2018 Rd 9: Post Game Calm: Carlton vs Melbourne

[ElwoodBlues1]

It's because he is so mobile, and his 2nd or 3rd efforts are relentless and instantaneous. They get no break against him, ruck SpecialK with Phillips or Lobbe against Gawn and we'd win far more clearances because Gawn would get no respite. They are flat out keeping up with Kreuzer, and won't easily defeat Phillips.

It's no different to Wet Toast rucking Naitanui and Lycett, after their recent success against Nthmond you'll find more clubs doing this.

Solo rucks are a weak point that can be exploited, we know that from good experience.

Recent GF winners Richmond would argue they went with Nankervis and Grigg as their ruckman.......Bulldogs went with Roughead and a inexperienced very part time backup in Boyd...its what suits your gameplan IMO and there is no one size fits all approach. Kreuzer does best when he rucks 90% of the day and the 10% remaining can be filled in by Casboult, Harry Mckay, Rowe etc....
Some days you do need two rucks, say vs WC or a monster like Sandilands....but not all the time and its important not to be stuck with a player who can only ruck and has to be benched when not rucking.

[LP]

Recent GF winners Richmond would argue they went with Nankervis and Grigg as their ruckman.......Bulldogs went with Roughead and a inexperienced very part time backup in Boyd...its what suits your gameplan IMO and there is no one size fits all approach. Kreuzer does best when he rucks 90% of the day and the 10% remaining can be filled in by Casboult, Harry Mckay, Rowe etc....
Some days you do need two rucks, say vs WC or a monster like Sandilands....but not all the time and its important not to be stuck with a player who can only ruck and has to be benched when not rucking.

If a solo ruck goes down in the opening minutes of a GF, that team probably lose.

In respect of Grigg, good luck if he finds himself alone in the midfield early in a game against Naitanui and Lycett, Kreuzer and Phillips, Lynch and Wright, Boyd and Roughead, Keefe and Lobb, etc., etc..

Kreuzer does best when he has 90% ToG, rucking or not, if you bench him you take away his biggest weapon which is his aerobic capacity, you have to force his physically matched opponent to stay on the ground with him and not have him anchored in a pocket where the opponent can rest.

The biggest problem I have with Casboult offering chop-outs is that it's like a holiday for the opposition, he has little physical impact on the opponent because he doesn't make them work hard enough! It's probably being made to work hard that has Gawn rating Kreuzer so highly.

[flyboy77]

Recent GF winners Richmond would argue they went with Nankervis and Grigg as their ruckman.......Bulldogs went with Roughead and a inexperienced very part time backup in Boyd...its what suits your gameplan IMO and there is no one size fits all approach. Kreuzer does best when he rucks 90% of the day and the 10% remaining can be filled in by Casboult, Harry Mckay, Rowe etc....
Some days you do need two rucks, say vs WC or a monster like Sandilands....but not all the time and its important not to be stuck with a player who can only ruck and has to be benched when not rucking.

Gawn's 208cm from memory, Kreuz 200cm.....big difference.

Like Plowman rucking against Kreuzer.

LKreuzer struggles against the really tall guys, who wouldn't!

[laj]

It's because he is so mobile, and his 2nd or 3rd efforts are relentless and instantaneous. They get no break against him, ruck SpecialK with Phillips or Lobbe against Gawn and we'd win far more clearances because Gawn would get no respite. They are flat out keeping up with Kreuzer, and won't easily defeat Phillips.

It's no different to Wet Toast rucking Naitanui and Lycett, after their recent success against Nthmond you'll find more clubs doing this.

Solo rucks are a weak point that can be exploited, we know that from good experience.

Problem is that we are alot worse when we have 2 rucks. Proven time and again, something we also know from bad experience Takes away Kreuzer's best asset as it is often replaced by Phillips inability to get much of the ball. Very few clubs go down that path in the modern game. Richmond won a flag with Nankervis and Grigg. Casboult does a decent job when he takes his turn. Besides giving him confidence running around the ground his taps stats to advantage this year are surprisingly good. It's been proven time and again we are better off with Kreuzer/Casboult then Kreuzer/Phillips. That's why we went that way. Think is was way more than Nic Nat and Lycett that was the reason for the big win. Bet that's not repeated come finals.

[Lods]

Gawn's 208cm from memory, Kreuz 200cm.....big difference.

Like Plowman rucking against Kreuzer.

LKreuzer struggles against the really tall guys, who wouldn't!

I'd like to see Jones 198 with a good leap (and chaos factor ;D) doing a bit of relief rucking.

[townsendcalling]

Your backup ruckman must essentially be a forward, one who knows leading patterns, where those up field are going to place the ball, how to work in tandem with the other tall forward etc.  Unfortunate, Phillips doesn't offer that. He's a ruckman who can rest up forward....waste of space. Work with Harry to eventually take over the "Daniher" role of 5 - 8 mins per quarter in the ruck.  While Harry is learning, use The Bolt.

[laj]

Recent GF winners Richmond would argue they went with Nankervis and Grigg as their ruckman.......Bulldogs went with Roughead and a inexperienced very part time backup in Boyd...its what suits your gameplan IMO and there is no one size fits all approach. Kreuzer does best when he rucks 90% of the day and the 10% remaining can be filled in by Casboult, Harry Mckay, Rowe etc....
Some days you do need two rucks, say vs WC or a monster like Sandilands....but not all the time and its important not to be stuck with a player who can only ruck and has to be benched when not rucking.

Never a reason for two ruckmen. We're worse off no matter how it's put. Just puts an unnecessary big bloke on the ground that we don't need. Only play two rucks if they can do something up forward and around the ground otherwise they are a total waste when not rucking. Slows us up too much and takes away Kreuzer's best asset. Still win clearances, as we did easily against Essendon, despite a big tapout deficit.

[laj]

I'd like to see Jones 198 with a good leap (and chaos factor ;D) doing a bit of relief rucking.

I'm surprised we haven't tried that the last two weeks.

[laj]

If a solo ruck goes down in the opening minutes of a GF, that team probably lose.

In respect of Grigg, good luck if he finds himself alone in the midfield early in a game against Naitanui and Lycett, Kreuzer and Phillips, Lynch and Wright, Boyd and Roughead, Keefe and Lobb, etc., etc..

Kreuzer does best when he has 90% ToG, rucking or not, if you bench him you take away his biggest weapon which is his aerobic capacity, you have to force his physically matched opponent to stay on the ground with him and not have him anchored in a pocket where the opponent can rest.

The biggest problem I have with Casboult offering chop-outs is that it's like a holiday for the opposition, he has little physical impact on the opponent because he doesn't make them work hard enough! It's probably being made to work hard that has Gawn rating Kreuzer so highly.

I reckon Grigg cpould've rucked all day in the GF and Richmond would've smashed Adelaide. You just rove to the opposition and make sure the opposition kids don't get a clear run at it.

[LP]

I reckon Grigg cpould've rucked all day in the GF and Richmond would've smashed Adelaide. You just rove to the opposition and make sure the opposition kids don't get a clear run at it.

You could but you'd be crazy.

In the GF I believe Nankervis bettered Grigg in 19 out of the 23 categories of stats collected by CD, including stuff Grigg should dominate like I50, CP, MK and CM.

Grigg clearly got him one though, Clangers!

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