Reviewing the rucks: Kangaroos, Port and TigersBy Damo, 28 Feb 2012
theroar.com.auRichmond:Number one: Ivan Maric.
Back ups: Angus Graham, Andrew Brown, Tom Derickx.
2011: Richmond of 2011 was something of a mixed bag of improvement, excitement, frustration, disappointment and, ultimately, optimism.
The two obvious needs for improvement in the squads make up was a serious improvement in defence, and the recruiting of a big bodied, able ruckman to take the pressure off developing players Angus Graham and Andrew Brown. The Tigers absolutely got the right man in ex-Crow Ivan Maric.
Now, I need to admit some personal bias here; as an Adelaide Crows tragic, I have a real soft spot for Ivan the Terrible, who, while often maligned and more than often ranked behind others at the club, never once gave anything but his heart and soul, battling strongly against bigger men, and always flying the flag for team mates dealt wrongly in a game.
His biggest strength is, well, his strength. Being relatively short for a ruckman at 200cm, the Croat developed a game style built on his physical strength at the contest, and his sheer competitiveness.
Bringing experience, a mature mind and body, and the AFL’s most tasteless mullet, Maric fills the needs of this young ruck squad perfectly and is aptly backed up by the emerging and talented Graham and Brown, giving surprising depth to the once maligned Tigers ruck stocks.
Grade: Solid B.
North was given a grade of 'A+' and Port Adelaide got a 'C'.
http://www.theroar.com.au/2012/02/28/reviewing-the-rucks-kangaroos-port-and-tigers/