georgiades and Finlayson and you know they'd fix Dixon in there if he was fit. Brisbane had Fort, Daniher, McStay, OMc. And then there was Richmond who rent Nank, Soldo, Lynch, Riewoldt and Balta and were probably the side most notably too tall this round.
Simple fact is those two rucks gave them a strong midfield dominance on the day, they kicked like crap,
they copped the absolute worst injury they could and then made bad coaching moves to compound that injury and they also made bad coaching decisions to undermine the selection they made and they still nearly won, albeit a game they definitely should be winning.