Our Rucks

[mightytiges]

Q. Ruck stocks - are you happy Terry with what you have at your disposal?

TW: Obviously during the trade period we made no bones about wanting a mature 24 year old secondardy ruck option. That wasn't possible and as everyone wants one they are valued probably more than they are worth in the market place. That's fine. We're quite comfortable going forward with what we've got. Simmonds is a really good first ruckman. We saw two years ago when we didn't have just how much we missed him. He's up and flying. What we need is one of our younger players to step up and take that secondary role. Angus Graham from a maturity point of view is say should be able to do that straight away. He played footy at senior level 18 months ago then hurt his ankle and missed most of last year. Then we've got Tyrone Vickery who was our first pick who obviously will try to push Angus out. And then there's Dean Putt who we picked up two years ago. So those 3 guys will be vying for that one position.

No Patto?

[Francois Jackson]

Q. Ruck stocks - are you happy Terry with what you have at your disposal?

TW: Obviously during the trade period we made no bones about wanting a mature 24 year old secondardy ruck option. That wasn't possible and as everyone wants one they are valued probably more than they are worth in the market place. That's fine. We're quite comfortable going forward with what we've got. Simmonds is a really good first ruckman. We saw two years ago when we didn't have just how much we missed him. He's up and flying. What we need is one of our younger players to step up and take that secondary role. Angus Graham from a maturity point of view is say should be able to do that straight away. He played footy at senior level 18 months ago then hurt his ankle and missed most of last year. Then we've got Tyrone Vickery who was our first pick who obviously will try to push Angus out. And then there's Dean Putt who we picked up two years ago. So those 3 guys will be vying for that one position.

No Patto?

maybe he is starting to see sense. Patto is not AFL standard and moving forward our plans should not include him one bit.

[Mr Magic]

Agreed Daniel.

IMO Terry's success or failure revolves entirely around Simmonds staying healthy...

[Ramps]

Our ruck stocks are an interesting conundrum. Only Simmonds we know can play for sure, then

Vickery,
Putt,
Graham,
Browne

are just in development

Id reckon Graham needs a good a season, there are some good ruckmen in the next draft, someone like Jack Fitzpatrick may be available in the 8 to 12 range where I expect we will have a pick. Browne needs to find a yard or two or he may not last long either.

[Stripes]

Pattison was considered a KPF when drafted perhaps they are thinking he wil go down this line when the one of the other rucks step up?

Stripes

[3rogerd]

might surprise this year.

[mightytiges]

Our ruck stocks are an interesting conundrum. Only Simmonds we know can play for sure, then

Vickery,
Putt,
Graham,
Browne

are just in development

Id reckon Graham needs a good a season, there are some good ruckmen in the next draft, someone like Jack Fitzpatrick may be available in the 8 to 12 range where I expect we will have a pick. Browne needs to find a yard or two or he may not last long either.

Another 18 year old ruckman won't solve the problem though which is a short-term problem as we now have four young rucks (5 if you count Patto) for the long-term. Plough is going to be praying every night that Simmo stays fit. I can see us next year during trade week chasing after a 24 year old experienced ruckman. Hell we may chase again after a then to be out-of-contract Seaby  .

For 2009 I agree Ramps Gus is going to have to have a good season. So far he's had a full preseason and the ankle seems fine so hopefully he'll surprise.

As for Patto I don't see him as a CHF. He has good endurance and can spread well as a Follower around the ground but he doesn't have the acceleration off the mark and nimbleness to be a CHF. A resting 3rd tall up forward like a Brendon Lade maybe but not CHF.

[Stripes]

As for Patto I don't see him as a CHF. He has good endurance and can spread well as a Follower around the ground but he doesn't have the acceleration off the mark and nimbleness to be a CHF. A resting 3rd tall up forward like a Brendon Lade maybe but not CHF.

At the risk of being shot down here, I don't think Patto will be around in a couple of years especially if any of the other younger rucks step up in the immediate future. I think he is a servicable 2nd ruck but is too slow to be a KPP.

