Welcome Welcome to Hawthorn : Lloyd Meek

[KermitJagger]

It's astonishing how one ruck rule change can almost completely change the makeup of what constitutes the best rucks in the league.

This year based on player ratings:

1. Gawn
2. Pittonet (28th in 2023)
3. Xerri (22nd in 2023)
4. Jackson
5. Briggs
6. Meek (30th in 2023)

Half of the form rucks in the competition were miles off it last season.

Meek has taken this opportunity with both hands, he's been good at everything, bad at nothing, and the only thing I could even slightly ask for is maybe a few more contested marks around the ground. It'd be so bloody good to have a guy like McEvoy or Hale out there to complement him.

 

[cryptor]

I think I saw him feign a handball at half back during the 1st or 3rd quarter that drew in a few Dogs players and then allowed him to pop it over to a runner in space.

As good as Reeves can be in the ruck, I can't recall him ever displaying that level of dexterity or footy IQ. Reeves now has a lot to work on at Box Hill before I think he's considered for selection against a fit and in form Meek.

 

[KermitJagger]

I think I saw him feign a handball at half back during the 1st or 3rd quarter that drew in a few Dogs players and then allowed him to pop it over to a runner in space.

As good as Reeves can be in the ruck, I can't recall him ever displaying that level of dexterity or footy IQ. Reeves now has a lot to work on at Box Hill before I think he's considered for selection against a fit and in form Meek.

I say this as a big advocate for Reeves last season, I don't think he makes it back in. The new rules around holding your ground favour bigger, stronger and more mobile rucks. Someone like Reeves who relies on the tap is at a complete disadvantage now that he can be bullocked out of the contest more easily and is at more of a disadvantage when the ball hits the deck.

 

[cryptor]

I say this as a big advocate for Reeves last season, I don't think he makes it back in. The new rules around holding your ground favour bigger, stronger and more mobile rucks. Someone like Reeves who relies on the tap is at a complete disadvantage now that he can be bullocked out of the contest more easily and is at more of a disadvantage when the ball hits the deck.

I think he can make it back in (outside of an injury to Meek) but he has a lot to work on and it’s not the type of stuff he’ll improve in a month or two at VFL level.

 

[HedgeFund]

I think I saw him feign a handball at half back during the 1st or 3rd quarter that drew in a few Dogs players and then allowed him to pop it over to a runner in space.

As good as Reeves can be in the ruck, I can't recall him ever displaying that level of dexterity or footy IQ. Reeves now has a lot to work on at Box Hill before I think he's considered for selection against a fit and in form Meek.

Lloyd is no doubt an "old school" footballer who has played the game from a young age.

Not an athlete by any stretch, but just plays it like a big ruck rover following the pill around all day.

His knock back to Ward for that goal in the 1st quarter was clever.
His ability (now confidence is growing) to fake handballs and change angles is clever.

He's just starting to understand how much he can impact around the ground / in traffic and it's very exciting to watch.

 

[Philhawk]

I think I saw him feign a handball at half back during the 1st or 3rd quarter that drew in a few Dogs players and then allowed him to pop it over to a runner in space.

As good as Reeves can be in the ruck, I can't recall him ever displaying that level of dexterity or footy IQ. Reeves now has a lot to work on at Box Hill before I think he's considered for selection against a fit and in form Meek.

I couldn’t agree more. I was a big Reeves fan, but his physical limitations makes me question what’s the path forward for him.

I don’t think strength will help him with these rules, unless I’m wrong?

 

[play2win]

Lloyd is no doubt an "old school" footballer who has played the game from a young age.

Not an athlete by any stretch, but just plays it like a big ruck rover following the pill around all day.

His knock back to Ward for that goal in the 1st quarter was clever.
His ability (now confidence is growing) to fake handballs and change angles is clever.

He's just starting to understand how much he can impact around the ground / in traffic and it's very exciting to watch.

Not sure I agree with this, he is not just bulk so to speak and can burst from a contest. Maybe we just have different views of athletic traits? Have been very impressed with how he has performed in the last few weeks.

 

[Simon_Nesbit]

I couldn’t agree more. I was a big Reeves fan, but his physical limitations makes me question what’s the path forward for him.

I don’t think strength will help him with these rules, unless I’m wrong?

Not so much strength as core strength.

It's Reeves' ability to hold his position in the ruck contest that is now under threat.

He should get there, and is still a better ruck than Meek even with the rule changes, but his advantage is greatly reduced, and swung the balance back to Meek.

I didn't think Lloyd had it in him - but confidence is an amazing thing.

 

[CHUBBSS]

Just keeps getting better and better, when we are under pressure he always lifts.

Reeves is worth a trade for the right price after Meeks rise this year

 

[TassieGrown]

Just keeps getting better and better, when we are under pressure he always lifts.

Reeves is worth a trade for the right price after Meeks rise this year

Don't like this idea, we have Ramma & Reeves as rucks at BoxHill.

