08-17-2023, 06:47 AM
(08-16-2023, 10:10 PM)LP link Wrote:It probably wouldn't have happened when the ruck is a solo because late in games they run out of legs, and no a D-Grade relief doing 5 minutes here or there is not the same as having a 4-qtr fulltime 1st ruck partner.
It's the combination of rucks that compliment each other that is providing the flexibility, there is no pressure for one player to be all over the ground for the bulk of the match, they can setup and rotate in a way that best suits them and get the time on the bench needed to rest.
Some fans talk about Pitto being off the ground as a sign of a negative, it isn't, it's the rotation that allows Pitto to keep up with a bloke like Gawn, if Pitto had to stay out there with Gawn he'd be cooked, it's also the rotation that allows TDK to run deep right to the very end of the game.
Also, perhaps a bigger plus, we no longer have a single point of failure.
In terms of ruckwork, in terms of keeping rucks fresh....no, of course its not a negative.
However, in terms of the rest of the team, its a negative.
If you want to keep ruckwork even fresher, have 4 of them on the bench. Your ruckwork will imrpove dramatically and Gawn will never be able to keep up. However, the trade off is that the rest of the team has to pick up the slack. Whether its 4 rucks, or 2 rucks, the rest of the team has to compensate for that luxury.
Every man and his dog tells us that the ruckwork itself means little to the overall contest of the game......but at the same time they want to add 2 of them? Now either its important or its not? If its not, why do you need 2??