Our 2004 draft choices appear to be less and less impressive as the years progress. Other than Lids, the others do do seem to be rewarding us for taking them in the top 20.

Stripes

[mightytiges]

As for Patto I don't see him as a CHF. He has good endurance and can spread well as a Follower around the ground but he doesn't have the acceleration off the mark and nimbleness to be a CHF. A resting 3rd tall up forward like a Brendon Lade maybe but not CHF.

At the risk of being shot down here, I don't think Patto will be around in a couple of years especially if any of the other younger rucks step up in the immediate future. I think he is a servicable 2nd ruck but is too slow to be a KPP.

Our 2004 draft choices appear to be less and less impressive as the years progress. Other than Lids, the others do do seem to be rewarding us for taking them in the top 20.

Stripes

Patto is a tough one as his type take a long time to develop. Just think Benny Gale who was  when he was younger but became a decent footballer when his body matured. I'm not going to shoot you down over Patto though Stripes. The fact we have a number of young ruck and tall options now puts pressure from this year onwards on Patto to step up in his 5th year as it does Sarge in his 7th. The days of keeping talls on our list only because we had so few of them is drawing to a close thankfully.

[yellowandback]

As for Patto I don't see him as a CHF. He has good endurance and can spread well as a Follower around the ground but he doesn't have the acceleration off the mark and nimbleness to be a CHF. A resting 3rd tall up forward like a Brendon Lade maybe but not CHF.

At the risk of being shot down here, I don't think Patto will be around in a couple of years especially if any of the other younger rucks step up in the immediate future. I think he is a servicable 2nd ruck but is too slow to be a KPP.

Our 2004 draft choices appear to be less and less impressive as the years progress. Other than Lids, the others do do seem to be rewarding us for taking them in the top 20.


Don't forget McGuane who looks promising as a key back and eventually Tambling will prove himself a 10 year player at the club.
I think you are being a fraction harsh on Patto - he has been asked to step up in his first 4 years with little support and last year when Simmo finally put together a sequence of games, he barely played more that a 1/3rd of game time.

[Stripes]

Don't forget McGuane who looks promising as a key back and eventually Tambling will prove himself a 10 year player at the club.
I think you are being a fraction harsh on Patto - he has been asked to step up in his first 4 years with little support and last year when Simmo finally put together a sequence of games, he barely played more that a 1/3rd of game time.

I don't believe McGuane was chosen in the 2004 draft. Bling has all the potential in the world but currently he remains a good average player at best. Besides that quarter against the West Coast where he kicked all those goals he hasn't had a breakout game to date. I would love him, Polo and Patto to use 2009 to show the football world why they were rated so highly and taken in the top 20 but at the moment they seem to have been overtaken by much lower rated draftees.

Patto had to shoulder much of the ruch duties in 2007 well before he was ready. In 2008 he had far less game time, as you mentioned, than would be expected but this is as much to do with his ability as it has to do with Simmonds dominance. If GUS, Putt or Vickery can step up quickly, Patto will find it difficult to retain his spot in the team.

Stripes

[Smokey]

Luke McGuane was pick 36 in the 2004 draft.

[Stripes]

Luke McGuane was pick 36 in the 2004 draft.

Whoops 

Where would you rank McGuane then compared to Lids, Bling, Meyer, Polo and Pattison?

Stripes

[Smokey]

Personally I would have him 3rd behind Deledio and Tambling, then Pattison then Polo.  Polo has the 'potential' to be better than him but potential is only a word.

[Stripes]

I'm not dissimiliar to yourself here smokey but I would place McGuane currently behind Lids in second place, with Bling in third and Patto fourth leaving Polo in 5th.

1.Lids
2.McGuane
3.Bling
4.Patto
5.Polo

6. Meyer......

I'm sure this order will change but the end of their careers but besides Lids and possibly McGuane at a stretch, none of them are irrepalacable in the side.

Stripes