Training 2025 Pre-Season

[Velvet George]

And thats okay. I am sure that the last 3 premiership ruckman (Darcy Fort, Mason Cox, Rhys Stanley) all agree with you and think Ruckman are extremely important.

None of them are shit though, you said it doesn’t matter if the ruckman is shit.

 

[Crow till I die]

These training reports have me giddy with excitement. Curtin! Rankine! Rachele! I haven't felt this optimistic about our chances since 12 months ago

Cool the jets. Last year we looked great, training really well etc..then the real stuff began and we finished 4th bottom. Take preseason form with a pinch of salt. If all are fit and conditioned its a good platform, nothing more

 

[AFC979810]

None of them are shit though, you said it doesn’t matter if the ruckman is shit.

I think Cox and Fort are pretty shit.

Stanley is okay.

 

[Velvet George]

I don't think rucks matter that much either. Yes I would take a better one if it didn't cost much, but I don't think it's worth paying a lot for a good one or spending years and years developing someone.

Imo we should let other clubs develop rucks and poach someone we see with potential that is stuck behind someone. It's a unique position where there should be quite a few opportunities to do this.

So you wouldn’t take up one lost spot with a developing ruck but have numerous list spots taken up by mids, forwards and defenders and yet a large number won’t make it.

What’s your thoughts if the rumour is true and we are after Draper? Would you prefer to pay him big money or develop your own ruck?

 

[Velvet George]

I think Cox and Fort are pretty shit.

Stanley is okay.

Lol

 

[1970crow]

Please no with both Thilthorpe and Curtin, high end draft picks and supreme talents shouldn't be hacking around in the ruck....to valuable to our future hopes!

Someone with talent is going to have to do a bit so the first ruck gets a breather. Ideally it won't include centre square work, but it's hard to avoid completely. Surely we don't want 2 anti-footballers in the 22 that just compete in the ruck contest and then go to sleep.

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

What’s your thoughts if the rumour is true and we are after Draper? Would you prefer to pay him big money or develop your own ruck?

I know it's the offseason and miles away from trade period but the Draper rumours have quietened down...?

Maybe it's a Jesse White situation where the club had time to hear the feedback.

Wishful thinking perhaps

 

[AFC979810]

I did accept your response, I’ll post it again, you said you can play a shit ruck, it doesn’t matter.

I concede - I concede.

I said Ruckman don't matter. I made an error by not stating, in full, the position I have argued over the past few months correctly. I mean we have been arguing over it and I have clarified many times that as long as you have a competent ruckman it doesn't matter.

Damnit - I knew I shouldn't have gone toe to toe with the guy who beat Marco Bello 9 rounds to 1 in a verbal (but friendly) stoush.

 

[Velvet George]

I know it's the offseason and miles away from trade period but the Draper rumours have quietened down...?

Maybe it's a Jesse White situation where the club had time to hear the feedback.

Wishful thinking perhaps

ams4crows has intel on this, I reckon it’s just the offseason.

If we recruit Draper it’s going to be a funny time to be on BF

 

[Crow till I die]

Someone with talent is going to have to do a bit so the first ruck gets a breather. Ideally it won't include centre square work, but it's hard to avoid completely. Surely we don't want 2 anti-footballers in the 22 that just compete in the ruck contest and then go to sleep.

I'd limit any ruckwork for Thilthorpe to the forward half as a pinch hitting role only..no centre bounce work as its asking for trouble injury wise.

 

[Velvet George]

I concede - I concede.

I said Ruckman don't matter. I made an error by not stating, in full, the position I have argued over the past few months correctly. I mean we have been arguing over it and I have clarified many times that as long as you have a competent ruckman it doesn't matter.

Damnit - I knew I shouldn't have gone toe to toe with the guy who beat Marco Bello 9 rounds to 1 in a verbal (but friendly) stoush.

So what you’re saying is despite clarifying what you’ve posted, I’m ignoring your explanation and I’m holding you to your post and taken your words literally and repeating them over and over?

 

[1970crow]

I'd limit any ruckwork for Thilthorpe to the forward half as a pinch hitting role only..no centre bounce work as its asking for trouble injury wise.

