Strategy Rhys Stanley - going forward

[David the Cat]

Agreed PO….and a perfect choice to take on Mike Pyke too….

 

[00VicWard001]

Rhys was an extra midfielder last night. Rucks who can contribute so strongly around the ground - Naitanui, Goldstein - are worth their weight in gold. I'm extremely happy with how he's tracking and think we'll all look back one day at Christensen leaving (allowing us to get Stanley) as a blessing in disguise.

I already think that. We actually have a durable competitive ruck in the game that can run and mark and kick. Christensen was out of the game for most of last year. It was a good swap.

 

[4quarter_cat]

Agreed PO….and a perfect choice to take on Mike Pyke too….

I don't know too much about Pyke as a player DtC, would you mind sharing with me why you feel stanley is the perfect choice to take on Pyke?

 

[geelong_crazy26]

I am not yet sure whether he is a good enough ruckman for a top 4 side, assuming we plan to try and contend again over the next few years, and so down the track we may need to trade in another ruck with him being the no2 ruck (which he would excel at), assuming Blicavs can become a defender or midfielder full time. But after what I have seen last month I definitely think he is the best ruckman on our list right now and a better option than McIntosh, Simpson, Vardy or Walker (and Blitz is looking more valuable in other roles) so I expect him to be our no1 ruck for the rest of the year.

Gets back to the point about how important hit outs are to winning the clearances. Hawthorn just won 2 premierships with average ruckman ,I would like Stanley to put on just a few kilos of muscle to help him do better at the hit outs.

 

[Johanpetro]

Maybe a little off topic, but I just noticed Stanley is the same height as Goldstein (both 6ft 7). I've always thought of Goldstein as a monster in the ruck.

 

[4quarter_cat]

Not off topic at all. I have taken the thread title to mean that we are talking about Stanley 'going forward' as in the future. So your post fits in as a useful piece of information to that discussion.

It is only this morning that I realised some may be interpreting it as Stanley's role when he's not in the ruck as being a forward.

 

[4quarter_cat]

Maybe a little off topic, but I just noticed Stanley is the same height as Goldstein (both 6ft 7). I've always thought of Goldstein as a monster in the ruck.

If true that bodes wonderfully well for his development.

I don't think we've seen the last of Simpson though. Stanley will be rested when we feel we can afford it so as to keep him as fresh as possible.

And if Simpson can start to have more of an affect around the ground whilst Blicavs continues to develop and impress as a midfielder then it isn't outside the realms of possibility they will play both of Stanley and Simpson against a team like Freo to combat the 211 effect.

 

[nohairandfair]

Gets back to the point about how important hit outs are to winning the clearances. Hawthorn just won 2 premierships with average ruckman ,I would like Stanley to put on just a few kilos of muscle to help him do better at the hit outs.

Not exactly Mr Puniverse...

 

[dazbroncos]

they were saying that Stanely is one of the strongest at the club.

GO Catters

 

[Willo_]

they were saying that Stanely is one of the strongest at the club.

GO Catters

Yeah and you can see at games that he is a beast.
Heard him on k-rock before the Tigers game and they were stirring him up about being one of the strongest at the club... benches 140kg for 4 or 5 reps or something

 

[Bobby_]

Maybe a little off topic, but I just noticed Stanley is the same height as Goldstein (both 6ft 7). I've always thought of Goldstein as a monster in the ruck.

but Goldstein is also a wide frame. If you follow the NBA at all, it's kind of like the Grizzlies 'Zebo, who plays a hell of a lot bigger than what he actually is.
Mumford at GWS, he's only 198cm tall but is able to compete very well against the true giants of the competition.

 

[Johanpetro]

but Goldstein is also a wide frame. If you follow the NBA at all, it's kind of like the Grizzlies 'Zebo, who plays a hell of a lot bigger than what he actually is.
Mumford at GWS, he's only 198cm tall but is able to compete very well against the true giants of the competition.

Yeh Goldstein is far bigger and stronger, in fact he has over 10kgs on Stanley. Was just surprised they are the same height. Dont know if I thought Stanley was smaller or Goldstein was taller.

 

[Bobby_]

Yeh Goldstein is far bigger and stronger, in fact he has over 10kgs on Stanley. Was just surprised they are the same height. Dont know if I thought Stanley was smaller or Goldstein was taller.

I think Goldstein is 203cm whereas Stanley is 200cm. Again, not much difference when you hit those kind of heights.

 

[geelong_crazy26]

Yeah and you can see at games that he is a beast.
Heard him on k-rock before the Tigers game and they were stirring him up about being one of the strongest at the club... benches 140kg for 4 or 5 reps or something

Any idea as to who is stronger out of Stanley and Clark ?

Stanley is listed as 98 kg , 100 just sounds better. 0ttens was 108 kg

 

[catempire]

The Stanley interview on Cats TV is interesting. He said he has been working on trying to play "like an extra midfielder" after the ruck contests and he alluded to his fitness improving helping this (implying he's not yet fully fit).

You get the impression this match committee puts a high value on a ruckman that does more than just holds his own at ruck contests and they may even trade-off hitouts for a greater presence when the ball hits the ground.

 

[Pure_Ownage]

Gets back to the point about how important hit outs are to winning the clearances. Hawthorn just won 2 premierships with average ruckman ,I would like Stanley to put on just a few kilos of muscle to help him do better at the hit outs.

