06-18-2020, 12:20 AM
Blokes on our list like Murphy, Fisher, Cunningham, O'Brien, SPS, Dow, Walsh, Owies, Polson, Ed Curnow, Gibbons, etc, etc, are easy targets for criticism when things go bad. But they are not heavy bodied inside mids, never were and never will be.
There output depends on the presence of a guy like Kreuzer, for everything he does beside the contesting the tap, winning the tap is almost ancillary. When Kreuzer is in they play better, regardless of SpecialK's form line. Because when SpecialK's feet hit the ground his natural instinct is to hunt the footy and opponents without hesitation. It makes the little blokes stand taller, it makes life a little easier for other potential big bodied mids like Cripps, Setterfield, SoJ, Plowman, Charlie Curnow, etc., etc..
Being good in the ruck and a team winning clearances was never, is never and will never be about just squaring the contest or winning the tap against your opponent.
I'll never accept a ruckmen in the mould of a Warnock or Phillips, because just winning the taps contributes so little to the team. It's one of the reasons why I liked Jones rucking so much in the VFL, and cannot understand how he never had a crack as a 2nd ruck in the AFL. He is not a great tap ruckmen, and won't better many opponents at the bounce or at a stoppage, but when the ball hit the ground he was after it like a rat up a drain pipe!
There output depends on the presence of a guy like Kreuzer, for everything he does beside the contesting the tap, winning the tap is almost ancillary. When Kreuzer is in they play better, regardless of SpecialK's form line. Because when SpecialK's feet hit the ground his natural instinct is to hunt the footy and opponents without hesitation. It makes the little blokes stand taller, it makes life a little easier for other potential big bodied mids like Cripps, Setterfield, SoJ, Plowman, Charlie Curnow, etc., etc..
Being good in the ruck and a team winning clearances was never, is never and will never be about just squaring the contest or winning the tap against your opponent.
I'll never accept a ruckmen in the mould of a Warnock or Phillips, because just winning the taps contributes so little to the team. It's one of the reasons why I liked Jones rucking so much in the VFL, and cannot understand how he never had a crack as a 2nd ruck in the AFL. He is not a great tap ruckmen, and won't better many opponents at the bounce or at a stoppage, but when the ball hit the ground he was after it like a rat up a drain pipe!
"Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck ....... Ruck, ruck, ruck, ruck"