Opinion The Ruck. We need to talk.

[ferball]

Anyone have a running tally on how many internet points have been won and lost in this thread?

4372

 

[shinboner magic]

Not a single person on this board would of dreamt that X would become the #1 ruckman in the game in his first full season

 

[ferball]

Not a single person on this board would of dreamt that X would become the #1 ruckman in the game in his first full season

Obviously not. Its an insane rise to the top. Hope he drags the side with him over the next season or two.

 

[Gasometer]

Read the opening sentence of the OP

“CLEARLY X is developing “

That guy is such the politician

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Anyone have a running tally on how many internet points have been won and lost in this thread?

If you don’t watch every minute of every VFL match you can’t comment on a players form

 

[Junk yard]

If you don’t watch every minute of every VFL match you can’t comment on a players form

You certainly can, but I'm not sure how you can make a judgement on their future or development with conviction.

 

[DuckYeah]

When that's the level your playing at it means everything. His contested work was always going to translate to AFL and ruck craft is not rocket science, that was always going to improve. He's a great runner and trainer. I agree that no one would've expected an all Australian quality year out of Tristan this year but the signs were there that he would be a quality ruck. I think alot of people post without watching and that's fine, just be prepared to cop your medicine when you're wrong.

No it doesn’t. VFL form isn’t everything. If VFL form was everything you would see AFL teams heavily recruiting from the VFL, giving out Rookie spots like dingers at a swingers party. They dont because the VFL is a poor quality league. VFL form means shit, all its there for is to follow a coaches direction to work on position, tactics and to build fitness whether coming back from injury or just not up to it. We dragged a player from the Diamond Valley league as a prospect. Dominating VFL means nothing.

 

[DuckYeah]

At the start of the season, Tristan had just turned 25 and played 33 games. Far too early to so definitively write off a ruckman.

The evidence for Tristan at AFL level wasn't huge last year, but you all wrote him off far too quickly.

Thankfully, Clarkson has more idea.

Yeh, who’d have thought Clarkson knew his shit?

 

[Junk yard]

No it doesn’t. VFL form isn’t everything. If VFL form was everything you would see AFL teams heavily recruiting from the VFL, giving out Rookie spots like dingers at a swingers party. They dont because the VFL is a poor quality league. VFL form means shit, all its there for is to follow a coaches direction to work on position, tactics and to build fitness whether coming back from injury or just not up to it. We dragged a player from the Diamond Valley league as a prospect. Dominating VFL means nothing.

I'm not sure you read my post. If you're only playing VFL of course it means everything, there's nothing else to judge you on. Dominating it certainly doesn't mean nothing. His contested side tackling and hit out numbers have all translated to his league performances. So yeah in Tristan's case you could definitely judge him on his VFL form.

 

[roospur]

I wasn’t wrong. At AFL level to the end of last year he had been very average at best

These are the comments that are just ridiculous imo. He's just ticked over 50 games and was stuck behind an all timer for half of those games. This place is notorious for writing off players insanely early in particular bigs and inside mids. Already started with Goad this year for example.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

These are the comments that are just ridiculous imo. He's just ticked over 50 games and was stuck behind an all timer for half of those games. This place is notorious for writing off players insanely early in particular bigs and inside mids. Already started with Goad this year for example.

So he was performing the same last year in the AFL as he is this year?

And my comments were ridiculous?

 

[Junk yard]

So he was performing the same last year in the AFL as he is this year?

And my comments were ridiculous?

They certainly were if you're not watching him play. You formed an opinion on his limited AFL performances coming off injury. If you'd watched him in the VFL you would've seen it plain as day. All the things he was doing well were skills that transfer to AFL performances.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

They certainly were if you're not watching him play. You formed an opinion on his limited AFL performances coming off injury. If you'd watched him in the VFL you would've seen it plain as day.

Struggling to get through to you isn't it?

I assume you are referring to his VFL form of all of 2 games in 2023?

One where he dominated and the other where he had an ok game?

So you formed an opinion off two games at a lower level whilst I formed one from 9 games at the higher level?

 

[Junk yard]

Struggling to get through to you isn't it?

I assume you are referring to his VFL form of all of 2 games in 2023?

One where he dominated and the other where he had an ok game?

So you formed an opinion off two games at a lower level whilst I formed one from 9 games at the higher level?

Try 2021and 2022, seriously got a personality disorder if you can't admit when you're wrong. You're one of those kids that never got hit?

 

[Junk yard]

Struggling to get through to you isn't it?

I assume you are referring to his VFL form of all of 2 games in 2023?

One where he dominated and the other where he had an ok game?

So you formed an opinion off two games at a lower level whilst I formed one from 9 games at the higher level?