I th8nk that's possible, but not when we demand our first ruck work goal square to goal square.

 

[AFC979810]

So what you’re saying is despite clarifying what you’ve posted, I’m ignoring your explanation and I’m holding you to your post and taken your words literally and repeating them over and over?

I am saying me and Marco should have known better.

 

[Crow till I die]

I th8nk that's possible, but not when we demand our first ruck work goal square to goal square.

I guess you could then define our lead ruck to cb's and then from defence to centre and thilthorpe is the forward half chop out?

 

[Velvet George]

I am saying me and Marco should have known better.

No this is what you’re saying

Ruckman dont matter.

Play a good one, play a shit one, play 3 of them, play one of them. Ruckman very very very very rarely decide premierships.

 

[1970crow]

I guess you could then define our lead ruck to cb's and then from defence to centre and thilthorpe is the forward half chop out?

We could, but we don't. We like to see our ruck competing for marks against our forwards ahead of the ball. And if they're not taking the ruck in the 50, we like them 15m off the stoppage as the elite delivering backwards outlet. It all makes perfect sense if you're inside the 4 walls where no noise gets in.

 

[1970crow]

I don't think rucks matter that much either. Yes I would take a better one if it didn't cost much, but I don't think it's worth paying a lot for a good one or spending years and years developing someone.

Imo we should let other clubs develop rucks and poach someone we see with potential that is stuck behind someone. It's a unique position where there should be quite a few opportunities to do this.

We've won only 2 flags, neither with a traded in ruck. I'm yet to be convinced that our strategies regarding football throughout the last 15-20 years are worth a pinch of excrement.

 

[AFC979810]

I don't think rucks matter that much either. Yes I would take a better one if it didn't cost much, but I don't think it's worth paying a lot for a good one or spending years and years developing someone.

Imo we should let other clubs develop rucks and poach someone we see with potential that is stuck behind someone. It's a unique position where there should be quite a few opportunities to do this.

Spot on.

 

[AFC979810]

We've won only 2 flags, neither with a traded in ruck. I'm yet to be convinced that our strategies regarding football throughout the last 15-20 years are worth a pinch of excrement.

We also won 2 flags by playing 3 full time ruckman in the Grand Finals (97 - Rehn, Keating, Pittman / 98 - Rehn, Pittman, Marsh).

I dont think we should making decisions on list management based on what was successful over a quarter of a century ago.

 

[AFC979810]

No this is what you’re saying

Why can't your mates drag you away from me like they did to save poor Marco.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

I think Cox and Fort are pretty shit.

Stanley is okay.

OK … so far the Rick discussion is primarily based on personal opinion

The facts are, GEEL are the easiest matchup in the AFL for ruck matchups
That means more HTA for opposition … and/or less certainty of hit zones for Geelong mids

I’m no ROB fan … but the Crows are in the top 3 Clubs for the most difficult Ruck matchups in the AFL

ROB is a negating ruck, drops the ball primarily in a small hit zone at his feet ….not with a high degree of precision though …then it’s up to the quality of the mids

It is correct that our mids are not fed the ball with high HTA numbers

The Big O is similar … a negating ruck, but these negating rucks are inferior to the Gawn’s and Darcy’s who can hit to inside and outside hit zones with superior precision

 

[1970crow]

We also won 2 flags by playing 3 full time ruckman in the Grand Finals (97 - Rehn, Keating, Pittman / 98 - Rehn, Pittman, Marsh).

I dont think we should making decisions on list management based on what was successful over a quarter of a century ago.

Not sure how that's a point in your favour. But Pittman played CHB on Stewie Loewe in 97 and Ben Marsh was the early version of Tippett, not a full time ruckman. Did you actually watch those games?

 

[WaynesWorld19]

 

[dogs105]

I am saying me and Marco should have known better.

Marco and I

 

[AFC979810]

Not sure how that's a point in your favour. But Pittman played CHB on Stewie Loewe in 97 and Ben Marsh was the early version of Tippett, not a full time ruckman. Did you actually watch those games?

Pittman was still a ruckman. Gawn isn't considered a forward because he kicked 5 in a prelim. Shane Ellen aint a forward either.