Patto isn't a first ruck. More a forward/2nd ruck type a la Brendon Lade (not in that class though (yet)) who can switch between forward and ruck when relieving our main ruckman or playing as a third tall tall to create a mismatch deep in our forward line. Problem this year was our two natural ruckmen have both been injured leaving Patto to do all the ruckwork along with help from Polak, Richo and even Tuck. This stuffed up our structure completely.
Knobel will be gone at the end of the year on the back of Staff's retirement last year. That just leaves Simmo with Patto as a relieving ruckman. Any injuries to them and 2008 will be just like this year. Gus is a rookie so the club will have to decide if they think it's worthwhile persisting with him. We need another preferably two ruckmen - one ready to go and the other younger in the pipeline.