Which he should in the next couple of years, he did have injuries at St Kilda which would have limited his ability to strengthen the body, he doesnt need to become a dominant ruckman but he needs to become stronger so the biggest ruckmen in the afl cant shift him off the line so easily. His leap and tapwork is fairly good.

 

[fpm84]

The Stanley interview on Cats TV is interesting. He said he has been working on trying to play "like an extra midfielder" after the ruck contests and he alluded to his fitness improving helping this (implying he's not yet fully fit).

You get the impression this match committee puts a high value on a ruckman that does more than just holds his own at ruck contests and they may even trade-off hitouts for a greater presence when the ball hits the ground.

Which is exactly what they should.

Sandilands is a once in a generation freak who slaughters everyone else in the taps and also contributes strongly around the ground.

The best ruckman we've had in the past decade was Ottens who often didn't dominate the taps but had an amazing presence around the ground, kicked goals, filled holes in defence and was one of the better contested marks going around.

I'm not comparing Stanley to Ottens but I think he can contribute the same way. I watched some of the replay on Friday night and on at least three centres bounces, Rhys lost the hitout but grabbed the ball and kicked it forward. I don't think I've ever seen Simpson do this. Stanley has attributes that very, very few big men in the league have. His main knock at the Saints was inconsistency but every game he has played for us has been solid or better IMO, and he's coming off a limited fitness base.

I honestly think he's got more upside than pretty much every other player on our list (Cockatoo and Thurlow probably next in line). There is no ceiling on what he can achieve for us.

 

[4quarter_cat]

...
I honestly think he's got more upside than pretty much every other player on our list (Cockatoo and Thurlow probably next in line). There is no ceiling on what he can achieve for us.

Not disagreeing with anything you've said fpm, but Blicavs?

There is alot to be excited about with many of our younger cats this year.

 

[Turbocat]

The Stanley interview on Cats TV is interesting. He said he has been working on trying to play "like an extra midfielder" after the ruck contests and he alluded to his fitness improving helping this (implying he's not yet fully fit).

You get the impression this match committee puts a high value on a ruckman that does more than just holds his own at ruck contests and they may even trade-off hitouts for a greater presence when the ball hits the ground.

I think the last couple of years , topped off by last years finals has clarified what they want from our tall players. Players who can contest the ruck and are options around the ground

 

[Lana]

Which is exactly what they should.

Sandilands is a once in a generation freak who slaughters everyone else in the taps and also contributes strongly around the ground.

The best ruckman we've had in the past decade was Ottens who often didn't dominate the taps but had an amazing presence around the ground, kicked goals, filled holes in defence and was one of the better contested marks going around.

I'm not comparing Stanley to Ottens but I think he can contribute the same way. I watched some of the replay on Friday night and on at least three centres bounces, Rhys lost the hitout but grabbed the ball and kicked it forward. I don't think I've ever seen Simpson do this. Stanley has attributes that very, very few big men in the league have. His main knock at the Saints was inconsistency but every game he has played for us has been solid or better IMO, and he's coming off a limited fitness base.

I honestly think he's got more upside than pretty much every other player on our list (Cockatoo and Thurlow probably next in line). There is no ceiling on what he can achieve for us.

It's not that he was dominant in the ruck but that he wasn't dominated by the other ruck, we had such a good midfield that if they got par delivery we would win the midfield battle.

 

[RegHickeyStand]

It's not that he was dominant in the ruck but that he wasn't dominated by the other ruck, we had such a good midfield that if they got par delivery we would win the midfield battle.

Ottens used to nullify Sandilands.

 

[David the Cat]

I don't know too much about Pyke as a player DtC, would you mind sharing with me why you feel stanley is the perfect choice to take on Pyke?

Mobility…Pyke gets around the ground pretty well…Stanley will match or even out do Pyke in open play, and will go close to matching him at the centre bounces…..

Stanley looked pretty good last week I thought…really made a contribution.

 

[David the Cat]

Not exactly Mr Puniverse...

Holy crap…….the guys a beast….

 

[dazbroncos]

The Stanley interview on Cats TV is interesting. He said he has been working on trying to play "like an extra midfielder" after the ruck contests and he alluded to his fitness improving helping this (implying he's not yet fully fit).

You get the impression this match committee puts a high value on a ruckman that does more than just holds his own at ruck contests and they may even trade-off hitouts for a greater presence when the ball hits the ground.

If you look at his work in the 4th he really was acting like a MF, getting clearances after the centre bounces. Nothing against Daws, whose follow up work is also good, but the skills with the ball in hand in linking up, getting a clearance or providing options after the bounce seemed the difference to me.

Stanley getting handball receives and kicking deep into F50 were very apparent and effective.

Go Catters

 

[Willo_]

If you look at his work in the 4th he really was acting like a MF, getting clearances after the centre bounces. Nothing against Daws, whose follow up work is also good, but the skills with the ball in hand in linking up, getting a clearance or providing options after the bounce seemed the difference to me.

Stanley getting handball receives and kicking deep into F50 were very apparent and effective.

Go Catters

Simpsons follow up work is good in that he tries hard to get involved...but he is almost ineffective once the bounce had been contested though

And you can see the players have no hesitation in getting the ball to Stanley which just adds another dimension to us in the middle