04-02-2019, 12:55 AM
(04-02-2019, 12:38 AM)LP link Wrote:I don't think Downie was beaten around the ground at all, if the only measure is the tap then perhaps but that is a very narrow focus, on 2nd efforts and around the ground she probably came out on top!
I suppose stating Downie was beaten is no different to claiming Phillips did well despite his direct opponents twice being rated by many as BoG. There is a bigger picture.
I think the better measure of a ruck is often what they do when they aren't winning the tap. It's also a good measure of the midfield, what they do when their ruck isn't dominant, I think it showed our midfield inexperience, and I'm not sure the clearances would have been much different even if we had a dominant ruck.
I'm not doubting her effort around the ground. I was more disappointed with her lack of resilliance in the ruck.
She's been big enough and strong enough to stand there and push and shove and win the ruck most weeks. This wasn't working. Did she try a different tactic? She was a basketballer, she can jump, maybe try that for a change. Just go the old big punch forward every now and then ala Clark Keating.
Around the ground is why i think Moody is a very poor 2nd option by comparison. Downie dominated her in that area.
The girl that Downie was up against was as green as they come. She only joined the team 2 weeks before the season....or was turned into a ruckman 2 weeks before (or both). Gotta be smarter than that.