Rucking

[froars]

How do you rate ruck play these days.  I watch Everitt sometimes and am in awe with some of his tap work.  But I watch Ottens get hit out after hit out, yet we rarely clear.  Listening to Grant Thomas today, he said the Saints were the 16th in the league in ruck hit outs, yet were first in clearances.  Maybe I don’t appreciate the work they do, but you gotta wonder if they’re not a dying race.

No, the heading isn't a typo lol 

[mightytiges]

I think the old dinosaur types like a Justin Madden are a dying breed. Unless your an athletic and agile big bloke then you'll struggle with the speed of AFL footy. As for rucking itself IMO you need the combination of a tall bloke who can provide at least a contest if not the tap and a good midfield beneath who can win the ball and clear. If you're poor in either area then you'll get smashed in the middle.

In the Saints case I think they have an average couple of ruckman but a fairly talented midfield who can win the clearances from the ruck contest. Whereas in our and the Hawks case both midfields lack enough ballwinners. Added to our problems was a coaching panel who continually had no clue when it came to setting up at centre bounces. We also had no ruck coach  .