The Great Ruck Debate.

[LP]

Hollands is covered by the inclusion of Cottrell so we’ve actually got more running power.

The inclusion of a second ruck would effectively be at the expense of Hewett and we have ample midfield cover, particularly with De Koning playing forward in bursts.

Yes, it seems reasonable, but as most of us mention it won't be every round.

Anti-ruck duo fans always go down this path, but the reality is when Pitto is in it releases TDK to spend time forward as you mention, and in terms of mobility around stoppages and straight line speed I wouldn't be at all surprised to find the average speed and agility for our F50 goes up when TDK has opportunity to rest forward.

Also fans like to complain about lost bench time for Mids, I don't hear the Mids complaining given they get A-Grade service from Pitto and TDK as a duo, and from the mouths of babes they told us it makes stuff all difference. Further the same anti-ruck duo types won't mentioned that when the ruck duo is in it's Charlie who probably gets some of the extra bench seconds, and Charlie's biggest weapon is his capacity run opponents ragged. Good luck for Charlie's opponent when we do something to give him an ever so little freshen up, and those same opponents, do they get a rest or do they then have to stay out there and stand Harry or TDK? I'd assert forcing the opponents to stay out there puts them at their limit, which makes the seconds they don't get more critical than the seconds Charlie would get.

All this is why we leave our trust in Voss and the MC, because it's never as simple as fans want to make out!