Playing two ruckmen

[PerfectFooty]

I think both Spencer and Gawn will be around for a while

 

[Cannon82]

I think both Spencer and Gawn will be around for a while

Given we've only got 4 specialist rucks on the list and the only good one is likely in his last year, probably a safe bet. I see us recycling someone next off-season if Jamar does go.

 

[Benwah83]

My worry is we'll be sitting here in 12 months time having the same circular argument. I.e:

• Spencer is crap.
• Gawn is injury-prone and hasn't come on.

The only differing factor will probably be that Jamar has retired, which will make the ruck situation even more critical. We seriously need to be thinking FA ruck targets at the end of this year.

 

[pure demon]

Given we've only got 4 specialist rucks on the list and the only good one is likely in his last year, probably a safe bet. I see us recycling someone next off-season if Jamar does go.

Most clubs either grab a pure ruck in the draft, or trade for one that is ripe. They dont harbour four or five projects on a list like we have. The last bailey/neeld legacy to be dealt with.

 

[Cannon82]

My worry is we'll be sitting here in 12 months time having the same circular argument. I.e:

• Spencer is crap.
• Gawn is injury-prone and hasn't come on.

The only differing factor will probably be that Jamar has retired, which will make the ruck situation even more critical. We seriously need to be thinking FA ruck targets at the end of this year.

Don't worry, we will be. The only questions are whether Gawn plays enough and well enough to justify backing him in for the #1 spot and whether Spencer can improve enough to be considered a semi-respectable understudy.

 

[Cannon82]

Most clubs either grab a pure ruck in the draft, or trade for one that is ripe. They dont harbour four or five projects on a list like we have. The last bailey/neeld legacy to be dealt with.

We won't be grabbing a pure ruck in the draft (not to play right away at least unless we luck into the next Dean Cox).

4 or 5 projects? Jamar, Gawn and Spencer are our rucks. Max King is on the rookie list. Fitz is a project forward pinch hitting in the ruck. Who else do we have?

 

[pure demon]

We won't be grabbing a pure ruck in the draft (not to play right away at least unless we luck into the next Dean Cox).

4 or 5 projects? Jamar, Gawn and Spencer are our rucks. Max King is on the rookie list. Fitz is a project forward pinch hitting in the ruck. Who else do we have?

Ok really clutching at straws here cannon. Ok i dont want to argue the point, i will phrase it another way.
We have let go stefin martin in that time period.
Why have we been harbouring so many USELESS ruckman for five years now?

 

[pure demon]

There was a poll the other day, rate the ten best ruckman. Do you think any one of our ruckman came to mind?
And you say we have three

 

[Cannon82]

Ok really clutching at straws here cannon. Ok i dont want to argue the point, i will phrase it another way.
We have let go stefin martin in that time period.
Why have we been harbouring so many USELESS ruckman for five years now?

Yes we did. Martin had a season or so of decent ruckwork and then went back to being shit when he had to split the duties. He was 26 when he went to Brisbane and he sat on the pine for a year and a half before all of their ruckmen keeled over injured / traded out and he was the last man standing... turns out he can ruck pretty well now. Who knew? Not Dean Bailey, Mark Neeld, Michael Voss or Justin Leppitsch.

Jamar isn't useless. He's not been as good as his AA season 5 years ago but he's a decent ruckman.
Gawn is a project ruck, and could still turn out pretty well. He's still younger than your man Martin was when he finally showed a bit of aptitude.
Spencer is shit, granted.
I've not seen King play.

You'll find that guys who are good enough to get a game elsewhere won't want to hang around and warm the pine. Otherwise we'd have kept Jolly as backup to White for 10 years, which would work out great for everyone except Jolly. *******s who can't get a game elsewhere will linger on the list because they've got nowhere else to go. So Spencer remains because we don't have other options.

I'm not quite sure who else you're referring to. Rucks like Paul Johnson, John Meesen, James Sellar and Robert Campbell we recycled from other clubs? They were crap and shuffled off eventually too. Seems like a bit of Captain Hindsight SME is Fantastic post.

 

[stretcharmstrong]

Martin wasn't let go because he was a shit ruck man. He was let go because he is a shit bloke who was pretty badly tainted by our awful culture during 2007-2011. He needed a change. What he did at Brissy last year was not ever going to happen for him here.

 

[PerfectFooty]

Martin wasn't let go because he was a shit ruck man. He was let go because he is a shit bloke who was pretty badly tainted by our awful culture during 2007-2011. He needed a change. What he did at Brissy last year was not ever going to happen for him here.

We can either blame the culture, or Neeld decision making. I choose both!

