AFL Rd 22 2023 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Melbourne

[kruddler]

The failure in analysis here continues to be the idea that one ruck or the other is the only correct answer, when it is pretty much obvious to most fans that the two are complimentary as Voss outlined in his post match presser.

I suspect in the vast majority of cases, both will be a stronger option than either in isolation.

I realise that might be sad news for some fans who have favourites, perhaps even 3rd wheels they favour that are struggling for a slot to fill, but it's AFL it's not meant to be easy and it certainly isn't fair!

Failure in analysis, or failure in comprehension?

I've agreed with you that the compliment eachother, i always have. That is not part of the debate.

"A luxury we cannot afford" and "Better team balance without" is the take home points of this debate you, and others, are missing.

Read this slowly.....
If we play 2 ruckman, will our efforts in the ruck be better than we play 1 ruck? Absolutely they will.
Depending on who else is in the side (ie key forwards/backs) can the 2 ruckman potentially hurt our overall team balance and overall team performance as a result...that is, make us too tall? Certainly can.

Now we've got that cleared up....for the 99th time...back to the actual debate.

Is the team better off by playing....
1 ruck, and 2 key forwards, 2 key backs and a 3rd forward and a 3rd back.....(7 talls + 15 smalls)
or
2 rucks, and 2 key forwards, 2 key backs and a 3rd forward and a 3rd back.....(8 talls + 14 smalls)

I would 100% say we get better overall performance from the first option.
Our ruck performance will be down, but our pressure rating will be higher and give us more benefit.

1 ruck is sufficient to compete to an acceptable level.
2 rucks mean our ruck area is obviously better.
3 rucks mean its even better
4 rucks means its better again.

With the addition of additional rucks, that area is strengthened, but other areas are weakened.
We literally won games without a single ruck, so clearly their importance is overstated.

If your 2nd ruck/backup ruck can not hold down another position on merit, then "its a luxury we can't afford"
Right now, we don't have Harry or Jack up forward so
For "team balance" we can clearly play 2 rucks. Without them, we are not 'tall enough', which is the opposite problem to what we have when everyone is fit.