Pre-Game Possibilities: AFL Rd 4: Carlton vs Gold Coast

[laj]

I've been banging on about that for a while now. There simply is no need for 2 ruckmen, they are just not dominant enough in the modern game. McKay as a key forward is more than capable of standing in as a ruck when required. I'd happily throw Jones, McGovern (both good leap) and even Charlie as backup rucks if required, obviously Casboult too if he is playing (which i prefer not). The amount of contests they'd have any meaningful contact in (centre square mainly) is minimal, and the rest of the ruckwork is nothing more than a push and shove like a marking contest. Very little chance of injury.

Yet the benefits of not carrying an extra ruckman around the ground, and with rotations that frees up, certainly will make a difference to your team.

Yes, totally agree on that.

[ElwoodBlues1]

Money and premiership potential is probably why Preuss chose Melbourne...Dees were the hottest club on the rise and with May coming as well they looked good things.
Not sure how Pruess expected it to work with Gawn.....unless he thought ruck combos like Lycett/Vardy and Grundy/Cox were going to be the next fad after both played in the GF.

Its interesting how Collingwood are going with 3 ruckman in the senior team....

[Gointocarlton]

Two words, must win.
That is all, Go Blues.

[Thryleon]

Money and premiership potential is probably why Preuss chose Melbourne...Dees were the hottest club on the rise and with May coming as well they looked good things.
Not sure how Pruess expected it to work with Gawn.....unless he thought ruck combos like Lycett/Vardy and Grundy/Cox were going to be the next fad after both played in the GF.

Its interesting how Collingwood are going with 3 ruckman in the senior team....

Grundy plays like a midfielder, Cox is tall comic relief and they have done to Moore what we did to Rowe.  Unless you are talking roughead who is more defender than ruck.

[DJC]

Money and premiership potential is probably why Preuss chose Melbourne...Dees were the hottest club on the rise and with May coming as well they looked good things.
Not sure how Pruess expected it to work with Gawn.....unless he thought ruck combos like Lycett/Vardy and Grundy/Cox were going to be the next fad after both played in the GF.

Its interesting how Collingwood are going with 3 ruckman in the senior team....

I don’t think it matters how many ruckmen you play provided they can (a) at least neutralise the opposition rucks and (b) be effective in another role.  Kreuzer excepted (in terms of ruckwork and around the ground presence), ours aren’t particularly good at either, although Casboult gave a fairly good impression of second ruck/key forward (apart from his poster) on Saturday.

[DJC]

Sinclair was BOG, had 3 brownlow votes in the previous game vs the Swans....Kreuzer was his opponent...

I’m not sure what the umpires were on, but I’d like some 

Sinclair got a couple of easy goals but Kreuzer towelled him up in the ruck (37 hitouts to 26) and was equally effective around the ground.  I guess Sinclair got the votes because the Swans midfield was well on top.

[PaulP]

https://www.afl.com.au/news/2019-04-09/s...-suns-rise

Interesting read on this week's opponent and fellow cellar-dweller.

[LP]

I’m not sure what the umpires were on, but I’d like some 

Sinclair got a couple of easy goals but Kreuzer towelled him up in the ruck (37 hitouts to 26) and was equally effective around the ground.  I guess Sinclair got the votes because the Swans midfield was well on top.

Ignore the tap stats they are meaningless, I haven't looked but if you add a layer of complexity and look at taps to advantage they can be more meaningful.

The other stat worth looking at is direct scores from center clearances, and how much involvement each ruck had in that chain of events. In 2019 under the new rules this stat is really telling the story of games! In 2019 something like 40% of scores come from center breaks, when historically it's been just 10%.

We would expect SpecialK to better Sinclair around the ground, but in recent times Sinclair's 2nd and 3rd efforts have greatly improved.

Is it a coincidence Sinclair is coached by a former ruck option?

Is it a further coincidence Liam Jones had such sterling VFL form when being coached by Fraser?

Is it also a coincidence Nankervis came out of the Longmire managed system?

[flyboy77]

who's our ruck coach? Hamish....?

[LP]

who's our ruck coach? Hamish....?

Correct Hamish McIntosh, but we also have Fraser and Rocca on staff.