Ruckman Needed / Cam Wood and Orren Stephenson training with Richmond

[eliminator]

Maric was outstanding last year and luckily played most games last year. He carried an injury for the large part. The one game he didn't play we were not competitive in the ruck at all. Graham's performance against the suns was not upto AFL standards. We need a quality back up ruckman. Whilst Vickery could be that back up ruckman I would rather he stay in the forwardline where on form he provides a good second tall option. His kicking for goal is a real asset of his. Sadly I don't think Graham or Derrickx are upto the necessary standard and if we are to be a genuine finals contender we need a quality back up ruckman

Tell me more about Zac Smiths game that day. 7 hitouts and we were the ones not competitive in the ruck? Why did Graham get B&F votes for that game? Obviously the MC were content considering he was EMG the week after too.

One of the main reasons we improved last season was because of Maric. For the first time in a long time we won in the ruck. Maric's taps to advantage statistically were very high. The fact that Maric finished in our top 5 and was in consideration for all Australian selection says it all. If Maric had played against the suns we would have won. You only need to see that Hawthorn match  to see how good he is. Graham is not upto it. I suggest you listen to some of the ABC commentary on Graham's games in the VFL. Furthermore can you name me a game where Graham has taken more than one contested mark in an afl game. The club continued to play Maric even when he was injured over Graham even when our season was done which again is a telling point. 

[Coach]

Maric was outstanding last year and luckily played most games last year. He carried an injury for the large part. The one game he didn't play we were not competitive in the ruck at all. Graham's performance against the suns was not upto AFL standards. We need a quality back up ruckman. Whilst Vickery could be that back up ruckman I would rather he stay in the forwardline where on form he provides a good second tall option. His kicking for goal is a real asset of his. Sadly I don't think Graham or Derrickx are upto the necessary standard and if we are to be a genuine finals contender we need a quality back up ruckman

Tell me more about Zac Smiths game that day. 7 hitouts and we were the ones not competitive in the ruck? Why did Graham get B&F votes for that game? Obviously the MC were content considering he was EMG the week after too.

One of the main reasons we improved last season was because of Maric. For the first time in a long time we won in the ruck. Maric's taps to advantage statistically were very high. The fact that Maric finished in our top 5 and was in consideration for all Australian selection says it all. If Maric had played against the suns we would have won. You only need to see that Hawthorn match  to see how good he is. Graham is not upto it. I suggest you listen to some of the ABC commentary on Graham's games in the VFL. Furthermore can you name me a game where Graham has taken more than one contested mark in an afl game. The club continued to play Maric even when he was injured over Graham even when our season was done which again is a telling point. 

I heard a VFL commentator say Schulz wasn't up to it. Why would I give a poo about what they have to say? Dongergan is alright but some of the others make some average comments. This isn't Maric vs Graham. Why can't some of you understand that? It's about Graham being better than just about every ruckman outside of the AFL. I love the "let's delist Graham" posts. Yeah, and when Maric goes down who do we play? Some 19 year old that is best suited to Coburg's reserves at that point in his career? Or do we draft a mature age ruckman from the VFL that Graham has probably already bent over?

Graham isn't a big contested marker. Did play a few ripper games against the Lions though. Prior to 2011 he was looking alright.

[Coach]

I don't hold Graham in high regard. You should read some of the things I have written about him in the past. I'm just willing to acknowledge that he's a solid bloke to have at your club as 3rd choice ruck. Not worth the $ he is on but then again he can't be blamed for that.

If we keep Graham then I would still prefer to have 1 other better ruckman, pushing Gus 1 back in the queue.

So would I. But like I said before, who is going to want to play reserves all year? Reckon we have Graham for one more year and draft a promising ruckman.

[Judge Roughneck]

I really don't think Graham is greatly superior to Browne.

[eliminator]

Maric was outstanding last year and luckily played most games last year. He carried an injury for the large part. The one game he didn't play we were not competitive in the ruck at all. Graham's performance against the suns was not upto AFL standards. We need a quality back up ruckman. Whilst Vickery could be that back up ruckman I would rather he stay in the forwardline where on form he provides a good second tall option. His kicking for goal is a real asset of his. Sadly I don't think Graham or Derrickx are upto the necessary standard and if we are to be a genuine finals contender we need a quality back up ruckman

Tell me more about Zac Smiths game that day. 7 hitouts and we were the ones not competitive in the ruck? Why did Graham get B&F votes for that game? Obviously the MC were content considering he was EMG the week after too.

