Ivan Maric

[tigertim]

Hampson v Fremantle:
2014: 5 disposals (2 k, 3hb), 2 marks, 19 HO's.
2015: 4 disp ( 1 k, 3 hb) 1 mark, 12 HO.

 

[T-Shirt Tommy]

Yes, but without even bothering to check because I was there at the last Freo game at the G, he did actually manage to take 8 or 9 marks. Some contested, although Ivvy probably did more of the ruck contests.

I know what you need from a ruckman and it's not really new. Mike Green provided this back in our premiership teams in the 60s/early 70s and Balmy and others, Benny Gale when became No.1 ruck. Marks around the ground are vital. If H did this against Sandi, he can do it other games logically.

Hampson is an enigma; he's tantalising.

If he can do it occasionally, why not more consistently? At 28, still is in his prime for a big man. [Definitely put out by the club that he was carrying injuries]

You must be referring to the 2nd Carlton game last year. His best game of the year IIRC.

 

[Sintiger]

Correct Sin.

He averaged 5.6 kicks, 5.2 handballs and tellingly just 2.6 marks per match at VFL level last year of which 0.8 per match were contested.

For a now 28 year old spending the vast majority of the time as first ruck it tells us exactly what he is.

What we've seen is what we'll get. i.e. someone good at hit outs but poor at everything else, especially catching a ball.

He is Trent Knobel plus the hitouts !

 

[Rancey18]

Hampson will surprise many this year.

Hope so, but he is behind the 8 ball currently due to his ankle operations.

 

[leon]

You must be referring to the 2nd Carlton game last year. His best game of the year IIRC.

Yes, I got it wrong sorry. Aging memory and all that!
It must have been the blues game and Kruezer had just came back I think.
It seemed like he at least competed well against Freo in first game.

Maybe far more hope than realism though!!

 

[Tigers of Old]

Hope so, but he is behind the 8 ball currently due to his ankle operations.

He sure is behind the 8 ball. He'll have missed a lot of the pre season and skills work. He can't afford to.

 

[Sintiger]

Yes, I got it wrong sorry. Aging memory and all that!
It must have been the blues game and Kruezer had just came back I think.
It seemed like he at least competed well against Freo in first game.

Maybe far more hope than realism though!!

I think all of us would love to see a quantum leap in Hammer's performances leon because we all know we really a boost in the ruck.

It's just really hard to be optimistic even for someone like me who is generally an optimist

 

[Baloo]

I think all of us would love to see a quantum leap in Hammer's performances leon because we all know we really a boost in the ruck.

It's just really hard to be optimistic even for someone like me who is generally an optimist

darksider

 

[Sintiger]

darksider

Apologist

 

[tigersnake]

I think all of us would love to see a quantum leap in Hammer's performances leon because we all know we really a boost in the ruck.

It's just really hard to be optimistic even for someone like me who is generally an optimist

same here. He has shown he can compete well at the top level, just hasn't done it anywhere near enough.

Anyway for me I have faith strengths in other areas can compensate for a middling ruck division. Every side has weaknesses, even good ones. We have an elite superstar key fwd and an elite superstar key back, other sides would be wringing their hands over that the same way we are over our rucks.

I know its been said a million times, but how many flags have been won over the past decade with a big dominant good at both taps and around the ground ruck? Been mostly good, solid, mobile-ish rucks. Otto is your exception, a true classic premiership ruckman. Mummy was a spectator the year of the Sydney Flag. Hale, McEvoy, Bailey all just solid.

 

[Bullarto Tiger]

Hampson is not the or any answer, really.
Stopgap at best.
That said, how much more can we expect from the big fella Maric? Big heart and attitude we all admire, yet is 2016 his swansong?
The Tigers need a formidable ruckman to surge through the ranks real soon.

 

[Stylo]

Maric is like today's Roger Federer. Will smack around the mid and lower tier opponents, but can't quite match it with the best.

 

[Bullarto Tiger]

Maric is like today's Roger Federer. Will smack around the mid and lower tier opponents, but can't quite match it with the best.

An apt analogy, Stylo
The warrior that Maric is he will no doubt rise to many occasions on the field and be a formidable opponent ... yet it seems the way the game is going Maric will face sterner opposition more often than not with the development of athletic mobile ruckmen.
I am just wondering/hoping about where the Tigers next ruckman is ... is someone being blooded for 2017 and beyond ... or is RFC placing its store is securing a free agent or out of contract player?
I see the position of ruckman in the next two to three years - the Tigers window of opportunity, in my opinion - as crucial to future and ultimate success.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Is it time to hand it to Vickery yet? Waxing with Griffiths?

 

[Baloo]

Is it time to hand it to Vickery yet? Waxing with Griffiths?

Vickery has become too key up forward. Out straightest kick, difficult to match up on.

I'd prefer we push Griff into ruck duties and see if he's got what it takes. If Griff fails then lets move Plasma to the ruck and by then someone like McKenzie will be ready to debut in the big league.

 

[Tigers of Old]

Vickery has become too key up forward. Out straightest kick, difficult to match up on.

I'd prefer we push Griff into ruck duties and see if he's got what it takes. If Griff fails then lets move Plasma to the ruck and by then someone like McKenzie will be ready to debut in the big league.

I'm happy for them both to share ruck duties. They are as effective as Maric in the centre ruck now from what I can see and just as able (probably moreso) around the ground.
Think it's time to make a change from Ivan he moves like a semi trailer now unfortunately. We need to start transitioning. Give them the responsibility.

 

[Bullarto Tiger]

Vickery has become too key up forward. Out straightest kick, difficult to match up on.

I'd prefer we push Griff into ruck duties and see if he's got what it takes. If Griff fails then lets move Plasma to the ruck and by then someone like McKenzie will be ready to debut in the big league.

That sounds as best an option as what the Tigers have for the moment and foreseeable future.
Just hope something clicks in the ruck department before too much longer.

 

[Bullarto Tiger]

Would it be possible in 2016, as part of that transitioning process mentioned, that Maric is picked for select games against particular ruckmen rather than being the week-in-week-out ruckman ... thus providing the opportunity to explore and develop other options to enhance the ruck stocks?

 

[Carter]

Neither Vickery or Griffiths are the answer here, but will no doubt support the fading Ivan in 2016.

A problem indeed.

 

[yandb]

For those writing off Ivan I was watching the EF replay and halfway through the third quarter and Leigh Matthews commented on the ruck duel between Goldstein and Maric and on his assessment he felt that they had broken even at that point on their contributions around the ground.

Ivan is one of those players that you want in the trenches with you when the game is on the line, a real warrior at heart and that is something that the stats don't show.