how important a good ruck division ?

[yandb]

when was the last time a team won a grand final with a poor ruck division ?
sydney - very good
port- very good
brisbane - very good ( three years )
essendon-good
other posters could fill in the blanks on other years

if this is part of the equation for grand final sucess then we need to start adding to our stocks this draft.

 

[billyb#40]

On the other hand
StKilda is just OK
Geelong is injured and just OK
Melbourne one man band is always tired at seasons end
Adelaides was injured this year

That explaims a few things

 

[Disco08]

I'd put rucks behind the midfield (and midfield depth), the backline and a strong CHF/FF in order of importance in today's game.

 

[Ready]

If the question is in finals football, vitally important. Every contest is red hot and everything becomes a hard ball get with so much congestion. Therefore what a luxury to have blokes who can dish it up for their midfielders on a plate as well as absorbing physical punishment.

 

[1965]

I'd put rucks behind the midfield (and midfield depth), the backline and a strong CHF/FF in order of importance in today's game.

good to see them back

:clap

 

[pahoffm]

3 golden rules, never to be broken:

1. A midfield that has at least 8 genuine options that can rotate through the centre.

2. A goal to goal line where each member are in the top 3 in the AFL in their position.

3. A ruck division that will at least negate the effectiveness of the opposition rucks. If you can win, great, but must have at least two ruckmen.

 

[1965]

3 golden rules, never to be broken:

1. A midfield that has at least 8 genuine options that can rotate through the centre.

2. A goal to goal line where each member are in the top 3 in the AFL in their position.

3. A ruck division that will at least negate the effectiveness of the opposition rucks. If you can win, great, but must have at least two ruckmen.

We need to make a few more changes in personnel given these criteria.

 

[pahoffm]

3 golden rules, never to be broken:

1. A midfield that has at least 8 genuine options that can rotate through the centre.

2. A goal to goal line where each member are in the top 3 in the AFL in their position.

3. A ruck division that will at least negate the effectiveness of the opposition rucks. If you can win, great, but must have at least two ruckmen.

We need to make a few more changes in personnel given these criteria.

Yep, as I keep on answering to people who ask me if I'm happy about this year, I always respond,

"There's a long way to go."

 

[Scoop]

Spot on wise old Phanto, things are looking better but a long way to go.
This year 's draft is more important then last years IMHO. last year we should have got the top players with picks 1 and so on. This year we need to use our skill in the talent spotting area to get kpp's.

 

[pahoffm]

Spot on wise old Phanto, things are looking better but a long way to go.
This year 's draft is more important then last years IMHO. last year we should have got the top players with picks 1 and so on. This year we need to use our skill in the talent spotting area to get kpp's.

Spot on.

This draft has less champions in it, but certainly more serviceable AFL standard players in it.

It may not have a Deledio or a Tambling, but this year you can get a quality player at 40 - 50. Last year, nearly all the quality players were gone by 30.

Because of the lack of champions at the top and the even spread, it makes this draft a really good one to draft players by position.

Of course what draft picks we end up with will depend on what we do during the trading period. We will get the opportunity to trade, to get better picks, to get more picks, or a combination of both.

 

[BBC]

If we are talking specifics in this draft I reckon we need to go tall. Hopefully there is a key forward, key defender and a ruckman for us. Not much to ask for really!

 

[johnson2richo2003]

Id be content with:
2 KPP
2 skilled onballer/HB types
1 Ruckman[Rookied]-Someone like Mckinnon from Coburg.

 

[pahoffm]

If we are talking specifics in this draft I reckon we need to go tall. Hopefully there is a key forward, key defender and a ruckman for us. Not much to ask for really!

Plenty of them, all we have to do is pick them rather than going off on some tangent like we usually do.

 

[J_Rod]

Would it be worth taking a punt and drafting Rix as an extra Ruck option and also player up forward??

 

[johnson2richo2003]

Would it be worth taking a punt and drafting Rix as an extra Ruck option and also player up forward??

ID rather Mckinnon over Rix

 

[Silent Bob]

I'm all for rucks as long as they do plenty around the ground in addition to the centre bounces and stoppages. They need to take marks and kick goals too ala Cox and spider.

 

[Bill James]

Don't know how much work they need to do. Jason's balls last quarter ruckwork in the forward line played a big part in the preliminary and grand final wins.

Ruckwork that sets up goal scoring opportunities worth a lot. That was always the problem with Ottens, got great hands to the ball but always seemed to hit it straight at the rovers rather than in their path to goal. Benny Gale was a lot smarter at that.

 

[Hello Newman]

Excellent thread, couldn't agree more. You need only go back as far as the 2003 GF to see what Clark Keating did to Josh Fraser and the Pies. Absolutely smashed Fraser at the first bounce and continued to give the Fab Four first use of the ball throughout the game. Jolly and Ball did the same against the Saints last week. By the time St Kilda realise that they need a dominant ruck brigade to win a flag, their window of opportunity will be firmly shut. I put this down to further mismanagement by Thomas and right up there with their rotating captaincy policy. My vote for St Kilda captain in 2006 goes to Fiora.

The best thing Richmond have done in the past 5 years is get rid of Ottens. Our ruck stocks are in good shape with Knobel, Simmonds and hopefully a 2005 draftee.

 

[Bill James]

Welcome Newman. Nice name and good contribution, keep up the good work.