Yeah or Neah: 44. Angus Graham?

[Smokey]

Browne will go past Graham next year if we get a half decent ruck coach.  If not, he will take 2 years.  He keeps getting forgotten in all the 'options' we have going forward but I think he has more ability and attitude in his little toe than either of Graham or Putt.  Give him 12 months and see what happens.

[Gigantor]

In my opinion his biggest downside is his lack of mobility,and he appears poor overhead

[Jackstar is back]

In my opinion his biggest downside is his lack of mobility,and he appears poor overhead

Correct

[Danog]

Those can be fixed.

[Gigantor]

when richmond was a strong club we had great ruckmen eg mark lee,Michael green,jack dyer,roy wright,neville crowe etc
seems with the lean years has come ruckmen of questionable ability,maybe this is one area we need to really build up...after all first usage of the ball is a great way to start a game

[tdy]

So let get this straight, after investing 4 years into this kid, and after he has shown the most improvement this year out of the 4, and after he seems to have finally grown into his body, and with what we have as ruckmen on our list, and with him only being 22 and young for pretty much any ruckmen going around, you want to trade him????
WP, enlighten me with what you think we would get for him.

big tone,

I understand your points about the 4 year investment and I agree to a point.

However, I am sick to death of watching Graham for whatever reason refuse to undertake the basic defensive parts of the game when things don't appear to go his way. People on here have been highly critical of Lids for not working hard enough when he doesn't have the ball, well my opinion is Graham doesn't either especially when things aren't going his way.

As example I will use round 22 in Perth and I guarantee this wouldn't have been picked up on the TV. As far as I know one of the basic fundamental rules of a ruckman is to drop back to the opposition goal scquare when someone has a kick just outside 50. I will admit I lost track of the number of times Graham was "strolling" around inside the 50m arc rather going back the goal square. It almost seems like he refuses to do it.

I agree he appears lazy but ruckmen don't peak until 24+.  I think he will be serviceable in the longer term.  Also we have a new coach with a new mantra on tackling so we may see this side to his game develop.

I wouldn't trade him because he is the best ruckman at the club at the moment. Simmonds had a dog of a year last year and I think is past it. Putt and Vickery are too young and patto doesn't seem to have the bulk.  He is the natural progression until one of Putt or Vickery overtake him.

[tdy]

when richmond was a strong club we had great ruckmen eg mark lee,Michael green,jack dyer,roy wright,neville crowe etc
seems with the lean years has come ruckmen of questionable ability,maybe this is one area we need to really build up...after all first usage of the ball is a great way to start a game

Ah those were the days, when we could buy a ruckmen for a couple of pairs of jeans.   Now its a couple of maserati's and a house in Toorak.

[Ekto]

when richmond was a strong club we had great ruckmen eg mark lee,Michael green,jack dyer,roy wright,neville crowe etc
seems with the lean years has come ruckmen of questionable ability,maybe this is one area we need to really build up...after all first usage of the ball is a great way to start a game

Was Mark Lee 22 years old when he was "a great ruckman"?

Are there any great 22 year old ruckmen?

Is every great ruckman a perfect footballer?


"....first usage of the ball is a great way to start a game....."   and second usage is what gets the ball downfield to the goal scoring area.

[Ekto]

 I agree he appears lazy [/quote]

That might be to do with his loping running style, not his efforts. Mark Waugh looked lazy, but we all know that he was really just laconic in his style as he played some great cricket innings.

Gus is not lazy, that is why he is still playing at AFL level and will do so for some years to come.

Let's not allow another club to benefit from the develop that Richmond have put into Gus, nor to waste that development by losing Gus to local footy.

[mat073]

when richmond was a strong club we had great ruckmen eg mark lee,Michael green,jack dyer,roy wright,neville crowe etc
seems with the lean years has come ruckmen of questionable ability,maybe this is one area we need to really build up...after all first usage of the ball is a great way to start a game

Was Mark Lee 22 years old when he was "a great ruckman"?

Are there any great 22 year old ruckmen?

Is every great ruckman a perfect footballer?


"....first usage of the ball is a great way to start a game....."   and second usage is what gets the ball downfield to the goal scoring area.

When Mark Lee was 23 years old he had played in two grand finals

[Ekto]

when richmond was a strong club we had great ruckmen eg mark lee,Michael green,jack dyer,roy wright,neville crowe etc
seems with the lean years has come ruckmen of questionable ability,maybe this is one area we need to really build up...after all first usage of the ball is a great way to start a game

Was Mark Lee 22 years old when he was "a great ruckman"?

Are there any great 22 year old ruckmen?

Is every great ruckman a perfect footballer?


"....first usage of the ball is a great way to start a game....."   and second usage is what gets the ball downfield to the goal scoring area.

When Mark Lee was 23 years old he had played in two grand finals

Fair call Matt.
The General was a great ruckman.

But if he was at a struggling club without GF success would he be as good as history considers him?

Gus doesn't have that history......YET.....and he may never get it , but at least supprot him while he tries to get there.