Rucking situation

[Saintschampions08]

Any further news on King's 'strain'?

If it's a strain like they've been saying so far this year, he'll be out for 4 weeks.

Makes it extremely important that Gardiner comes back next week...

my major worry is that if he doesn't come back in, Kozzie will have to bear the brunt of the ruckwork, and Gehrig will be FF, which effectively puts us in the same position as last year.

[Buckets]

i honestly think that if gards isn't right then we stick macca in to run the port ruckmen ragged on saturday night it then allows Kosi to be freed up just a bit more!

[The_Dud]

we were almost one big man short tonight.......

[mad saint guy]

i honestly think that if gards isn't right then we stick macca in to run the port ruckmen ragged on saturday night it then allows Kosi to be freed up just a bit more!

You think McEvoy is fitter and more mobile than Lade and Brogan?!

Gards should come up this week and he would be the number one ruck with Kosi as support. No dramas.

If Gardiner isn't available then Kosi to be the number one ruckman with Blake supporting (Gehrig back in).

[bigcarl]

i honestly think that if gards isn't right then we stick macca in to run the port ruckmen ragged on saturday night it then allows Kosi to be freed up just a bit more!

it was evident in the third quarter tonight how much we needed kosi as a key forward.

riewoldt simply cannot do it by himself and we looked impotent for a while when kosi had to go into the ruck.

perhaps we'll see mcevoy in as a tall forward option if kosi has to ruck

[plugger66]

i honestly think that if gards isn't right then we stick macca in to run the port ruckmen ragged on saturday night it then allows Kosi to be freed up just a bit more!

it was evident in the third quarter tonight how much we needed kosi as a key forward.

riewoldt simply cannot do it by himself and we looked impotent for a while when kosi had to go into the ruck.

What was evident is Kosi has completely lost his ability to ruck. Blake was more competitive.

[my les foote]

I've only seen the last quarter but we ended up with Blake being the target on our forward thrusts.

I love the Blake but I don't think he is the answer as a number 1 forward.

[bigcarl]

What was evident is Kosi has completely lost his ability to ruck. Blake was more competitive.

i've got no problem with blake rucking. he's done it successfully before.

but if fraser's not playing then we must have kosi as a permanent forward in my opinion.

[Buckets]

i honestly think that if gards isn't right then we stick macca in to run the port ruckmen ragged on saturday night it then allows Kosi to be freed up just a bit more!

You think McEvoy is fitter and more mobile than Lade and Brogan?!

Gards should come up this week and he would be the number one ruck with Kosi as support. No dramas.

If Gardiner isn't available then Kosi to be the number one ruckman with Blake supporting (Gehrig back in).

Yet you want Kosi and Blake to ruck????? They are not good enough to ruck. Kosi was well beaten. Keep him forward or at CHB. Macca can come in and do the same thing hamburgerman did to port last week and he kept them in the game not because he won the ruck he won the ball around the ground. Macca could do the same! And he can rest up forward when Kosi needs to pinch hit in the ruck! There is no use getting these top ten draft picks if we are unwilling to use them!

[plugger66]

What was evident is Kosi has completely lost his ability to ruck. Blake was more competitive.

i've got no problem with blake rucking. he's done it successfully before.'

but if fraser's not playing then we must have kosi as a permanent forward in my opinion

We couldnt when King got injured. Had to have Kosi and Blake. Blake couldnt do it on his own.

[bigcarl]

What was evident is Kosi has completely lost his ability to ruck. Blake was more competitive.

i've got no problem with blake rucking. he's done it successfully before.'

but if fraser's not playing then we must have kosi as a permanent forward in my opinion

We couldnt when King got injured. Had to have Kosi and Blake. Blake couldnt do it on his own.

yeah i know. let's hope gards comes up for next week.

[The_Dud]

toot toot.........

[The Saintsational Man]

If Gards isn't ready he stays rested, not worth risking him.

We need to be very careful with the big boys this year.....

We need them more come the end of the year.

[hAyES]

Not a bad idea bringing in McEvoy to see how he goes. Carlton have done it with Kruezer and he's playing pretty well. Worth a shot I think.

[plugger66]

Not a bad idea bringing in McEvoy to see how he goes. Carlton have done it with Kruezer and he's playing pretty well. Worth a shot I think.

Im not sure we would even think about him playing next week against Lade and Brogan. Give him time to improve. hasnt done near enough yet. He cannot be compared to Kruezer because he was ready to go from round one.

[bigcarl]

Not a bad idea bringing in McEvoy to see how he goes. Carlton have done it with Kruezer and he's playing pretty well. Worth a shot I think.

Im not sure we would even think about him playing next week against Lade and Brogan. Give him time to improve. hasnt done near enough yet. He cannot be compared to Kruezer because he was ready to go from round one.

he's not as physically developed as kruezer is he?

