St Kilda's ruck structure.

[SaintsSeptember]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Maybe King was a bit lucky to be in the team when it started to look good, because I think RL is avoiding too many changes week to week. I rate King / Gardner fairly level as inclusions, both great to have in the team, King is maybe a bit better at the ruckwork, Gardner a bit better at marking and kicking. Kosi in the ruck is not great in itself, but having him follow the ball gives us an extremely good footballer close to the action all the time.

 

[The Punter]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Kosi plays much better when not anchored at Full Forward.

Squizzy is right - the real spot we need to fill is third option after Riewoldt & Koschitzke.

It will be interesting to see who plays FF tomorrow night when Kosi is in the ruck.

My bet is that it will be Sam Gilbert. I also wouldn't be surprised with Jason Blake.

We really need a Matthew Ferguson to plug the gap until Allen gets going. Three games for no goals ain't a great output.

 

[Sir Robert]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Kosi plays much better when not anchored at Full Forward.

Squizzy is right - the real spot we need to fill is third option after Riewoldt & Koschitzke.

It will be interesting to see who plays FF tomorrow night when Kosi is in the ruck.

My bet is that it will be Sam Gilbert. I also wouldn't be surprised with Jason Blake.

We really need a Matthew Ferguson to plug the gap until Allen gets going. Three games for no goals ain't a great output.

Am really thinking McEvoy could be that guy. Supposedly a decent shot at goal. RL hinted at him playing more games this year, so I am eagerly awaiting it

 

[Squizz]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Maybe, but games out on the windswept VFL paddocks ain't helping!

 

[Otiman]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

It's getting harder to pick ruckmen for the side.

King
Koschitzke
Gardiner
Blake
McEvoy
Rix

All fit. I don't think Koschitzke will do much in the way of hitout work for the rest of the season though. Whether this means Blake pinch hits to relieve King (depends if he's needed at CHB), or Gardiner is brought into the side, remains to be seen.

 

[ChrisFooty]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

St.kilda look more mobile when they only have one of Gardiner and King. Thoughts?

 

[Armitage2Riewoldt]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I think it depends who we're playing. I thought we needed MG last night, I was wrong...

But I think we should play him this week, Cox and Seaby might be too much for King and Kosi?

 

[goodie23]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I think it depends who we're playing. I thought we needed MG last night, I was wrong...

But I think we should play him this week, Cox and Seaby might be too much for King and Kosi?

I'd like to see Gardiner in this week, keep Kosi up forward predominately, maybe let him into the ruck against Seaby, King and Gardiner wearing down Cox

 

[Squizz]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Agree.

King needs support, otherwise he'll get the soft tissue stuff again.

Kosi is fine around the ground but we saw how important it is to win the centre clearances - where we were smashed early.

We also lost our forward structure again when Kosi went into the ruck. Milne was the target on one occasion against three opponents at the top of the square - less than ideal.

We should be mindful that Gardiner tends to hit to advantage with his ruckwork and can get it around the ground. How much game time did he get at Casey?

 

[Persevering Saint]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

With Kosi out this week, this becomes the million dollar issue.

Three players arenow up for selection in the face of Kosi's suspension: Allen, McEvoy, M Gardiner. With each of them, their selection would signal something about Ross Lyon's attitude to the game:

- Allen: That Blake is perfectly capable of doing another super job like last week, and all we really need from Kosi's position is a forward. It further suggests that Lyon does not rate this as a crunch game, because he's willing to bring in a youthie who has not scored a goal in several outings for the seniors so far this season. Hence, picking Allen would be a "give him a go to help learn his craft against duds" thing. Finally, a specialist forward - even a tall one - might be attractive to Lyon, since one of our key forwards (Milney) has a terrible record at Subi.
- McEvoy: by far the most unlikely of the 3, mainly because of inexperience, and the likelihood that he would get torn up by Cox. Having said that, Lyon might think that this could be good for the kid - to see another great ruck doing his thing. He also can play as a forward, so Lyon might think McEvoy is the closest thing to being able to have Kosi in the side anyway.
- M Gardiner: Imo, BY FAR the most likely choice. Ross is not going to underestimate this game. It's not going to be easy. Best bring in the professional. Add to that the whole thing of Gardiner playing on a familiar ground, with the power of history/vengeance on his mind. Gardiner's selection says, "This is no easy one - we're taking this VERY seriously."

 

[Squizz]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Listening to an interview done with Gardi, it would appear that the club has set him for this game. The last two games with Casey (with managed game time) have been the preparation. Looks a dead cert for mine.

 

[DirtyHarry]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

With Kosi out this week, this becomes the million dollar issue.

Three players arenow up for selection in the face of Kosi's suspension: Allen, McEvoy, M Gardiner. With each of them, their selection would signal something about Ross Lyon's attitude to the game:

- Allen: That Blake is perfectly capable of doing another super job like last week, and all we really need from Kosi's position is a forward. It further suggests that Lyon does not rate this as a crunch game, because he's willing to bring in a youthie who has not scored a goal in several outings for the seniors so far this season. Hence, picking Allen would be a "give him a go to help learn his craft against duds" thing. Finally, a specialist forward - even a tall one - might be attractive to Lyon, since one of our key forwards (Milney) has a terrible record at Subi.
- McEvoy: by far the most unlikely of the 3, mainly because of inexperience, and the likelihood that he would get torn up by Cox. Having said that, Lyon might think that this could be good for the kid - to see another great ruck doing his thing. He also can play as a forward, so Lyon might think McEvoy is the closest thing to being able to have Kosi in the side anyway.
- M Gardiner: Imo, BY FAR the most likely choice. Ross is not going to underestimate this game. It's not going to be easy. Best bring in the professional. Add to that the whole thing of Gardiner playing on a familiar ground, with the power of history/vengeance on his mind. Gardiner's selection says, "This is no easy one - we're taking this VERY seriously."

