St Kilda's ruck structure.

[ChrisFooty]

Steven King starting to play some very good football for us. Last three weeks have been very good. His effort against Fermantle was mammoth (had to do it by himself) Followed up against good games against kangaroos and Carlton tonight (dominated the hit outs) decent kick for a big ruckman.

Kosi was good with around the ground work while rucking.

Is there room for M.Gardiner? While these two are fit, would St.kilda be more flexible with these two ruckman only? Gardiner would therefore be only in the side if one of King or Kosi got injured?

Discuss.

 

[Persevering Saint]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I think King has been extraordinary, and we have been REALLY pushing our luck with him. If we keep playing him like we are, he's bound to hurt himself (probably a hammy). Kosi did a pretty solid job tonight in the ruck, but we all know we want him at Full-Forward.

Mike Gardiner needs to come back in, or McEvoy needs to get more game time. This is simply unsustainable, imo.

 

[skilts]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Five years ago, I thought King was a bloke capable of winning a GF for his team, then injury intervened, but he did it anyway. Nothing I've seen since has altered that opinion.

He's a ruckman like Farmer and Nicholls. I can give no higher praise. It was a delight to watch a tradesman at work.

 

[Qsaint]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

We look a hell of alot better if we can get a number of breaks out of the center to a leading forward through good ruckwork. That was the first time in years, King does look the goods

 

[bubblegoose]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I think King has been extraordinary, and we have been REALLY pushing our luck with him. If we keep playing him like we are, he's bound to hurt himself (probably a hammy). Kosi did a pretty solid job tonight in the ruck, but we all know we want him at Full-Forward.

Mike Gardiner needs to come back in, or McEvoy needs to get more game time. This is simply unsustainable, imo.

I agree PS. Makes my hangover worse to imagine if we'd always had him.

 

[sirviv]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I believe that Gardiner was left out to play a more mobile player. We were always going to smash them in the Ruck with King and Kosi and with Blake to pinch hit if required. Kosi's last 5 quarters have been fantastic we need him to play Forward rather than a Ruckman. You cant just have Rooy up there by himself. Gardiner will be back next week at the expense of Allen i'd assume.

 

[stfan]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

The Blues rucks are dismal...so we never needed both King and Gardi....and Kosi who in terms of ruckwork is not good is still way better than anything that the Blues have.

Kosi's around ground work is very good though.

This way too Gardi gets a week at Casey to re-build fitness.

I would be surprsied at this stage if Gardi does not come in for the Hawks match...say in place of Allen

 

[Persevering Saint]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

The Blues rucks are dismal...so we never needed both King and Gardi....and Kosi who in terms of ruckwork is not good is still way better than anything that the Blues have.

Kosi's around ground work is very good though.

This way too Gardi gets a week at Casey to re-build fitness.

I would be surprsied at this stage if Gardi does not come in for the Hawks match...say in place of Allen

Yep, that's a one good thing that came out of Allen's game - it was so ineffectual, it shows that we could win without that other tall forward. If Gardy comes in, and Kosi sits back quietly within the goal square (with Gardy in the 50m too when King's rucking, come to think of it...), then not having Allen isn't really going to be a worry.

 

[Squizz]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Whilst Kosi was good around the ground and up forward, his actual ruck work was very very concerning. I had flashbacks to Cain Ackland.

 

[wheels4]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Whilst Kosi was good around the ground and up forward, his actual ruck work was very very concerning. I had flashbacks to Cain Ackland.

did capuano pop in there aswell haha
gardiner will come back in for allen
and hopefully schneids, x man and bakes will

 

[Look2Me4Guidance]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Whilst Kosi was good around the ground and up forward, his actual ruck work was very very concerning. I had flashbacks to Cain Ackland.

It's not his ruck work that makes him effective in the middle, it's his ability as a follower. This is what got him into the game against the Roos. He chips in across half back and reads the play very well. If it's going to get him up and going which it has the last 2 weeks, I have no problem with it.

 

[TassieSaint]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Hawthorn's ruck combo is much improved, and a lot better than Carlton's. On top of that their rucks generally split their time 50/50 in the middle which gives them an endurance advantage. so we definitely need Michael Gardiner in this week.

On King, his tap work is the best I've seen at St Kilda for quite some time. It's not just recently either, he was tearing David Hille a new one earlier in the year before he did his hammy. A lot of people have had a go at us for recycling players, but Steven King for pick 90 is a bargain every day of the week.

 

[ChrisFooty]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Can't knock recruiting King. St.kilda needed recycled players to fill it's ruck stocks. Recruiting King and Gardiner gives us time to develop McEvoy without having to use Rix and Blake in the ruck in the meantime. We have a couple of years to play with now.