One of the main reasons we improved last season was because of Maric. For the first time in a long time we won in the ruck. Maric's taps to advantage statistically were very high. The fact that Maric finished in our top 5 and was in consideration for all Australian selection says it all. If Maric had played against the suns we would have won. You only need to see that Hawthorn match  to see how good he is. Graham is not upto it. I suggest you listen to some of the ABC commentary on Graham's games in the VFL. Furthermore can you name me a game where Graham has taken more than one contested mark in an afl game. The club continued to play Maric even when he was injured over Graham even when our season was done which again is a telling point. 

I heard a VFL commentator say Schulz wasn't up to it. Why would I give a poo about what they have to say? Dongergan is alright but some of the others make some average comments. This isn't Maric vs Graham. Why can't some of you understand that? It's about Graham being better than just about every ruckman outside of the AFL. I love the "let's delist Graham" posts. Yeah, and when Maric goes down who do we play? Some 19 year old that is best suited to Coburg's reserves at that point in his career? Or do we draft a mature age ruckman from the VFL that Graham has probably already bent over?

Graham isn't a big contested marker. Did play a few ripper games against the Lions though. Prior to 2011 he was looking alright.

We need a ruckman who can take a contested grab. That is why Maric is so good. If Graham is the best ruckman outside the afl why isn't he dominating the VFL. I can understand your reasoning that we need someone to cover Maric if he goes down but I don't believe Graham is the answer. I think we need to look elsewhere

[yellowandback]

I used to think Gus could play a few years ago 
He has gone backwards since and this accelerated last season.
He is 26 yo next year and would be starting his 7th year of AFL football.
He just doesn't go all in.
I'd have Jason Blake ahead of him in our ruck - just from an application perspective.

[Coach]

I love Blakey

[Ox]

Lesson- in future dont recruit blokes with an IQ of 7

[Yeahright]

  I reckon we can cover Cotch in the midfield easier than Maric in the ruck. 

Please, we couldn't even cover Foley

We won as many games without him as with him and our losing margins didn't change significantly so I would suggest we could and did.  Yes, we missed him but results suggest we also covered him to a fair extent.  And if you took my comment in the context I wrote them, that we could more easily cover Cotch next season due to the increased age and further development of our midfield then I think my comment stands up.

Compare the teams we played up until foleys injuries then the teams after

[Smokey]

  I reckon we can cover Cotch in the midfield easier than Maric in the ruck. 

Please, we couldn't even cover Foley

We won as many games without him as with him and our losing margins didn't change significantly so I would suggest we could and did.  Yes, we missed him but results suggest we also covered him to a fair extent.  And if you took my comment in the context I wrote them, that we could more easily cover Cotch next season due to the increased age and further development of our midfield then I think my comment stands up.

Compare the teams we played up until foleys injuries then the teams after

Compare the teams we put on the park.  Foley wasn't the only reason we had a better first half of the season.  In 3 weeks we went from having used the least amount of players in the competition to using the most.  Wasn't just Foley.

[Mr Magic]

He just doesn't go all in.

2m pussycat.

[WA Tiger]

If we don't pick up a ruck and during the trade/free agency period will there be one available in the draft and would we go for one with pick 9???

[Ruanaidh]

If we don't pick up a ruck and during the trade/free agency period will there be one available in the draft and would we go for one with pick 9???

If they did that WAT Punt Road would be torn down brick by brick. Midfielders, midfielders and more midfielders is what we need IMHO.

[WA Tiger]

If we don't pick up a ruck and during the trade/free agency period will there be one available in the draft and would we go for one with pick 9???

If they did that WAT Punt Road would be torn down brick by brick. Midfielders, midfielders and more midfielders is what we need IMHO.

Yeah true, maybe we can snare one with our second pick if we don't get one now.

[Mr Magic]

If we don't pick up a ruck and during the trade/free agency period will there be one available in the draft and would we go for one with pick 9???

Even if we did (which we won't) they are extremely unlikely to take the no 1 ruck position for 3-4 years at least.