 

[The Dr]

I wonder if Leuenberger might want a fresh start if Martin becomes the preferred no.1 ruck man in Brissie? He's a free agent.

 

[Klyntonius]

You realise Spencer was the gigantic mountain that slowly lumbered around the field not touching the footy or doing anything at all right?

By not doing anything you mean like Jamar? Same amount of posessions, marks, and hitouts and more tackles. Jamar's hitouts are better quality but that's it. Not saying Spencer is grouse just he's not as bad as people make out.

 

[#domtysonforpm]

I dont see how we will fit Gawn, Jamar, Pederson, Dawes and Hogan in one side.
Playing Gawn now is essential to us going forward but Jamar is too valuable to our structures and Pederson's 2014 form was unreal.
What a nightmare.

Oh and Spencer and Fitspatrick I dont see playing a game pending inure and form.

 

[Dark Avenger]

I dont see how we will fit Gawn, Jamar, Pederson, Dawes and Hogan in one side.
Playing Gawn now is essential to us going forward but Jamar is too valuable to our structures and Pederson's 2014 form was unreal.
What a nightmare.

Oh and Spencer and Fitspatrick I dont see playing a game pending inure and form.

Totally agree with everything you say. I'd say its between Gawn & Pederson who misses out. I want Gawn to play but don't think he's ready to be the main ruckman yet & if we play both Gawn & Jamar our forward line is just too slow. Pederson is a very capable target up forward & provides great contests around the ground as the relief ruckman.

 

[skilts]

Totally agree with everything you say. I'd say its between Gawn & Pederson who misses out. I want Gawn to play but don't think he's ready to be the main ruckman yet & if we play both Gawn & Jamar our forward line is just too slow. Pederson is a very capable target up forward & provides great contests around the ground as the relief ruckman.

I hope you don't mind me sticking my bib in here, and this might seem a bit peculiar, but I'm interested in finding out about Max Gawn. His mum has, as of the past six months or so, just opened a cafe in the small town in Gippsland in which I live. She is a genius as a pastry cook and businesswoman. For example, she makes a chicken, mustard and asparagus pie which is to die for. Her sausage rolls are the best I've ever eaten, as are her egg and bacon pies. Her pieces de resistance though, are her raspberry scones. For good measure, she is an extremely generous sponsor of the local cricket club with which I'm involved.

Now that I've made you all ravenous, tell me about Max. It will make for more interesting conversation for his mum and me. She, quite rightly, is very proud of Max. I believe he started at Casey Scorpions and suffered a season-ending injury with the Dees last year. Is he still developing, even though, I believe, he's about 25 y.o.? Does he have what it takes to make it? What, if any, are the flaws in his game? Is he a mobile big man? Can he play forward as well? I feel I should know all of this, but you would know better than I how rarely your mob is on FTA TV.

Thanks in advance, and for the best answer, I undertake to PM the address of his mum's wonderful shop. It's only an hour's drive from Melbourne. Only jarkin'. I'll send the address to anyone who asks. It's worth the drive, and she is a strikingly beautiful, intelligent and lovely woman, who is happily married to someone other than me.

 

[Tempy Tiger]

I hope you don't mind me sticking my bib in here, and this might seem a bit peculiar, but I'm interested in finding out about Max Gawn. His mum has, as of the past six months or so, just opened a cafe in the small town in Gippsland in which I live. She is a genius as a pastry cook and businesswoman. For example, she makes a chicken, mustard and asparagus pie which is to die for. Her sausage rolls are the best I've ever eaten, as are her egg and bacon pies. Her pieces de resistance though, are her raspberry scones. For good measure, she is an extremely generous sponsor of the local cricket club with which I'm involved.

Now that I've made you all ravenous, tell me about Max. It will make for more interesting conversation for his mum and me. She, quite rightly, is very proud of Max. I believe he started at Casey Scorpions and suffered a season-ending injury with the Dees last year. Is he still developing, even though, I believe, he's about 25 y.o.? Does he have what it takes to make it? What, if any, are the flaws in his game? Is he a mobile big man? Can he play forward as well? I feel I should know all of this, but you would know better than I how rarely your mob is on FTA TV.

Thanks in advance, and for the best answer, I undertake to PM the address of his mum's wonderful shop. It's only an hour's drive from Melbourne. Only jarkin'. I'll send the address to anyone who asks. It's worth the drive, and she is a strikingly beautiful, intelligent and lovely woman, who is happily married to someone other than me.