 

[AFLOnline]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

King has some very, very decisive taps on him. He works extraordinarily in the middle with Hayes and Ball, and is one of the reasons why they have had some much clearance work this season.

 

[Super_Dal]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Leave Kosi in the ruck... gets him up and about and moving. When he sits at full forward he struggles to get into the game and doesnt move around as much as required.

When in the ruck he pushes forward and is very damaging. I reckon most of his contested marks in the forward line against carlton were whilst he was playing as a ruckmen...

 

[stfan]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

The carlton rucks were very week. So you cannot judge much on that.

IMO we want King and Gardiner as they both can tap to advantage...Kosi has yet to demonstrate this.

But yes do allow Kosi to alos roam around the ground at times asa follower.

I would base Kosi at FF though with Roo at FF. Both should have the 007 licence to roam though.

 

[BigManFromMiniTown]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Kingy has been awesome in the ruck and kosi has be good as well. But for Kosi his ability to float around the ground against carlton has brilliant! He did a great job being last line of defence popping up for a few big marks to stop the ball getting into the carlton forwards. Something that the saints have lacked and needed. The combo of King and Kosi worked really well, and against the hawks with campbell and taylor if it can work again to get the ball out and also stop the ball coming into their forwards we might have a good change. Not sure where gardiner will fit in if kosi and kingy still preform really well.

 

[HoldenMCaulfield]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Both should have the 007 licence to roam though.

I agree - Riewoldt has shown over the last weeks that he is a genuine superstar of the AFL after all and watching Koschitzke play basically everywhere on Friday was just phantastic.

We have two very good ruckmen who should still have at least two, maybe three years left in them while McEvoy is given time to develop into hopefully the next Dean Cox.

Based on the current form of our twin towers and Milne being as dangerous as he is at the moment, there may even be room for Gehrig. I admit that Allen does try and he will be an important part of the team in the future, but let's be honest, he was basically a no show on Friday (following a very average game against North) - and I admit that I would just love to see Big Fraser a few more times !

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I agree - Riewoldt has shown over the last weeks that he is a genuine superstar of the AFL after all and watching Koschitzke play basically everywhere on Friday was just phantastic.

We have two very good ruckmen who should still have at least two, maybe three years left in them while McEvoy is given time to develop into hopefully the next Dean Cox.

Based on the current form of our twin towers and Milne being as dangerous as he is at the moment, there may even be room for Gehrig. I admit that Allen does try and he will be an important part of the team in the future, but let's be honest, he was basically a no show on Friday (following a very average game against North) - and I admit that I would just love to see Big Fraser a few more times !

Its very hard to judge. Allen didn't do much, but I am not sure what the opposition had to do to prevent him from having an effect. If they had a good defender on him fair enough, but if he was mopped up by some rookie, not so good.
Even when Fraser was not going well he tended to attract some pretty good defence.

 

[Squizz]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I thought Allen was OK against North, but yeah had a shocker against Carlton.

We do need to find that third option as Chucky, Fergie, Blake and Allen have all had their moments in this role but not been consistent enough.

Sam F is still the one for me, but X is probably (realistically) the one we need in the team. Seems like he is still a week or two away, and would start with Casey anyway.

 

[tim_saints]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I think King definetly is our number 1 ruckman and is starting to play some really good footy i think we really need the opion of Kozi down forward becasue he takes such a great over head mark and has a good kick for goal. We either need Michael Gardnier back in the side or give Ben Mcevoy more game time in the senior side.

 

[_Interpol_]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Steven King starting to play some very good football for us. Last three weeks have been very good. His effort against Fermantle was mammoth (had to do it by himself) Followed up against good games against kangaroos and Carlton tonight (dominated the hit outs) decent kick for a big ruckman.

Kosi was good with around the ground work while rucking.

Is there room for M.Gardiner? While these two are fit, would St.kilda be more flexible with these two ruckman only? Gardiner would therefore be only in the side if one of King or Kosi got injured?

Discuss.

They've effed it royally now...

Ugh... Every time I think they get it right, they stuff it up

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

They must be playing it extremely safe with MG. Surprised not to see him named, but still, I'd rather him miss another week then set himself back a couple months with an injury cos he came back too early.

 

[ChrisFooty]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Could argue maybe St.kilda would be too tall playing all three of King, Kosi, Gardiner.

Fiora and Schendier can offer a more mobile option. Thats if they play a decent game of course.

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

At least it looks like we'll be enforcing a running game plan eh?

Lets prove Sammy Newman wrong for once, he's usually pretty good with his tipping.