Position 2021: Ruck Discussion

[Bermi]

A small sample, but it appears the new AFL rules has changed the game to a more open, fast ball moving game, that doesn't support Gawn and Grundy to be high SC scorers anymore. Also, I expect the other ruckmen to not score well either. I still think G&G will be the top 2 ruckmen at season's end.

Only 1 Ruckman, Flynn, scored over 140 (source: @Herbie66 above) and that was due to the extreme wet weather conditions where there were a lot of stoppages (I saw that game). Also what helped Flynn's scores was that Hunter wasn't rucking in the 2nd half and then McKernan rucked poorly. This game was played like they used to play pre 2021, lots of stoppages.

My interest is, will this fast paced, open game continue, or will the players start getting fatigued and carrying niggling injuries to slow them down and the AFL Coaches find ways to slow the game down? This open style game doesn't suit all the AFL teams, so I expect some work will be put into that.

My conundrum is, if the games remain fast and open, then G&G aren't going to be big scorers, so might as well spend their money on other players that will. But if the games in the near future will have more stoppages, then it's worth keeping G&G.

What's frustrating, is that I have no idea which way it's going to go.

 

[Bermi]

Yeah, to be fair they haven't advertised their club well lately, But also the Dogs are getting crowded which isn't a good sign.
Just saying that the Pies need a better Mid within the next year or so. Someone that's young but not too young, otherwise Grundys going to have a terrible 7 years

Sier, hmmm.

 

[Lost In The Sky]

In 2019 Gawndy cost $1.4m to start.

R1 - Grundy 81, Gawn 87
Post R2
Grundy 137, 132, 160, 100, 134
Gawn 116. 126, 113, 126, 145

By R11 Grundy was $656k, Gawn was $647k. That was about Grundy’s low price point up to then, Gawn’s low point to then was $640k

There may not be “truckloads” of cash lost.

Good point... But there's also the new man on the mark rule and resulting change in style of play this year to take into account, Where we have seen that the ball is ping ponging back and forward over the rucks heads in most games. They are struggling to have the same impact as previous seasons. Ruck contests per game also seem to be down.

If this fast paced game style persists... Then we might not see Gawn & Grundy bounce back as expected.

 

[XabiFernando]

Full disclosure, grawndy owner, but at this point I don't have a convincing argument to drop them.

My current position is that they will still be 1 and 2 at the end of the season, with the averages of all rucks decreasing slightly (due to new rule changes) but not significantly (when coaches set up new structures to slow the game down).

If the above holds true, the only feasible trading path here is a temp structure change to bank some on-field points with flynn and a small cash gen from buying back at a cheaper price. Not convinced this is worth burning 2-3 trades though.

Anyway, check in with me next Monday when I'm rolling Flunteek 😂

 

[Professor]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1373786808702488578

 

[Professor]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1373797166745939974

 

[Shannon]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1373797166745939974

The big problem is the 2nd ruck in Vardy was literally a useless log out there yesterday.

3 possessions/ 1 hitout from 52% game time - huge difference when he was rucking whilst NN rested.

With Bailey Williams out with ankle, it is a real issue for WCE going fwd.

 

[Hondo]

Good point... But there's also the new man on the mark rule and resulting change in style of play this year to take into account, Where we have seen that the ball is ping ponging back and forward over the rucks heads in most games. They are struggling to have the same impact as previous seasons. Ruck contests per game also seem to be down.

If this fast paced game style persists... Then we might not see Gawn & Grundy bounce back as expected.

Yes that’s true and I don’t disagree. But whether over the whole year that affects all rucks is a question. If it does then Gawndy are still 1-2 but importantly rookie rucks may not rise in price as much as we expected making the delta trade up price still the same.

I do expect the game will slow down a bit as time goes on. Then certain games will have conditions that suit the rucks and if Flynn can get 140 when the conditions suit then you’d expect monsters from the elite rucks in similar conditions.

 

[Impromptu]

I have no idea what to do right now with Danger and Grundy/Gawn/Hunter as I look at Flynn with jealous eyes. Good luck all

 

[Lost In The Sky]

The big problem is the 2nd ruck in Vardy was literally a useless log out there yesterday.

3 possessions/ 1 hitout from 52% game time - huge difference when he was rucking whilst NN rested.

With Bailey Williams out with ankle, it is a real issue for WCE going fwd.

Silly boy should stay away from the basketball hoop at Eagles HQ...

They have a no dunking policy at Eagles HQ... Bailey Williams can dunk... Bailey dunked the ball and a footy rolled under his foot upon landing.

He'd have played round 1 if he hadn't of done that.

 

[BarginHunter]

Sier, hmmm.

Too young to the team for my liking, i mean something whos played about 2/3 seasons. Like Walsh level?

 

[Goodie's Guns]

Too young to the team for my liking, i mean something whos played about 2/3 seasons. Like Walsh level?

Brayden Sier 23 yrs old.
Sam Walsh 20 yrs old.

Walsh’s, Bailey Smith’s, Butters’ and Rozee types don’t just grow on trees.

 

[Bermi]

Too young to the team for my liking, i mean something whos played about 2/3 seasons. Like Walsh level?

Actually, Sier played 8 games (80 avg) in 2018, a year before Walsh played his first game. Then, comparisons were made to him being another JPKennedy.
In 2019 the Pies said "We've seen some really positive signs from Brayden over the past couple of years and as he continues to grow and develop".
In 2020, he dropped a few kilos to help with his second half fadeouts.
Hasn't started 2021 well, he needs to improve a lot to fill Trelor's spot.

 

[BomberSam]

In 2019 Gawndy cost $1.4m to start.

R1 - Grundy 81, Gawn 87
Post R2
Grundy 137, 132, 160, 100, 134
Gawn 116. 126, 113, 126, 145

By R11 Grundy was $656k, Gawn was $647k. That was about Grundy’s low price point up to then, Gawn’s low point to then was $640k

There may not be “truckloads” of cash lost.

There may be, there may not be, hence why I said "there is potentially a truckload of cash". Key word "potentially."

Go Crom!

 

[XabiFernando]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1373845674752569347

Oh boy

 

[Zagbag]

 

[Hondo]

There may be, there may not be, hence why I said "there is potentially a truckload of cash". Key word "potentially."

Go Crom!

And I said “may” so we are both indirectly acknowledging we don’t have a crystal ball. Where can we get one it would make this game easier

 

[whydoihavetoo]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1373845674752569347

Oh boy

I feel like the concept of playing your best players in their best positions is somthing AFL coaches should get... but maybe im over estimating them.

 

[Leroy]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1373845674752569347

Oh boy

Translated - we got rid of our best midfielder and the rest are either underdone/getting old or not good enough and it's making our $1M ruck look bad... so we'll play him as a forward instead so no-one notices.

 

[Bermi]

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1373845674752569347

Oh boy

I don't get it, we have another ruckman in Cox that Grundy can swap with up forward.
I suppose Buckley means that we will give Cox more ruck minutes?