03-08-2024, 09:55 PM
(03-08-2024, 07:53 PM)LP link Wrote:It won't be formulaic as you suggest, some weeks we'll play two, some weeks we won't.
If the umpire had paid that ruck infringement free against Kennedy inside the Lion's F50 in the final minutes you wouldn't be so happy, he was lucky the umps packed up the whistles.
No doubt the second ruck debat will again be a feature of this year's commentary.
It is situational and depends a lot on the quality of your back up ruckman.
Right now Pitto seems to be well off the pace.
But if you had two in-form ruckmen who complemented each other, and brought different things to the game it may be a different story.
Do you play the strong second ruckman or a fringe mid-fielder.
Tom was terrific last night.
He contested well, but the best feature of his game was his follow-up efforts. (Kreuzeresque)
I did think that towards the end of the game he started to tire a bit (understandably) and was mistiming his leaps. Over the length of the season that may be a problem if he continues to be the sole main ruck.
There is a risk with just one ruck.
If Tom had been injured mid-way through the second quarter then last night just doesn't happen.
The burden on the smaller back up rucks takes them away from their main tasks and the opposition ruck still dominates in the contests.
It will always be a case of horses for courses and depend on the form and fitness of that second ruck and the strengths of the opposition.
As for the game, when we're hot we're hot, and when we're not we're cold as ice.
Effort, intensity and contest are the keys to how we go.
As it stands and barring significant injuries I think with the addition of Weitering, Walsh and Martin on the MCG in a final's situation we would be ahead of Brisbane.