I'd go with Allen.

King is more than capable to take Cox at centre bounces and shortly after, but Cox's run around the ground would blow him up. This is what Blake is in the side for. Tag him around the ground and compete at around the ground bounces. It's too much of an ask for Blake to run around on Cox, then present up forward as a target. Rotate King/Blake off the bench specifically to negate Cox and that will hopefully work.

Kosi for Allen is a straight switch. This puts an extra game into a young player, giving him invaluable experience for the future. All he has to do is lead and present an option... something that Kosi has not always produced this year. Gardiner is now a backup ruck for King this season, not a forward option as far as I'm concerned.

Play the kids... it can only benefit us in the long run.

 

[SaintsSeptember]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I'd go with Allen.

King is more than capable to take Cox at centre bounces and shortly after, but Cox's run around the ground would blow him up. This is what Blake is in the side for. Tag him around the ground and compete at around the ground bounces. It's too much of an ask for Blake to run around on Cox, then present up forward as a target. Rotate King/Blake off the bench specifically to negate Cox and that will hopefully work.

Kosi for Allen is a straight switch. This puts an extra game into a young player, giving him invaluable experience for the future. All he has to do is lead and present an option... something that Kosi has not always produced this year. Gardiner is now a backup ruck for King this season, not a forward option as far as I'm concerned.

Play the kids... it can only benefit us in the long run.

If Allen is ineffective (as he has been in some games) and Milne plays badly interstate ( as has been the case in the past) we could have serious trouble scoring. For my mind we really should put Goddard in that spot.

 

[Kildonan]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

I'd go with Michael Gardiner and swap him and Steven King in the ruck against Dean Cox. I'd also play Jason Blake as a tagger on Cox to try and reduce his effectiveness. Quinten Lynch is the wild card in this equation - we need to consider what role he will play in this match.

 

[beejay]

yeh id have to say out of the options available id go for gardiner. i know we lose a forward option but i think we could choose to operate different more open forward line with just riewoldt as the focus and if need be throw gardiner down there because lynch is currently playing a role similar to cox atm as well roaming so although blake would be handy tagging them we basically just need to win the hitouts. We saw the games where king has dominated we have won and ive always gone on the theory if we win the ruck we will win because we have a more then capable midfield and if they get first use we can attack and win easily. Cox has been racking up the possies but hasnt been helping because some of their midfielders are so young and inxeperienced hes just making up for them.

So the question will be raised whether you go forward or bring in a ruckman but if we went king n blake and king went down wed be buggerted with blake against lynch and cox and the only other huge tall left would be riewoldt to ruck so def better to have that insurance playing in michael gardiner and pleaseeee dont play rix over him RL!

 

[stfan]

A fit and in form Gardiner would bea very handy player.

He was just really starting to show some great form when he got injured again.

Still having both King and gardiner means that at least one should be there each week.

Kosi and Blake are ok to take spells in the ruck but you would not want either to be your number one ruckmen wekk in, week out.

 

[wheels4]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Listening to an interview done with Gardi, it would appear that the club has set him for this game. The last two games with Casey (with managed game time) have been the preparation. Looks a dead cert for mine.

Squizz, did u hear this interview on the radio or on a website
if on website could u possibly give me the site?

 

[Squizz]

http://bigpondvideo.com/StKildaTV/66742

 

[Squizz]

Re: St.kilda's ruck structure.

Listening to an interview done with Gardi, it would appear that the club has set him for this game. The last two games with Casey (with managed game time) have been the preparation. Looks a dead cert for mine.

Swwissshhhhhh!!! All net.

 

[ChrisFooty]

Gardiner will be dropped after his performance against West Coast. St.kilda look better with King rucking, with Kosi and Blake as a back up. Football today is very fast. Having two non mobile ruckman may be a disadvantage. Having both in their prime in the same team would be very dangarous. However, they are not.

 

[goodie23]

Gardiner will be dropped after his performance against West Coast. St.kilda look better with King rucking, with Kosi and Blake as a back up. Football today is very fast. Having two non mobile ruckman may be a disadvantage. Having both in their prime in the same team would be very dangarous. However, they are not.

Agreed, Gardiner looked very ordinary out there today. We were well beaten in the ruck, admittedly Cox's form lately has been ridiculous, but around the ground Gardiner was pretty much a liability. Slow, didn't chase and couldn't hold a mark.

Did he look as flat when he played for Casey, or did he just die out there today?

 

[ChrisFooty]

Gardiner could not be 100% fit. Did not move very much. - 19 in the dream team scores. Ouch.

 

[Squizz]

Did he look as flat when he played for Casey, or did he just die out there today?

Looked OK at Casey, albeit still a little hampered in the legs.

Probably not a great idea to take him over to the big ground, as Cox burned him up (and himself ending up with bad cramp).

Having said this, I think the club may well play him again this week (thankfully back at the Dome).