Shaun Hampson’s great form as a tap ruckman creates a dilemma for RichmondHerald-Sun
April 19, 2014 SHAUN Hampson the tap ruckman is a far better player than Shaun Hampson the forward.
Which is a slight problem for Richmond.
Ivan Maric is expected to return from injury in 2-3 weeks and, barring long-term effects from an ankle injury (ie, he struggles to jump) Maric will return as the club’s main ruckman.
It means Hampson will be seconded to the forward line, where his obvious ruck skills will be parked and the much more difficult aspects of football, such as taking marks against a defender and kicking goals, will be required.
Not for the first time, around peg will be wedged into a square hole.
Hampson is a ruckman and an average tall forward.
And, like all tap ruckman, he relishes long spells in the ruck.
Time allows ruckmen to assess the opposition — work out how they’re jumping, how they use their body, where their hitting zones are — and make adjustments.
Five or eight minutes in the middle at a time means it can be a hit and hope mission.
A bit here and there behind Matthew Kreuzer at Carlton made Hampson look a spasmodic footballer and when Maric returns, it would appear he once again will become the relief big man in the middle.
The Tigers might argue that with Maric and Hampson they will have a more than competent one-two ruck set-up, but rarely do two ruckmen thrive in the same team on the same ground.
When they do, it can be devastating, especially when either of them can kick goals when resting.
Over seven injury-riddled seasons at Carlton, and with Kreuzer and Warnock to contend with, Hampson averaged eight touches and 15 hitouts across 63 games.
At Richmond, Hampson has thrived in Maric’s absence.
In Round 1, he had 13 disposals and 37 hitouts. In Round 2 against the Blues it was 13 and 26.
He was resolute against Collingwood in Round 3 with just four possessions and 31 hit outs.
On Thursday night against Brisbane, it was just four possessions but a career-high 52 hitouts against Trent West for 127 Champion Data (SuperCoach) ranking points.
This year, he wins a hitout-to-advantage at 20.7 per cent of ruck contests he attends, which is ranked second only to Fremantle’s Aaron Sandilands, who achieves that feat at 21.4 per cent.
Leigh Matthews argued Sandilands was overrated because Fremantle did not win enough clearance battles.
On experience and money earned — Sandilands is on about $800,000 to $900,000 a season and Hampson an estimated $300,000 a season — Hampson could well be the most underrated ruckman in the competition.
The Tigers are 2-3 after five rounds, but would argue that “Hammer” has earned his money.
I was dubious about Richmond giving up pick No. 28 for him last year, and with hindsight that was a wrong assessment, for the belief then was he would largely be played as a forward.
As a ruckman, No. 28 seems about right.
We’ll find out soon enough if Hampson can develop as a forward.
When Maric returns, Hampson could be used across half-forward — could, because agility might be an issue — or he could be played deeper beside Jack Riewoldt.
With Tyrone Vickery on the outer because coach Damien Hardwick said his forward line was too tall, combined with the improvement in 200cm Ben Griffiths and the emergence of Nathan Gordon and Sam Lloyd as mid-sized forwards, it will be interesting to see how Hardwick uses Hampson.
He will play forward and ruck, but the danger because of limited time in the middle, Hampson might return to being the spasmodic forward/ruckman.
That might help with structures, but it certainly doesn’t help Hampson.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/shaun-hampsons-great-form-as-a-tap-ruckman-creates-a-dilemma-for-richmond/story-fndv8t7m-1226889311360
