Ball out for season

[Swansinger]

Well, it's bad news and none of us will be more gutted than Jason.
It's not purely his ruckwork but also his general play that we will miss.
Doyle needs to come back to save Goodesy's legs and lungs.

Still , I'll side the optimistic posters in this thread.
We've just beaten a very good top eight side with Jason off the ground.

And the single most important function of a ruckman , IMO , is to provide a contest and keep his opponent "honest".
Even if he doesn't get the tap , he can still make it harder for the other side to clear the ball.
As Lou Richards said "It's us little blokes who make you big blokes look good!"

There is no direct , constant correlation between winning the taps and winning the game.
Witness the game v Melbourne at the MCG last year - White had IIRC 43 hit-outs , but we still slaughtered them.

[floppinab]

I think ruck work is overrated.

I disagree to a certain extent. The three or four clubs with high quality ruckmen really do feed off their first hands to the ball. The rest of the competition, particularly when playing each other, rucks have less of an impact.

Biggest concern is Doyles stretching recovery time, half a season has nearly turned into the whole season. There's got to be a question mark as to whether he's going to make it at all.

I'm most exited about LRT's capability to come in. He should contest well enough in the ruck and around the ground marking is fantastic. Let's hope his hammy is a small one.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by floppinab
I disagree to a certain extent. The three or four clubs with high quality ruckmen really do feed off their first hands to the ball.

I think it's no coincidence that the teams with the best ruck divisions also have the best midfields - Adelaide, West Coast, Brisbane. Look at Melbourne - White was one of the best ruckmen in the comp, yet it didn't seem to help them regularly. They pointed out on On the Couch last night that only 30% of Clarke's tapouts go to advantage. That's not high and I'm sure the percentage is also raised by the quality of their midfield.

[NMWBloods]

Originally posted by floppinab
Biggest concern is Doyles stretching recovery time, half a season has nearly turned into the whole season. There's got to be a question mark as to whether he's going to make it at all.

Yeah - I worry whether he will be fully ready if he comes back shortly.

I'm most exited about LRT's capability to come in. He should contest well enough in the ruck and around the ground marking is fantastic. Let's hope his hammy is a small one.

I think, potentially, he could fill in really well. Simply needs to give a contest at the bounces and throw ins, and get to the marking competitions.

[EMJ]

What position does Heath James play? Ignorant but can't follow all positions. Why can't he come in to the team - rookie can be promoted with season injury now?
Also what position does Ryan Crawford play? He is solid = bulky and tallish. Could he be considered.

Will they also look into Ball's contract I hope for next year. He needs to sign up for at least 1 to 2 years. I wonder how he feels now he is injured again - hope he will play on for us.

[BAM_BAM]

Heath spent considerable time down back last week as does Crawford

[liz]

The plan for James before he suffered all his injuries was to groom him as our next FB. He's not that tall (only listed at 189cm, I think) but seems to be a very good mark - bit of Dunks about him, we hope.

[Nico]

Both James and Goodes played in the 2's together in their first season. I stand corrected, but I don't think either got a game in the ones.

One day at AFL Park they both starred, and the consensus then was that James was slightly ahead of Goodes.

Now if James has retained that talent through his horror injury run, gets back in the squad, then he must add great "body" to the team. I would suggest that the above is why he has been able to hang on at Sydney by the skin of his teeth.

[Charlie]

The H-S lists LRT as being tested, Doyle as 2-3 weeks away and Meiklejohn as AVAILABLE.

MJ, this is your chance to shine.

[Bas]

I am hoping that should Doyle come back fully recovered then he might just be an unknown factor for opposition teams. Apart from Carlton, no one else has had to match up on him. This could prove to be very beneficial for the Swans.

Am I dreaming?? Ball's loss is very significant but I hope we get another shining light stepping up.

Not looking forward to the flogging we will get in the ruck this week.

[Charlie]

Originally posted by Nico
Both James and Goodes played in the 2's together in their first season. I stand corrected, but I don't think either got a game in the ones.

One day at AFL Park they both starred, and the consensus then was that James was slightly ahead of Goodes.

Now if James has retained that talent through his horror injury run, gets back in the squad, then he must add great "body" to the team. I would suggest that the above is why he has been able to hang on at Sydney by the skin of his teeth.

Not sure how this works. Goodes was taken in the '97 draft, didn't play in the firsts in 1998 and hasn't played at a lower level from 1999 onwards.

Heath James came onto the list through the 1998 draft. So they would have only played with each other in Heath's five senior appearances.

[Newbie]

Originally posted by Nico
Both James and Goodes played in the 2's together in their first season. I stand corrected, but I don't think either got a game in the ones.

One day at AFL Park they both starred, and the consensus then was that James was slightly ahead of Goodes.

Now if James has retained that talent through his horror injury run, gets back in the squad, then he must add great "body" to the team. I would suggest that the above is why he has been able to hang on at Sydney by the skin of his teeth.

Goodes was drafted in 97, James in 98. Didn't Goodes play every game and win the NRS in 98. I doubt if James and Goodes have ever played together in 2's, particularly in 98 or 99. James was injured for most of the year in 99.

[Plugger46]

Originally posted by Newbie
Goodes was drafted in 97, James in 98. Didn't Goodes play every game and win the NRS in 98. I doubt if James and Goodes have ever played together in 2's, particularly in 98 or 99. James was injured for most of the year in 99.

He won the NRS in 1999, and they did play in the 2's together because Nico and I watched them.

[Charlie]

Newbie probably meant to say 99.

Sorry mate, but the two of you must be getting your wires crossed. The years don't fit together - the only two games that AG missed in 1999 were because of a broken arm. Heath James wasn't always number 18, if that helps. He was number 30 between 1999 and 2001.

[Plugger46]

Originally posted by Charlie
Newbie probably meant to say 99.

Sorry mate, but the two of you must be getting your wires crossed. The years don't fit together - the only two games that AG missed in 1999 were because of a broken arm. Heath James wasn't always number 18, if that helps. He was number 30 between 1999 and 2001.

It may have been Ansett Cup, possibly against the bulldogs at Waverley, I could be wrong though.

BTW, didn't Goodes miss the first couple of the '99 season before being selected in the senior side, I thought his first game was against Richmond at the MCG, I could quite possibly be wrong there too.