Opinion First Choice Ruck - Pitto vs TDK

[Justnetime]

I'm getting tired of saying it, but Pitto was 2nd or 3rd in the league for taps to advantage until he got injured. He might not run out games, but he's effective while he can.

He's also surprisingly not terrible to handball to, and I'm a "never handball to a ruckman" type.

I think the stats for 21 were skewed. He hit 56 tap outs vs Gold Coast when they had no tall depth that week at all. 20 hitouts to advantage. Take out that outlier of a match and his season averages take a huge hit. Let’s not also forget he was lucky to ruck against Jordan Sweet and Bryan from the bombers.

I think Pittos 21 stats are a complete lie.

 

[BlueJet]

Pretty sure that no matter what Pittonet does, the same people would be lining up to talk him down.
He's more than a break glass in case of emergency type & is more than capable of providing TDK with competition for the number one role.

 

[Justnetime]

Pretty sure that no matter what Pittonet does, the same people would be lining up to talk him down.
He's more than a break glass in case of emergency type & is more than capable of providing TDK with competition for the number one role.

I don’t think this is the case. People are debating his merits as a starting ruck. IVe changed my mind on his value a little bit after seeing more data/evidence. He had an easy opponent run early in the season inflating his stats. Opposition clubs being injury hit just at the right time.

when he came up versus good rucks he struggled like TDK did. 13/21 hitouts versus Nicnat and Grundy. The 56 tap outs and 20 hitouts to advantage versus 195cm forward in Graham has to be dismissed as an outlier.

 

[gab213]

I'm still willing to call Pitto as being our starting ruckman round 1 of next season. Hell be fit and ready to go after being hampered by injury at the back end of last season. TDK has yet to prove himself either, we have 2 young inexperienced ruckman, my feeling is that both should and will play in the same team more often than not. Both have an important part to play.

 

[cookie monster]

If we are really putting Marc Pittonet

27

Marc Pittonet

Age

28

Ht

202cm

Wt

107kg

Pos.

Ruck

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.7

2star

K

2.9

1star

HB

4.8

3star

CL

3.1

5star

HO

22.3

5star

D

8.6

2star

K

4.6

2star

HB

4.0

3star

CL

3.7

5star

HO

25.9

5star

D

5.8

2star

K

1.2

1star

HB

4.6

4star

CL

2.4

5star

HO

16.6

5star

in a frame of discussion for "first ruck" - that really is a pretty dire assessment on our ruck stocks
Can't really fathom how we've failed to address this at successive trade and draft periods. It's a pretty blaring hole in our list.
TDK has talent for sure, but the jury is still out on him cementing the spot as a dominant ruck going forward. We need higher quality cover

 

[4flagsin5yrs]

Pitto does well against non jumping ruckmen and is completely inept as a resting forward

Both Pitto and TDK played 13 games in 2021.

No one would dispute TDK has more upside, yet.....Pitto's still learning his craft too.

Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning AFL Stats Comparison

Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

Both kicked a few goals...TDK one more over the 13 game period.

 

[Arr0w]

Both Pitto and TDK played 13 games in 2021.

No one would dispute TDK has more upside, yet.....Pitto's still learning his craft too.

Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning AFL Stats Comparison

Marc Pittonet and Tom De Koning AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

Both kicked a few goals...TDK one more over the 13 game period.

Unless Harry is going to do relief ruckwork, TDK needs a genuine partnering forward/relief ruckman, a JD, Esava, Dixon, Jackson, English, Ladhams type. You know the ones that were players in final sides. Pitto isn't the type that can be a threat while resting forward.

 

[CJMB]

Unless Harry is going to do relief ruckwork, TDK needs a genuine partnering forward/relief ruckman, a JD, Esava, Dixon, Jackson, English, Ladhams type. You know the ones that were players in final sides. Pitto isn't the type that can be a threat while resting forward.

Still reckon if both are playing then it's Pitto ~80% ruck & resting on the bench with TDK playing as a tall forward and being the relief ruckman for than ~20%.

Not convinced that's our best setup, unless we're finally going to adopt the SOS master plan (all the talls) and go with a starting team that looks like this:

Plowman Weitering Parks
McDonald Young Marchbank

Pittonet Kennedy Setterfield
Kemp Cripps Williamson

Curnow De Koning McGovern
Silvagni McKay Mirkov

 

[Arr0w]

Still reckon if both are playing then it's Pitto ~80% ruck & resting on the bench with TDK playing as a tall forward and being the relief ruckman for than ~20%.

Not convinced that's our best setup, unless we're finally going to adopt the SOS master plan (all the talls) and go with a starting team that looks like this:

Plowman Weitering Parks
McDonald Young Marchbank

Pittonet Kennedy Setterfield
Kemp Cripps Williamson

Curnow De Koning McGovern
Silvagni McKay Mirkov

Stop it CJMB, getting excited!!

