Righto... Ive seen games as far back as when we had Thommo dominating, P Moore dominating, yet we still didn't win GF'sThe point is demonstrably untrue and I’m amazed any Collingwood supporter would make that argument. In the 2000s we lost 2 perhaps 3 flags cause we were weak in the ruck. 2002, the one place we didn’t match Brisbane was in the ruck..McKee and Fraser were slaughtered. Our mids did a fantastic job roving to Brisbane’s rucks for most of the game, but that’s like running up a 2% gradient when your opponent is running on the flat. They ran out of steam and Brisbane got on top The last 10 minutes cause their rucks gave them first use of the ball. The 2007 prelim was a carbon copy. We matched Geelong everywhere but in the ruck. Otters smashed us…in a tight game it made a critical difference. In 2003 we were physically monstered by Brisbane. That monstering started in the ruck where Charman and Keating pulverised Fraser. That Collingwood team didn’t win a flag till we fixed the ruck problem. Simply put, we don’t win the 2010 flag without Jolly replacing Fraser. Ruck is certainly a position that can win or lose you a game
We lost the 2018 GF, with our dominant ruckman Grundy. NicNat didn't play. We won hit-outs, and lost clearances. Simply, their mids killed us.
We lost the 2019 Prelim, with our dominant ruckman having 73!! Yes, 73 hitouts against Mummy, who had 5 kicks and 14 hitouts for the day.
Geelong smashed us senseless in last year's semi, with Stanley!!! Yes, Stanley up against Grundy. You think Dangerman, Duncan, Selwood and Guthrie didn't have a bearing in that match? Along with Hawkins?
You think we lost the 2002 GF to Brissy because we didn't have a ruck? How about these apples.. Their mids had hacks like Voss, S Black, Ackermanis, Power, and hack forwards in J Brown and A Lynch. We had Bucks and Burns, and Rocca.
2003 GF was the same.
The two games that Grundy didn't play this year, we won. Against an unbeaten Melbourne with Gawn, and Adelaide with O'Brien dominating with 27 HO and 19 disposals.
We lost to Carlton, with Grundy getting 26 hitouts, 16 disposals. Silvagni was up against him in the ruck after De Koning was injured, yet we still lost clearances???
Yes, we can all pick games to back our arguments and opinions.
Mine is that the ruck position has far less impact on the team performance than a midfielder. I say, you can dominate in the ruck, but if you have poor midfielders, you are worse off.
Conversely, a competent ruck, with gun midfielders will still be a better chance of winning a game.