are you ready to ruck?

[lenny&carl]

Are we any closer to getting any sort of ruckman? Doesn't look like we're trading for anyone else's spare 22yo 3rd ruck. We're not going into 2007 with just Josh & Richards are we? Are we gonna draft a young one for later?

Has anyone heard of any sort of plan here?

 

[DarrenM]

Apparantly Collingwood is happy with Josh in the ruck even though i think he was about 15th in hitouts this year. They're trying to develop Richards as a ruckman to support Josh. Mick Malthouse said they wouldn't desperately go after anyone during trade week, so it looks like Collingwood's ruck stocks will be the same next year and will continually get beaten more times than not.

 

[Rohan25]

Yeah I think we're going to go in with the same setup in 2007. I thought it was a little strange that we're so willing to offload Cameron Cloke. He's not my favourite player by any means, and I know he's not a real ruckman, but I think he could still be useful as a backup to Josh.

The problem with Guy Richards is that he usually plays half the game at the most, and the rest of the time he sits on the bench. He offers little as a resting forward, and around the ground he only seems to find the ball by accident. If C.Cloke was put in as a second ruckman, I think he would offer more around the ground, and could play up forward when not rucking. If he played a full season in this manner he might even be capable of a 20-25 goal season which is handy for a number two ruckman.

I know they're trying to develop Richards, but how long do you develop someone for? Will we still be developing him when he's 28?

 

[DarrenM]

Good point. I would have traded Fraser to get a real ruckman, but apparantly he is 'untouchable' according to Greg Swann. Because they are keeping Fraser and Richards i don't see the postivies unless Fraser suddenly turns into a Dean Cox - chances of that happening are slim

 

[lenny&carl]

I wouldn't get rid of Fraser that's for sure, just give him a plausible partner in crime to make the ruck division a strength rather than a question mark.

 

[doppleganger]

Good point. I would have traded Fraser to get a real ruckman, but apparantly he is 'untouchable' according to Greg Swann. Because they are keeping Fraser and Richards i don't see the postivies unless Fraser suddenly turns into a Dean Cox - chances of that happening are slim

trade fraser!!!!!!!!

that is ridiculous

remember that he was coming off a year ruined by injury and illness. Performed extremely well considering.

He will improve even further next year, and will be our most important player.

 

[croation-sensation]

Why dont we get Spider that would be good for 2 years helping out Josh in the Ruck and can go Foward id think about it if i was MM

 

[Lonie_from_50]

Richards is developed enough. It is just the Richards curse. Fanning hardly shows enough at VFL level, let alone AFL level. He was a project player, and don't think it is working. Cloke will be let go. Ruckman are too valuable in trade time, so we need to pick one up in the draft. Not too many early on in the piece, as Leuen is it to go first round.

 

[goalpie]

C Cloke is out of contract and he wants to go and his father will make sure he thinks he wants to go.

 

[Hadders]

Good point. I would have traded Fraser to get a real ruckman, but apparantly he is 'untouchable' according to Greg Swann. Because they are keeping Fraser and Richards i don't see the postivies unless Fraser suddenly turns into a Dean Cox - chances of that happening are slim

In the coming years Fraser will be one of the top 3 ruckmen in the AFL, to trade him now would be madness.

 

[Dazman]

I wouldn't get rid of Fraser that's for sure, just give him a plausible partner in crime to make the ruck division a strength rather than a question mark.

What I would have given for us to chase Darren Jolly a couple of years back. Now he is a ruckman.

 

[the lemon wedge]

Fraser could turn in to a Dean Cox type he beet him earlier in the year and Cox him self said they are similar players.

 

[Coin_Toss]

Fraser could turn in to a Dean Cox type he beet him earlier in the year and Cox him self said they are similar players.

Only problem with Fraser is he can't take a trick in the hit outs, but that is an off issue when you can rove your own ruck work and continually rack up possessions around the ground. He can go forward and emerge as a threat to opposing defenders as well.

Richards is a likely prospect, but he needs to add a further trick to his bow. Right now his inability to hold his own around the ground is hurting him profoundly.

 

[manmountain]

Fraser is only 2cm shorter and 5 kgs lighter than Cox, yet Cox looks like a meat-axe and Fraser looks like a rake. Not sure how that works, but I am starting to think that Fraser is only a few more kilos away from becoming an extremely good ruckman. Just wonder if he's got one of those frames that prevents him from really packing on the weight though.

 

[MarkT]

Look we just have to face the fact MM thinks Josh can ruck to the level that corresponds to the work of the role and that he can be backed up by injury prone sticks with very limited ability and less historical impact. What do we need flags for anyway!

 

[MarkT]

Only problem with Fraser is he can't take a trick in the hit outs, but that is an off issue when you can rove your own ruck work and continually rack up possessions around the ground. He can go forward and emerge as a threat to opposing defenders as well.

Richards is a likely prospect, but he needs to add a further trick to his bow. Right now his inability to hold his own around the ground is hurting him profoundly.

The ability to get and stay sound and then to get more hitouts to more targets. All he needs is to turn into a viable ruckman and we’d only be 1 ruckman short on our list. Good god, people defend this pathetic crap! It’s a bloody joke! I’d laugh if it hadn’t already cost at least 1 premiership.