Grundy Needs Help(No More KPP Rucks)

[Dave The Man]

He can't do it by himself and having Players like Dawes,Lynch or White help him is just crap and useless. We need those players premaritally forward.
We need Hudson or Witts to play alongside Grundy and end of year Recurit a Mature Age Ruckman to help him out.

Grundy is a Exciting Young Ruck Talent but is still Raw.

Who else Agree's?

[thompsoc]

true will we burn him out like we did Fraser?

[Dave The Man]

[Tannin]

I reckon we should play horses for courses, Dave. Yep, where we are playing a side with two strong rucks, Grundy should have a mate to help him out - and Witts is the boy. But where the opposition play a single ruck plus someone in the Leigh Brown role, I'm OK with having White and Grundy (or White and Witts if/when Grundy is rested).

The tricky question is this: when we play both genuine ruckmen, can we afford to have White in the side as well before we get too top-heavy? If so, what about Reid when he returns? I suppose we drop Frost at that point and play Reid as a defender.

[Dave The Man]

[Monco Matt]

Agree. White should play permanent forward and bring in Hudson or Witts as a permanent 2nd ruck. Why the hell not? Geelong played Blicavs, Simpson & McIntosh tonight, surely we can find a way to win with Witts or Hudson playing. I think the reason we don't is that Hudson is too old and Witts is crap. So......we will probably burn him like Fraser I guess.

[AN_Inkling]

Certainly won't last as sole first ruck all year.

In tonight's game he had 20 hit outs in the first half and only 4 in the second. So clearly tired as the game went on.

Our lack of a senior ruck is a real concern; probably the biggest hole in our team. I don't like playing two rucks, but with a 19-20 year old as first choice we simply must be playing Hudson and Witts at times during the season.

[The Boy Who Cried Wolf]

[Doc63]

We will definitely have to rest him at some stage, probably more than once. I can see him going the same way as Fraser, which would be a shame.

In a perfect world, he'd be the second ruck.

[collie dog]

Unless some help arrives you can bet on this equation.

Grundy = Josh Fraser MkII

[the pie guy]

I think we do need a back up ruckman next year. the question is are we confident that Witts will mature and can he play in the same team as Grundy. If not then make the call and recruit a 24/25yr old ready made ruck man.
If we believe that the two young'uns can make a good combination the we need a mature ruck to help out in the short term, without breaking the bank.
IMHO that player could be Jon Giles from GWS, he is 200cm, 103kg 27 yrs old, currently playing as second ruck/forward (kicked 4 goals last week) and is likely to be squeezed out as Patton, Cameron, Boyd and others come in. Was their number one ruck and competed well the last few years, would give us 10/15 taps a game, provide a forward option, while giving Witts, Grundy and Moore a chance to develop.

[Piesnchess]

THE sooner we get WITTS up and running, the bloody better. !!

[melliot]

I think it's game/opposition specific.

The problem is that we're too slow with Witts & Grundy in the side. Especially when one plays deep forward. The ball bounces out like a trampoline.

Agree that Grundy needs help. He was spent in the 3rd. Maybe we need to play Lynch. Then we can have Lynch, White & Keefe providing a cumulative greater chop out of say 30%-40%.

[magpieazza]

Can someone tell me if Witts is going to be a good hard running ruckman, because I have the feeling he isn't and it is what we need. Days of the lumbering ruckmen are over and from what I saw last night our players are not running out games. I saw Elliot huffing and puffing in the last quarter but yet he was in the forward line. What of Swan?...is he still the burst player he has always been and not up to handling the increased need of running out games, especially being a midfielder. So if someone asks me if Witts is an answer I say no because it looks to me we need more run run run run run run.....not less.

The most frustrating thing is that it was obvious in the preseason that Grundy could not do it alone and yet should have been addressed in the summer. White is a good trade imo but mainly as that third tall, in fact another White would have been nice. On a positive note I thought Keeffe did well, but geez we are light on for tall rucking runners ala Blicsavs.

Why have we been faced with this same lack of depth in the ruck dept. problem year in year out, we actually have ridden our luck and got away with it, but happens if Grundy goes down?

[roar]

I definitely want us to play 2 ruckman most games. Preferably Grundy and Witts. Can always sub one for a runner at 3/4 time but it will make us much more potent forward and around the ground, IMO.