Rucking Hell

[Sintiger]

There is a current #1 rated ruck in the AFL. Max Gawn has been that for years and has been for all of that time 208cm. He's a dinosaur with the mobility and GBG of a cruiserweight.

Rucks are in two main types. Dinosaurs and Cruiserweights.

By and large Dinosaurs are about tap work and getting in the way either in the forward line, particularly the square or in the defensive hole. By and large.

Cruiserweights are rare these days, mainly they're just shorter dinosaurs but they are still around. Cruiserweights are mor about offensive game. Getting off the other ruck. Brodie Grundy is mainly a cruiserweight. He plays a small game. He's tightened up his defence. But he can't catch. He can't even get in the way when he's forward. He looks to rove. Small game. He's 204cm. Cruiserweight. 204cm.

Tristan Xerri is a cruiserweight. He's 25yo and was probably the best ruck in the game in 2024. He's 202cm. Short. He gets huge blue-collar numbers. Tireless worker. And he uses his body to get HO.

Unfashionable 202cm Darcy Cameron is a rare ruck because he's talented. He can actually play a football position. The hard one. Full forward. He's no star there but he's better than any ruck (apologies to concussion-aware Tim English). Darcy Cameron can and will take a contested mark inside 20m. Everybody likes rucks who can mark but the ruck who really can is unfashionable. Probably the second best ruck in 2024 IMO.

Triple-premiership ruckman Toby Nankervis is a C200cm dinosaur. He's used to be mobile but he's lost that. And he's lost a yard. He's had quite a few hidings at the hands of Gawn and Grundy. Mainly because he's so short. Gawn outreaches him and Grundy outreaches him and holds him for strength.

Why does RFC keep OHB and Mate Colina? Because they're tall. And that matters a lot in a ruck. For all the reasons we already know. And this one - they're getting taller.

There were quite a few who said Nank was ok this year but I am not so sure.

He holds his own against the dinos but as soon as he comes up against a mobile ruck they stretch him by running around the park and he can’t keep up. Even a bloke like English ran him ragged.

Gawn is a freak, to me he and Cox (eagles) are the best two rucks in the 2000s. Big, handle dinos, mobile and mark the ball really well. Leave Gawn out of it, we won’t get a Max Gawn unless we are incredibly lucky.

Do we need a 205cm plus dino or do we need a 200cm cruiserweight? I like the cruiserweights but with one proviso and that is he has to be able to mark the ball, contested. Rucks who mark the ball at halfback and on the wings are gold, they drop back into space in defence.

Don’t know where we get one though.

 

[The Mole]

If he's 205cm I doubt we'd even consider him, TM.

Colina is the tallest in the AFL at 211cm

 

[ToraToraTora]

This dude is available, 8'2". Crutches handy for tap outs too. Get to work Blair.

 

[Dyer'ere]

Yeah fair enough, I understand fully why people are reluctant to draft young ruckmen but this bloke really caught my eye. I certainly won’t microwave my membership if we don’t draft him but if we do happen to take him I fully understand why as our current ruck depth is extremely ordinary and if he is any good he can grow with our new crop of midfielders.

I have pivoted on Dodson, TT. I was ready to see him in the yellow and black but just lately I'm thinking more conservatively about him. I ackshelly like him.

There were quite a few who said Nank was ok this year but I am not so sure.

He holds his own against the dinos but as soon as he comes up against a mobile ruck they stretch him by running around the park and he can’t keep up. Even a bloke like English ran him ragged.

Gawn is a freak, to me he and Cox (eagles) are the best two rucks in the 2000s. Big, handle dinos, mobile and mark the ball really well. Leave Gawn out of it, we won’t get a Max Gawn unless we are incredibly lucky.

Do we need a 205cm plus dino or do we need a 200cm cruiserweight? I like the cruiserweights but with one proviso and that is he has to be able to mark the ball, contested. Rucks who mark the ball at halfback and on the wings are gold, they drop back into space in defence.

Don’t know where we get one though.

@bullus_hit is touting [Correction] J Whitlock as a change ruck, Sin. I think he might be right. And he would be a cruiserweight. Cruiserweights are more change rucks these days and that's probably a plan.

 

[Tigerwa]

Statistically speaking Big Toby is right up there with most ruckmen with the exception of a few.

I dont expect Nank to win ruck contests his role is to compete make it a neutral contest and then go to work when the ball hits the ground.
To me his worth to our team has always been this. He is literally a big inside mid after the ruck contest.

In saying that his hit out stats tell us he is ranked 7th for hit outs with 32.57 a game compared to the other #1 ruckmen at each club.

We all go mad about his marking including me. The stats tell us when compared to the other #1 ruckmen at each club that maybe we are being a bit harsh.
He came 5th for marks 3.29 when compared to the other #1 ruckmen. Tim English came #1 averaging 6.0. He came 8th for contested marks 0.9 average . Gawn #1 with 2.0 per game and 2nd was English with 1.17. Just maybe we are too focused on our boy and don't pay enough attention on what the oppo rucks are dishing up on a regular basis.

He is 8th for disposals averaging 16.0 per game Tim English was 5th with 16.48. Only Rowan Marshall averaged more than twenty with 20.74 disposals.

Tackles well Only Tristian Xerri had more with 7.52 compared to Toby's 5.29.

This compared to our own mids

Well he actually had more tackles 111 ave 5.29, contested possesions 210 ave 10.0 , and clearances 91 ave 4.33 than any other tiger. For an inside mid these three areas are pretty important basics. I think only Taranto pipped him in the averages.

I think we undervalue his role in the team. After competing in the ruck he plays as a big inside mid and he does damn well. Throw in he is one of very few we have that plays with real aggression.

 

[AngryAnt]

Nank is great.

 

[Willo]

Colina is the tallest in the AFL at 211cm

He hasn’t got close to the AFL yet. Lucky to class him as the tallest in the VFL

 

[tigertim]

Colina is the tallest in the AFL at 211cm

Isn’t Mason Cox 211cm?