 

[CJMB]

Stop it CJMB, getting excited!!

then we get Bazzo/Alleer/etc in the draft, Akuie cat B, add a mature tall for Jones' list spot and we're set for the bench (as well as Walsh I guess..)

 

[Davey33]

If we are really putting Marc Pittonet in a frame of discussion for "first ruck" - that really is a pretty dire assessment on our ruck stocks
Can't really fathom how we've failed to address this at successive trade and draft periods. It's a pretty blaring hole in our list.
TDK has talent for sure, but the jury is still out on him cementing the spot as a dominant ruck going forward. We need higher quality cover

There's a guy Casboult still not listed.
But he's got the same problem as Liam Jones

 

[Davey33]

Unless Harry is going to do relief ruckwork, TDK needs a genuine partnering forward/relief ruckman, a JD, Esava, Dixon, Jackson, English, Ladhams type. You know the ones that were players in final sides. Pitto isn't the type that can be a threat while resting forward.

McGovern?

 

[Arr0w]

McGovern?

Not Gov, Charlie, or any other Grigg type

 

[Bennyboy7777]

TDK by a long, long way. Pitto can barely get off the ground in ruck contests.

 

[Ash24]

 

[Juddernaut08]

Decent tap ruckman.

As someone else pointed out, those numbers are inflated due to the no ruck GC game.

Additionally, he's always been a decent tap ruckman. It's the rest of his game.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Dow, O'Brien and De Koning in the 2017 draft. All are entering their 5th season next year. All 3 need to add muscle. Walsh and Stocker from the 2018 draft are more physically developed. Surely it isn't all genetics? They're just not working hard enough. We know this in regards to Dow and LOB, but is TDK putting in the work or relying on natural talent?

From the outside looking in, Pittonet is more determined and works harder and that's why he is neck and neck for first ruck with the more talented TDK. Pitto is also more aggressive. 2022 is a huge year for TDK. I will be watching Mirkov's progression with interest as well.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Decent tap ruckman.

As someone else pointed out, those numbers are inflated due to the no ruck GC game.

Additionally, he's always been a decent tap ruckman. It's the rest of his game.

That Gold Coast game is a little overstated in terms of hitouts to advantage being artificially inflated. 57 hitouts, 20 to advantage, so 35%. With his % at 27% overall, it's a slight kick but not something unrepresentative.

 

[Arr0w]

TDK first ruck

Expectations is top 8, not a flag, so would prefer putting more games into Tom with a 2nd KPF/chopout ruckkman like OMac

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

TDK first ruck

Expectations is top 8, not a flag, so would prefer putting more games into Tom with a 2nd KPF/chopout ruckkman like OMac

For me, first ruck is whoever the midfield performs best with. I don't want to develop a ruck at the expense of 6 midfielders. Their game has to compliment the guys around them first and foremost.

 

[bmaurizio]

TDK first ruck

Expectations is top 8, not a flag, so would prefer putting more games into Tom with a 2nd KPF/chopout ruckkman like OMac

Yes eventually, but don’t think he’s up to it quite yet, during games time seems to gradually fade away after 1st half. of footy.

 

[The Old Dark Navy's]

Yes eventually, but don’t think he’s up to it quite yet, during games time seems to gradually fade away after 1st half. of footy.

Agreed. Needs a big preseason because he is currently not quite there physically. With Gov likely going back and Young in the side, can we use Young as the 2nd ruck when TDK needs a rest?

 

[Red_man2008]

I think people are underrating Pitt by quite a bit.

Hit out numbers are really good even when you ignore the GC game AND he has good clearance numbers.

TDK is very flashy, but Pitt delivers more atm

On SM-A515F using BigFooty.com mobile app

Ranked 3rd for hit outs when he went down. Champion data had him ranked 4th amongst all rucks.

 

[gbatman]

Pittonett is probably better than most teams reserves ruckman, so if he's going to be that then that's pretty good for us. Stats show he's good when he gets the hitout and we know he's good at ground level play.

DeKoning is quite good for a young ruckman growing his game. He's shown plenty that he can play forward and around the ground. He's got a high celling and that is why we should be playing him. He needs to play senior football.

Can we play them both? I'm not sure about that one but we will see.

 

[Arr0w]

For me, first ruck is whoever the midfield performs best with. I don't want to develop a ruck at the expense of 6 midfielders. Their game has to compliment the guys around them first and foremost.

That's understandable, but Pitto is inept when resting forward and I can see interchanges reducing, so we could be ineffective for a qtr of the game.

Play TDK as the 1st ruck and allow him to rest forward while Harry, OMac or even JSOS spend some time in the ruck

Team wise it would be more effective