In 2021 our ruck stockpile was primo. The shape, the numbers, the types and ages were ideal. We got to try all our rucks except Colina at senior level and come season's end we are able to make very informed decisions about who we keep, who we punt and who we recruit.
Ruck stockpiles are essential. But they mature and have to be replenished. RFC made one horrendous ruck decision in my time of watching the club. It was using pick 20 on a ruck in 2017. And we've all seen how that ended. To be fair, CJ was viewed as a forward/ruck at the time.
Through our own success with Cat B Ivan Soldo, we've shown the way with rucks, and but for the one horrendous but forgivable error in 2017 we have recruited deftly and economically for the superb ruck stockpile that has just matured.
On how good this stockpile is let us first note that RFC rucks do not earn big money. We have a very unusual 1/2 combo. Neither is a forward. Each is a #1 ruck. There are eight or so clubs that have zero #1 rucks. Port and Brisbane? Really? Footscray? LOL Footscray.
It's not that our pair of rucks are flawless individually. Soldo can (when sound) get square in the air with any ruck, or at worst be shaded. And Nank (when sound) can get a hold of weaker opponents at ground level and contest against any. Each can get the odd hiding but it won't be on the same day. And very rarely for the whole day.
Nank just turned 27 and Soldo will turn 26 in April. This is a ruck duo not yet fully ripe. With improvement remaining. So our #3 development ruck is ideally a year or more off and ideally with forward capabilities. That'd be Ryan. Tick.
We should always have a CatB ruck on the list. Colina. Ideal.
Some are rightly suggesting we could do with back up ruck to cover for Ryan if we lose one of Nank or Soldo. I'll believe Soldo is sound when I see it. And how often is Nank injured or niggly? I think we are already at some risk in the ruck division.
It could be Ceglar. Some will recall that Ceglar has given Nank the odd touch up. Ceglar is elite at his best. A dinosuar. A medical would be interesting. At the very least I can see why we would be looking at a mature ruck for 2022, much as this flies in the face of the Soldo burning the track narrative. None of the other rucks on the table is worth pursuing imo. Max Lynch is the wrong age and Ladhams is not a true ruck, and not much in the air.
I think we should be looking for a forward/ruck. At drafting one. 19yo this or next year. A forward ruck is a tall forward who is big enough to ruck. RFC's Brad Ottens. Brendon Gale. Players who are too good to play ruck when young. We tried Chol and CJ and they both came up short in the forward role. And are now elsewhere. We could have kept either or both.
Irrespective of best off season ever narratives about post ACL players the RFC brainstrust would have a very good idea of where Soldo is at and based on that will make a decision on whether we really need a back up ruck.
I'd like to see Nankervis, Soldo, perhaps Ceglar, Ryan, 19yo Forward/ruck this or next year, Colina. Even another Cat B.
I like the way we've cultivated our ruck stockpile. We're the best in the game at it IMO.