AFL Rd 4 2024 Pre Game Prognostications Carlton vs Fremantle in Adelaide

[Mantis]

I wouldnt want Pittonet leaving.....TDK isnt designed for continuous heavy duty ruck action imho and we would be left with nothing
but rookie and ruck novices. Its not that easy to get competent second stringers who can actually compete and break even with  most teams No 1 rucks and while ruckman can be overrated in terms of  importance when you lose your main ruckman you find life more difficult vs the better teams.

Something funny about what I have seen lately. Harry and TDK get around the ground by foot very well for their size. They also play like ruck types that do better once the ball is in play both in the air as marking targets and getting the ball at ground level, rather than purely tap out specialist ruck type players. Harry isn’t a ruck. He can play there. TDK isn’t a specialised forward but can play there. Keep these two and swap to meet match up needs. Maybe we need mobile ruck and forward types with leg speed, endurance and ability to play the ball at ground level. Most sides learn how to play to the advantage of an opponent ruck tap style and intercept the tap out. The key tap out specialist might not be the best for a club. It works well at times but clever mid field players read their predictable taps. Their bulk makes them slow at ground level. Poor with endurance and their marking skills become their only fall back skill. If Jack wasn’t on a long term injury list, Pitts would probably not get more than two or three games for this entire season. I might be wrong and won’t claim to be an expert but it looks like things are about to change. How to inject speed at every level. Players that can get the ball below their knees and generate some transition the other way. Cripps might eventually just be used as a thug. Tough body to crash through smaller guts and hurt them or something else. Big body to absorb the pressure that would target the Double Dutch or Walsh and others. I just hope we get better with silly cute disposals. Just kick to targets with percentage play. Don’t be a smart arse. Back on TDK. He has huge potential. He needs to keep working. He is far from elite. He has many things to learn. He could be anything and is starting to show some real team benefits. I just hope he doesn’t get complacent as he has so much to show and he needs to deliver. I like what I am about to see. Let me see it young fella. Work hard buddy.