2021 vs essendon in the two's, 35 with 9 marks and 27 hit outs and 30 contested possessions, the most in the comp since 2011. This as a 21yr old developing ruckman, those are freakish numbers and all the contested stuff was always going to translate to the AFL. This kid was dominating in the two's. You formed an opinion off of the few games you watched and now still claim somehow that you were right.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Try 2021and 2022, seriously got a personality disorder if you can't admit when you're wrong. You're one of those kids that never got hit?

2022 didn't play a VFL game due to injuries and played 12 AFL matches where he was decent in 3 of them

So are we going back to 2021 VFL form?

 

[Ligma]

I doubt any of us thought he'd be AA this year. Thats basically saying he's the best ruck in the game.

I thought he'd easily be in the top five in the comp tho.

People have laughed at me cos I said he could mark and kick goals. We're too quick to write players off if they don't start like Sheeze did or have a bad year.

I DID EXCUSE YOU I CALLED IT IN FEB

 

[Junk yard]

2022 didn't play a VFL game due to injuries and played 12 AFL matches where he was decent in 3 of them

So are we going back to 2021 VFL form?

Yeah mate, all VFL form that's where he was developing funnily enough.

 

[Chadwiko]

seriously got a personality disorder if you can't admit when you're wrong. You're one of those kids that never got hit?

The absolute irony.

 

[Junk yard]

The absolute irony.


View attachment 2079023

If Will plays an all Australian year next year, or even a season of note ill be quite happy to eat humble dick. You can have a field day quoting me old mate.

 

[Chadwiko]

If Will plays an all Australian year next year, or even a season of note ill be quite happy to eat humble dick. You can have a field day quoting me old mate.

I'm just a bit confused why you think anyone expressing doubt about a 21/22 year old Xerri back in 2021 was foolish, and yet you (more than any other poster on this site) have drawn a line through 22 year old Will Phillips and you abuse anyone who dares to suggest that he has a future for North Melbourne.

 

[Junk yard]

I'm just a bit confused why you think anyone expressing doubt about a 21/22 year old Xerri back in 2021 was foolish, and yet you (more than any other poster on this site) have drawn a line through 22 year old Will Phillips and you abuse anyone who dares to suggest that he has a future for North Melbourne.

It was last year and the start of this year that people were writing off Xerri and it was foolish, it's now been proven. Will's form last year wasn't great and it's worse this year, his ability to run out a game has declined. Will played three games of AFL last year that were better than anything he's produced in the second tier this year. He's just not very good, unfortunately. Anyway, not really the place to debate Will, we will see where he sits at the end of the year.

 

[Chadwiko]

It was last year and the start of this year that people were writing off Xerri and it was foolish...

Last year Xerri only played 2 VFL games and 8 AFL games. At the AFL level, he didn't play well. And at the VFL level he had arguably one good game and one average game.

Xerri didn't play any VFL in 2022, either.

By your own admission you specifically said you were referring to his VFL form in 2021.

Will played three games of AFL last year that were better than anything he's produced in the second tier this year. He's just not very good, unfortunately.

Will Phillips this year has produced far more at VFL level (the level that you suggest is crucial for development) than Xerri ever did at VFL level prior to this year. At VFL level in 2024, Will Phillips is averaging 23.2 disposals and 6.5 tackles.

None of what I'm saying is trying to suggest that Will Phillips is better than Tristan Xerri. I'm simply pointing out the hypocrisy of your argument; if people were "foolish" last year to write off 24 year old Xerri who had shown very little at VFL or AFL level in the previous 2 years, and you have to go back to 2021 for his last 'great' VFL game... then why is it acceptable for you to write off 22 year old Will Phillips who has played very well?

 

[Junk yard]

Last year Xerri only played 2 VFL games and 8 AFL games. At the AFL level, he didn't play well. And at the VFL level he had arguably one good game and one average game.

Xerri didn't play any VFL in 2022, either.

By your own admission you specifically said you were referring to his VFL form in 2021.



Will Phillips this year has produced far more at VFL level (the level that you suggest is crucial for development) than Xerri ever did at VFL level prior to this year. At VFL level in 2024, Will Phillips is averaging 23.2 disposals and 6.5 tackles.

None of what I'm saying is trying to suggest that Will Phillips is better than Tristan Xerri. I'm simply pointing out the hypocrisy of your argument; if people were "foolish" last year to write off 24 year old Xerri who had shown very little at VFL or AFL level in the previous 2 years, and you have to go back to 2021 for his last 'great' VFL game... then why is it acceptable for you to write off 22 year old Will Phillips who has played very well?

Jesus. You will never admit that you're wrong.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Jesus. You will never admit that you're wrong.

From the person who asked me to look at Xerris 2022 VFL form

Of which there was none