We trade him that just leaves Ramma as a ruck option next season & TBH he looks way off it

 

[CHUBBSS]

Don't like this idea, we have Ramma & Reeves as rucks at BoxHill.

We trade him that just leaves Ramma as a ruck option next season & TBH he looks way off it

Ramma and Tucker is developing. Nash & Chol great support, even Dear provided a lot of aggression when he went in but would obviously need the right match up. I just think it's worth more than a thought for the right offer.

 

[SSSSSS]

I like him getting the handball receive and just driving through two or three tacklers like a front rower.

He has an appetite for the contest.

 

[HedgeFund]

Not sure I agree with this, he is not just bulk so to speak and can burst from a contest. Maybe we just have different views of athletic traits? Have been very impressed with how he has performed in the last few weeks.

To clarify, he's not a "convert" like Blicavs who came across and smashed it because he was able to get around much better than other rucks.

 

[hawkman]

I say this as a big advocate for Reeves last season, I don't think he makes it back in. The new rules around holding your ground favour bigger, stronger and more mobile rucks. Someone like Reeves who relies on the tap is at a complete disadvantage now that he can be bullocked out of the contest more easily and is at more of a disadvantage when the ball hits the deck.

He needs to be putting in the gym work now even if it sacrifices this season. As it stands he is going to struggle under the new rules so he may as well write off this to get his body prepared to have the best chance next year

 

[KermitJagger]

He needs to be putting in the gym work now even if it sacrifices this season. As it stands he is going to struggle under the new rules so he may as well write off this to get his body prepared to have the best chance next year

Not gonna help him I fear. It's mindset thing for him as much as it is a strength thing, and even if he does get bigger and stronger he'll be sacrificing some of his workrate which is already a weakness.

 

[TassieGrown]

Ramma and Tucker is developing. Nash & Chol great support, even Dear provided a lot of aggression when he went in but would obviously need the right match up. I just think it's worth more than a thought for the right offer.

Forgot about Tucker

 

[Roddy]

Other teams play two rucks. The bummers seem to have THREE rucks playing, rotating through ruck and forward (Goldy, Draper and Cox). Why do we think it doesn't work for us?

In form, the Reeves and Meek ruck duo could be formidable.

 

[I got the outside word]

Other teams play two rucks. The bummers seem to have THREE rucks playing, rotating through ruck and forward (Goldy, Draper and Cox). Why do we think it doesn't work for us?

In form, the Reeves and Meek ruck duo could be formidable.

It doesn’t work because neither of them are even average marks and struggle forward.

 

[MrPremiership]

Most improved player on the list

 

[Bedi]

Second most contested possessions for us yesterday is a very encouraging stat. I'd be very interested to see the comparison of hitouts to advantage for Reeves vs Meek, as that's def one thing Meek can improve on given the huge amount of hitouts he gets.

 

[lyger]

I think I saw him feign a handball at half back during the 1st or 3rd quarter that drew in a few Dogs players and then allowed him to pop it over to a runner in space.

As good as Reeves can be in the ruck, I can't recall him ever displaying that level of dexterity or footy IQ. Reeves now has a lot to work on at Box Hill before I think he's considered for selection against a fit and in form Meek.

I loved the passage of play leading to the Sic mark and goal in last quarter.

• Meeky contests boundary throw in.
• Newk takes possession and handballs to Meeky in congestion.
• With players around him, Meeky is calm, spots Moore and fires off an offensive handball to release Moore in space.

He could have hacked a kick forward, or created a stoppage, but was able to execute a great handball. Has been a revelation.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

I was a Reeves defender, but Meek has been absolutely superb since coming in. Would love to see him take some more marks, but I hope that'll come as he continues to develop.
His ability to impact all around the ground has been huge for us, and is the clear difference between he and Reeves. He's getting double figure touches most week, tackles, clearances and looks like he has the confidence from his team mates to use him as an outlet when available (something Reeves never seemed to have).

He's making us a better team with his presence. Can't ask for much more than that

 

[matey]

Others have mentioned it but the fake handball and tap back into play on the goal line shows that the big man has some smarts. Might not be Gawn like taking those big marks but this may still develop but geez he cracks in at ball up’s and good competing in general play when we don’t have it.

 

[I got the outside word]

The best ruckman in the league get the inside handball delivered to them and are able to release players on the outside with their own handballs which could be apart of the answer for us. I’m not sure if I’m ignorant or not but I think this was the first real showing of it happening for us on the weekend. I think Reeves is too slow to do it and too tall if the hand ball goes to ground or he fumbles it. I love what Reeves has done and his ability to tap but I think Meek might be the future. The new rules also favour one and not so much the other. There may still be a place for Reeves if he improves a few things but Meek has sped past him this year which from a team perspective as apposed to an individual is a really good thing.

 

[Alex_au]

Big boy meekavoy