VFL Rd #2: Northern Blues vs. Port Melbourne at North Port

[blue4life]

Apart from the WC game when NicNat jumped all over him, Wood has been a more than useful contributor to our clearance dominance - long way from being a star but a useful player who plays up to be ability but I also think Warnock is judged too harshly. I am happy with either of them.

I'm not happy with them but I don't think there's much to choose between them.
Until Kreuzer is fit they're the best we can come up with.

[cimm1979]

Neither is Wood.
I watched Geelong/North today, Goldstein had a huge game and was the difference between the two sides.

Goldstein is a jet. Better than Jacobs and a real leader.

[crashlander]

Goldstein is a jet. Better than Jacobs and a real leader.

Wood has played quite well on Goldstein in the past: he was one of the reasons we beat North last year.
However, both he and Warnock have their limitations. We badly need to draft a ruckman for our future.

Assuming we play both Wood and Warnock (not an unlikely event if we come up against a team like the Weagles with a good pair of ruckmen), then there is NO viable option playing for the Northern Blues and NO young kid coming up to replace them. THAT is one of my real worries. While we may not have a huge amount of class on our list, we do have an option for just about every position on the ground. We have a couple of tall forwards, a couple of tall defenders, a couple of mids, etc. But where are our rucks? Kreuzer is terribly injury prone and spends more time in the medical room than on the ground. Warnock has a history of injury almost as bad and almost as debilitating. Wood is the ONLY one who is generally sound. If he goes down.....

[Mantis]

Jacobs leaving has left us short in this area. Sure he has days when he is beaten, but he does quite well in every game I have watched him play. Our track record with rucks of late hasn't been superb. Special-K, broken from day one as you stated, Warnock a trade that hasn't been a sensation. Wood has been serviceable and a cheap pick up. Maybe we need to rookie something with some more athletic ability. Not an athlete type who is tall, but a ruck who has some leap, and some agility at ground level. A Ryder type.

[crashlander]

Jacobs leaving has left us short in this area. Sure he has days when he is beaten, but he does quite well in every game I have watched him play. Our track record with rucks of late hasn't been superb. Special-K, broken from day one as you stated, Warnock a trade that hasn't been a sensation. Wood has been serviceable and a cheap pick up. Maybe we need to rookie something with some more athletic ability. Not an athlete type who is tall, but a ruck who has some leap, and some agility at ground level. A Ryder type.

Not easy to find. Ryder's strength, like NicNat, is his leap and mobility. That is damn hard to find. It is why so many teams have tried out big Americans in recent times. They may not know much about the game, but they often have the athleticism and the sheer size. A couple of them are coming along nicely, although at their entry ages they probably won't have huge careers. A real problem with Americans, that. Their whole system does not allow youth to get a game until they are about 22.

[shadesy]

Goldstein is a jet. Better than Jacobs and a real leader.

Was thinking that. Probably the best in the comp at the moment.

[Thryleon]

There are ruckman out there that are just begging for an opportunity we just need to do to someone what Adelaide did to us.  Who is Port Adelaide's ruckman in the wings?  Do Freo have one worth poaching?

Next rookie draft hit up a state league ruck who dominates at that level.

[laj]

Neither is Wood.
I watched Geelong/North today, Goldstein had a huge game and was the difference between the two sides.

Wood does ok. Has value around the ground. We have two rucks, while not brilliant, who take marks and get a few touches.

[ItsOurTime]

Next rookie draft hit up a state league ruck who dominates at that level.

Insanity we didn't do this last year. We need that project ruckman on the back burner. If MK walks, we will be forced to sign Warnock again and the bumbling list management will continue.

[crashlander]

General consensus among the recruiting community is that there hasn't been much in the way of ruckmen over the last couple of seasons. To be honest, there doesn't look like there is a lot in this crew either. However, I'd be willing, more than willing, to give one a try.