Hate to repeat it but McEvoy...

[WinnersOnly]

Hate to repeat it but McEvoy is the worst No 1 ruckman in the competition. He was easily beaten by all if Sydneys ruckman (even Seaby) they were ramming it down there mids throats. He again struggled against Geelongs 3 prong rucks. Again I repeat he is a battler but the poor bugger just has no leap! On the contrary Reece Stanley looked pretty good rucking and really good up forward.

Just while we on player foibles - Armitage is way too slow to play midfield & again sone of our kicking was abysmal - Jones, Ray, Stevens & Polo. Observation - Stanley should ousts Kosi this year!

[LENNY LEADS THE WAY]

How do you rate the Big Mac's work around the ground?

Nice set of hands yeah?

[fugazi]

big trouble on the ruck this year. Wish we'd persuaded Gardi to go round again.

[QuestionOfAccuracy]

I am a McEvoy fan, but unfortunately the actual tap-work side of his game is still seriously lacking and is one of the many reasons why our midfield was much weaker last year.

And yes, we have absolutely no depth in the ruck department. If Big Mac were to go down then we would be struggling big time.

[Spinner]

His tapwork needs development but he is 21/22. Best ruckman other than Kruzer and amazing to be the #1 ruck!

He will be a star. Have a look at his stats - his HO have improved year on year.

[bobmurray]

His tapwork needs development but he is 21/22. Best ruckman other than Kruzer and amazing to be the #1 ruck!

He will be a star. Have a look at his stats - his HO have improved year on year.

Right

[SainterK]

I can live with him 'developing' his ruck skills on the job, if hecontinues to impact the play like he did in the last game...that will be my measuring stick for him this year.

[vacuous space]

I applaud your restraint. You waited all of 80 minutes of preseason football to tell us that Mac still isn't a great tap ruckman. Good for you.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

big trouble on the ruck this year. Wish we'd persuaded Gardi to go round again.

yep cause he was so great for us last year on the injury list .... gardi's body was done and dusted at the end of 2010 he would be of no use to us now

[hAyES]

It is frustrating to watch him get comprehensively beaten at the actual ruck contest every week. I get that he's young but you think there would be at least some improvement as the years go on and there hasn't been any.

All I ask for from any ruckmen is not to put it down our midfielders throats every time (even though that would be nice), just give a contest. We were spoiled for a few years with Gardi and King and now we're getting the complete opposite of that.

[Armoooo]

Are you serious?

It's the pre-season for starters... but secondly he was in the top 5 or 6 rucks in the comp last year, if there is one player on the list who is getting the best out of themselves (other than possibly Dal or Milne) it is McEvoy.

Still young and will continue to improve.

[Sainternist]

Are you serious?

It's the pre-season for starters... but secondly he was in the top 5 or 6 rucks in the comp last year, if there is one player on the list who is getting the best out of themselves (other than possibly Dal or Milne) it is McEvoy.

Still young and will continue to improve.

+1

[Sainter93]

Couldn't have been too bad if we comprehensively won the contested possessions and clearances in both games.
For a ruckman that's only about 22, he's doing a brilliant job.

[Wrote for Luck]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with Big Ben. But not sure where the Stanley information is coming from. Still reckon he looks lost out to see in the forward line. But early days

[plugger66]

I applaud your restraint. You waited all of 80 minutes of preseason football to tell us that Mac still isn't a great tap ruckman. Good for you.

Yep. Got it in one. Seriously does that mean Lenny cant play and others who struggled. Lets at least give him the opening bounce next game before we say he cant ruck.

[Dan Warna]

You guys realise he's only 22 right?

He was one of the last players picked when 17 year olds were available.

I'm dissapointed he hasn't won a brownlow now, lets trade him for picks and see if we can get another 18 year old.

Ruckmen generally are effective from about 24 to 30 because of the time taken for the development of their body and then struggle or have to use cunning after 30 because of the impact on their body and cumulative damage.

PRobably salmon would be the exception.

I'm absolutely rapt in the development of McEvoy and frankly I suspect he's going to be hard to keep with the big offers coming in from other clubs for him.

Further a brief look at his statistics would show that he's improved by about 50% on output per game over the previous 3 seasons, and I expect that to continue till he's about 24/25 when he reaches his plateau.

Given his age many consider he will be one of the dominant ruckmen in the competition by the time he reaches his physical maturity, given he's 202 cm.

I hope we manage to hang on to him.

[Moods]

Are you serious? We smashed the cats in the clearances in the second game. I couldn't care less who jumps higher and who taps the ball. I only care who takes the ball away from the clearance. Mostly it was us in the second game last night.

He didn't take as many marks around the ground last night, but it is still February.

[Dr Spaceman]

McEvoy no good?

And yet others fear GWS are going to snaffle him away from us with a truckload of cash and falafels.

So which is it then? 

[SaintPav]

If there is an award for dumbest thread of the pre season this is it. Might even be a winner for the whole year.

[Spinner]

big trouble on the ruck this year. Wish we'd persuaded Gardi to go round again.

Wow...

[Sobraz]

If there is an award for dumbest thread of the pre season this is it. Might even be a winner for the whole year.

Agreed, beat me to it.. The worst no. 1 ruck in the comp was a great way to open..

Is a very good player already, and will develope into a comp gun and saints great.

[Johnny Member]

big trouble on the ruck this year. Wish we'd persuaded Gardi to go round again.

He never wanted to retire.

[Stillwaiting]

If there is an award for dumbest thread of the pre season this is it. Might even be a winner for the whole year.

Agreed, beat me to it.. The worst no. 1 ruck in the comp was a great way to open..

Is a very good player already, and will develope into a comp gun and saints great.

Agree, he needs to work on tap work bit it is the first game of the nab cup, his work around the ground is so good, imagine how he willbe he is 25.

[plugger66]

big trouble on the ruck this year. Wish we'd persuaded Gardi to go round again.

He never wanted to retire.

Now that is actually completely untrue.

[Old Mate]

McEvoy certainly needs to work on his tap work however he's a good allrounder at the moment. He's very good around the ground - in the air and when the ball hits the deck - average tapwork. He's coming along nicely.

I was happy with Stanley's output at bounces around the ground. He looked much physical in those contests.