AFL Rd 18 2023 Post Game Prognostications Carlton vs Port Adelaide

[crashlander]

Ruckmen need to be very good around the ground too, like Gawn the other night. Then they are worth a decent dollar. Other than that someone like Pittonet does the job.

Whateley reckons Grundy won't be at Melbourne next year. Interesting to see if he is right. Was the all-time dumb decision to go there in the first place. Two first rucks don't often work unless they can proficiently play forward too, as they'll be spending alot of time there. Even in the old days of Nicholls and Jones they were both very good up forward. In the days of unlimited interchange you could play 2 first rucks and just change them off the bench. Not now. The was a reason Kreuzer and Casboult were a good combination. Kreuzer did a good job gathering touches around the ground and could kick a goal if needed. Casboult was a forward ruck, who, despite his limitations, often hit the scoreboard, wrong part of it at times, but turned out quite a proficient ruckman as well together with his handy marking around the ground. Soon as Kreuzer played with Phillips his game went to crap near every time.

Marc doesn't get a lot of marks, or possessions generally, but he usually makes it difficult for his opponent to get them. The sort of guy he struggles with around the ground is a guy lime English, who is pretty damned mobile for a big man. But, even then, Pitto gives a contest.
Pitto's strength is his strength in the ruck contest, and his ability to aim his taps pretty well.