[Nick_Stone29]

Kingy has been pushed to far the past few weeks when Gardiner was out injured. I said he was an accident waiting to happen & sure enough he's now out for 2-3/ Rixxy should have been in against the Doggies as unfortuantely Kingy days as Rucking 20 mins of each quarter are gone. Not a knock on Kingy at all, more so the Match Comittee.

Saw McEvoy a few weeks ago against Sandringham and i dont think he will be ready for the 1's as yet but moves well , has good leap and has good set of hands !

[mad saint guy]

Yet you want Kosi and Blake to ruck????? They are not good enough to ruck. Kosi was well beaten. Keep him forward or at CHB. Macca can come in and do the same thing hamburgerman did to port last week and he kept them in the game not because he won the ruck he won the ball around the ground. Macca could do the same! And he can rest up forward when Kosi needs to pinch hit in the ruck! There is no use getting these top ten draft picks if we are unwilling to use them!

Kosi and Blake are the best options if King and Gardiner are out. McEvoy's fitness is nowhere near AFL level, he hasn't played a whole lot of footy in the ruck and he would be absolutely monstered by Lade and Brogan. He has 2008 to find his feet at VFL level, not to be brought into the AFL against the best ruck combo in the country.

Leuenberger is an absolute freak and will take Dean Cox's title as the best ruckman in the competition in a few years. Not every young ruckman can walk into the AFL and hold his own against the best. If you want a ruck combo that can win the ball around the ground, what is wrong with Kosi and Blake?

And Rix is just a terrible, terrible footballer.

None of this will probably matter though, since Gardiner should be right to return.

[benengel14]

Kosi and Blake are the best options if King and Gardiner are out.

Kosi and Blake are the only options at this point in time.

[saintsRrising]

Gardi was in the Social Club.

He certainly was walking ok.

When asked if he would be playing next week he is non-commital.

[hAyES]

McEvoy hasn't played much as a ruckmen did someone say? I thought we picked him as our future ruckmen? Anybody able to elaborate on this 'cause I don't really know much about him?

[Richter]

What was evident is Kosi has completely lost his ability to ruck. Blake was more competitive.

Yep, for mine the major difference between the teams.

1st half King in the ruck - well on top

3rd quarter Hille smashed Kosi, who looked totally at sea, and delivered the ball on a plate to his onballers. Blake did his best, but not really competitive against one of the league's best ruckmen.

4th quarter, thankfully Laycock spent more time in the ruck and Blake could at least be competetitve with him.

If King/Gards are both out I seriously think we need to consider Rix coming in. Not at all happy with the idea of Kosi/Blake combo.

McEvoy too green for the 1s at this stage.

[bigcarl]

McEvoy hasn't played much as a ruckmen did someone say? I thought we picked him as our future ruckmen? Anybody able to elaborate on this 'cause I don't really know much about him?

someone else said his junior coach was more interested in winning matches than developing him as a ruckman, so consequently he has played most of his junior football as a key forward.

from the little i've seen of him he is in the mould of a kosi. tall and with very sticky fingers and a nice kick.

but he is only a kid and wouldn't be anywhere near physically as mature as Lade and Bogan.

but if the powers that be decide that kosi must ruck next week and that fraser is not back in then perhaps there is a role for him as second tall forward.

[bigcarl]

What was evident is Kosi has completely lost his ability to ruck. Blake was more competitive.

Yep, for mine the major difference between the teams.

1st half King in the ruck - well on top

3rd quarter Hille smashed Kosi, who looked totally at sea, and delivered the ball on a plate to his onballers.

kosi might not have been that impressive in the ruck, but let's not overlook the fact that his absence from the forward line cost us dearly in the third quarter.

the ball rebounded out quite regularly for essendon goals with riewoldt playing a lone hand.

[vacuous space]

someone else said his junior coach was more interested in winning matches than developing him as a ruckman, so consequently he has played most of his junior football as a key forward.

I said that, and I want to backtrack a little. I was being a little unfair. He basically split time with Dawson Simpson. Both of them dominated their (often much smaller) opponents. The one time McEvoy was really exposed to a higher level of competition he struggled against guys like Kreuzer and Naitanui who played full time as ruckmen. He's bigger than either of those guys, so he has to grow into his body and learn to use his size to his advantage more. More mobile guys like Kreuzer and Naitanui will always be better at ground level, but rucks don't earn their money at ground level.

Don't believe the hype - none of these guys are the next Dean Cox - but hopefully McEvoy can develop into the type of ruckman King has been for us so far this year. I doubt he'll play against Port. I haven't seen the Scorps, but he would have had to have come a long way to be worthy of a spot next week. If King and Gardiner are unable to go, I'd expect some combination of Kosi, Blake and Rix to do the rucking next week. He won't play up forward either. If we're down a forward, IMO we'll either bring back Frase or give Allen his first game. We want McEvoy rucking.