Max's mum sounds like quite a catch! Have you got a pic?! JK
You open Pandora's box mentioning the big man and asking for opinions. They vary widely and wildly. For: he's massive, second tallest player in the AFL I believe; he can take a really good contested grab; some of his ruck work is very intelligent and really to advantage; he can kick a goal. Against: his mobility isn't his strong point; he doesn't have a lot of core strength so is not strong in the contest; he's had quite a few injuries so has struggled to put a string of games together.
He does seem like a really interesting cat though. I enjoyed his Gawn in 60 seconds segment that used to be on TV. He seems to be much too smart for an AFL footballer. I can imagine him and Chris Dawes debating the merits of Marxism.

 

[skilts]

Max's mum sounds like quite a catch! Have you got a pic?! JK
You open Pandora's box mentioning the big man and asking for opinions. They vary widely and wildly. For: he's massive, second tallest player in the AFL I believe; he can take a really good contested grab; some of his ruck work is very intelligent and really to advantage; he can kick a goal. Against: his mobility isn't his strong point; he doesn't have a lot of core strength so is not strong in the contest; he's had quite a few injuries so has struggled to put a string of games together.
He does seem like a really interesting cat though. I enjoyed his Gawn in 60 seconds segment that used to be on TV. He seems to be much too smart for an AFL footballer. I can imagine him and Chris Dawes debating the merits of Marxism.

Thank you very much for that answer Tempy Tiger. With just one post, I'm already much better informed. Any further comment from other posters would be appreciated.

 

[Captain Jack]

Thank you very much for that answer Tempy Tiger. With just one post, I'm already much better informed. Any further comment from other posters would be appreciated.

TT got most of the key points on Gawn. We hope this is the year for him to put it all together and play consistent AFL footy, because he has dominated the VFL on several occasions and not really translated it up a level yet.

He also seems like quite a character, as above.

 

[skilts]

TT got most of the key points on Gawn. We hope this is the year for him to put it all together and play consistent AFL footy, because he has dominated the VFL on several occasions and not really translated it up a level yet.

He also seems like quite a character, as above.

Apparently, he is also a fair cricketer. We are hoping to recruit him to play a couple of games with us. That he is a character, as you say, is consistent with his upbringing. Not having gone through the regime of being drafted at 18 might also have something to do with him having a more varied outlook. Good and all as that system is, it can occasionally tend to produce automatons

 

[Captain Jack]

Apparently, he is also a fair cricketer. We are hoping to recruit him to play a couple of games with us. That he is a character, as you say, is consistent with his upbringing. Not having gone through the regime of being drafted at 18 might also have something to do with him having a more varied outlook. Good and all as that system is, it can occasionally tend to produce automatons

I'm pretty sure he played Sandringham U18s and was drafted straight away - despite the knee reco he had just had.

 

[skilts]

I'm pretty sure he played Sandringham U18s and was drafted straight away - despite the knee reco he had just had.

I know I should have researched this myself before this, but I thought he came to Melbourne after having played for Casey, rather than through the system and then being attached to Casey through their Melbourne connection. I now know this not to be so. To be at a club for so long and play so few games due to various injuries must be devastating for him. No wonder his mum's heart is in her mouth every time he goes near the ball. Her husband refuses to be with her when she's watching him play, for this reason. I hope for your and his sake he has a great season. Given his rare ruck skills and marking ability, it sounds like he's worth watching, when he manages to get on the park.

 

[Theseventhhamster]

I know I should have researched this myself before this, but I thought he came to Melbourne after having played for Casey, rather than through the system and then being attached to Casey through their Melbourne connection. I now know this not to be so. To be at a club for so long and play so few games due to various injuries must be devastating for him. No wonder his mum's heart is in her mouth every time he goes near the ball. Her husband refuses to be with her when she's watching him play, for this reason. I hope for your and his sake he has a great season. Given his rare ruck skills and marking ability, it sounds like he's worth watching, when he manages to get on the park.

He was a very skinny bugger when drafted and didn't have his limbs under any real control. The injuries didn't help but he was always going to be a long term project. He worked a lot on directing his hitouts at Casey and really showed some great progress there over the last season. He's also got much better at taking marks up high where nobody else can reach although he tends to wrestle and try one handers in the forward line. There's also the great and probably not true story that on an offseason club trip to China he after drinking far too much threw up all over Tom Scully.

 

[ponsdale]

I hope you don't mind me sticking my bib in here, and this might seem a bit peculiar, but I'm interested in finding out about Max Gawn.

That should tell you enough about his potential.

 

[PerfectFooty]

That should tell you enough about his potential.

Yeah he was pretty good smashing the football into that Giants supporters face. Definitely worth keeping him on. If Jones old man ever goes to the footy play Gawn by him so he is protected from idiots