00Stinger
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With JVR getting suspended Grundy might have to play out of necessity in us having no fit forward talls
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Gawn and Grundy - a failure?
- Thread starter Gavin Excell
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- Sep 13, 2013
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As much as you love Max around the ground how much better could Melbourne be if Max plays FF and Grundy rucks with Fritsch leading up the ground?
This has the only way it could ever work since round 1. Grundy is a ruck and ONLY a ruck, he is actually not that much worse than Gawn as a ruck. Gawn can actually take a contested mark and kick a goal , so if this was ever going to work then Gawn would have to be the one to play forward .
Pure arrogance and ego from Melbourne trying to have their cake and eat it too by bringing in a pure ruck like Grundy and wanting Gawn to continue to be the main ruck.
- Apr 18, 2005
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100%. Totally fair point. He has been very important for us.
How is it arrogance "wanting Gawn to continue to be the main ruck"? He is the best ruckman in the competition by a long long way on his day (irrespective of English being named AA). If you've got the best ruckman, why would you play him 70% out of the goal square?
It is an experiment that clearly hasn't worked as planned. I think (like most) Melbourne was expecting five on the bench with no sub, in which case it probably would have been an advantage.
Felis catus nigrans
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I think you’re right here and about if the interchange were modified but Grundy’s only value to the team is in the ruck.
You do it if there are diminishing returns on Gawn’s superiority for team performance. Ruck is just that important that maximising is almost always the answer. It just means Grundy and his contract have no upside at all it is a sunk cost. Melbourne have been smart to not persist.
Trying to anticipate the rule change is a good excuse but if the team never thought Grundy was the better ruck then it was always a very risky move and perhaps the arrogance was thinking they could read the AFL’s mind.
- Apr 29, 2016
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Grundy is heaps worse than Gawn as a ruck. Gawn is comfortably the best ruck in the league. Grundy would be maybe 15th. He's an absolute plodder
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Looking like it
Tom MacDonald would only be hanging on as well. He looked well past it v Pies
- Apr 18, 2005
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The cliff came very fast for him. He was really big the first half of 2021 but struggled the rest of the year. Last year was pretty spent and this year has been out of favour. Literally only played against Collingwood on Thursday due to injuries.
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I'm not sure he's comfortably the best ruck in the league anymore..
- Oct 16, 2016
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You could structure a forward line around JVR and Petty with Pickett Trac Neal Bullen and Fritsch. That's a very good forward line in my view. The issue is the next tier when they are out. I really rate JVR, think he has all the tools to be a gun forward in modern footy.
McDonald - cooked
Brown - squib
Grundy - not a forward
Schache - squib
Smith - solid citizen but in the games I've seen recently doesn't seem like a long term option.
One more key forward would help as the option up forward. Someone like a Hayden McLean would have helped.
- Nov 12, 2014
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Blues will be without McKay so it evens out although I actually think they look better without him
Petty is the significant one. Outside of Fritsch is the only capable tall when he's been down there. Made a mess of a solid Tigers defence so couldn't see why he couldn't have done the same with 70 inside 50s. At the very least the ball would have hit the ground more often.
- Nov 12, 2014
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English won't play a game like Gawns on Thursday night in his lifetime. Not saying he isn't good because he is Gawn is an all timer.
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Ben Brown?
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Not a failure yet. If he comes and they win a final this thread takes a turn. However, their original intention to replace Jackson didn't really work as they are different players in terms of style.
- Apr 5, 2016
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Reminder that Max Gawn received his first All Australian jacket at 25. Tim turned 26 a month ago.
If someone had told you from then Gawn would go on to do everything he’s done you’d call him crazy.
Regardless. Gawn isn’t comfortably the best ruckman in the competition.
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Jackson was pulling similar numbers to English in the 2nd half of the year and he is 21
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Jackson is also going to be a very good ruckman. That doesn’t mean Gawn is comfortably the best ruckman in the comp. Stop trying for a gotcha moment.
- Oct 16, 2016
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If any club had the choice to select a ruck right now to play a finals tomorrow 100% of teams would select Max Gawn. He is the best in the business. He hasn't had the best year but overall he is still the best.
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RichLeMonde
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Steven May doesn’t like this comment
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Goodwin is the coach that said Melbourne would appreciate a player like Grundy, rather than his former club.
Odd statement to make considering a few months later...
It kind if shows where Goodwin is at as a coach.
Odd statement to make considering a few months later...
It kind if shows where Goodwin is at as a coach.
- Sep 14, 2005
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AFL needs to get rid of the bigger centre circle so Grundy and Gawn can both start in the middle ala McKee and Fraser then the opposition ruckman has to try figure out which one he is going up against as the umpire bounces it.
Plus, this would also be more fun for the viewers.
Plus, this would also be more fun for the viewers.
Scritchyscroony
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What Goodwin meant the 15 times he said "Grundy is now at a club where he feels valued" was in relation to Melbourne's VFL team obviously.
Goodwin does not deport himself well. Seems on edge. Twitchy even. Has a weird grey complexion too. Reminds me of Bomber Thompson in his last year at the cats.
Scritchyscroony
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Yes he is.
English doesn't come close to having the impact Gawn can have on a game.
You are talking about one of the GOATS. Best we've seen since Jim Stynes and Simon Madden.
