Lewis Roberts-Thompson, You Star!

[BigBadBarryNo1]

Although I've been worried about Kirk / Bolton in the clearances for some time now, I really think that LRT made up for that in doing a "Goodesy-style ruck / rover" clearance in the 3rd quarter. It allowed Goodesy to run around the ground too. Certainly the losses in the clearances made Dockers get into the ruck and stop their stupid flooding which was stuffing up our kicking. Add on the fact that our forwards stopped playing around with the ball inside 50m arc by the 4th quarter we figured out a way to crack it back.

Crows and Eagles of course will be an entirely different story....

[Ajn]

Originally posted by hammo
That was LRT's best game of the year. He was great in the ruck.

Amazing what heart and passion can achieve for lack of skill. 10/10 LRT

[Nolie]

Originally posted by elroy67
If you allow LRT to play as the 2nd ruck, it surely keeps the door open for Vogels as a tall defender.

Chuck Barry Hall in the backline. i will cop a roasting here but I reckon he is next to useless in a one on one marking contest - but he is a god nullifier. That is everytime he goes for a mark it goes to ground. Perfect back man stuff. Put Vogels up forward.

[punter257]

LRT looked like polly farmer compared to torture

but credit where credit is due - played very well at a crucial point in the game and helped us around the stoppages

[punter257]

Originally posted by Nolie
Chuck Barry Hall in the backline. i will cop a roasting here but I reckon he is next to useless in a one on one marking contest - but he is a god nullifier. That is everytime he goes for a mark it goes to ground. Perfect back man stuff. Put Vogels up forward.

you can't be serious............

[Carolyn]

Could LRT possibly be our next No. 1 ruckman?

[DST]

LRT's game was significant last night and one that can not be gleaned from just stat's.

Up until LRT went onto the ball we were getting smashed in the clearances at the feet of the ruckman. Both Krik & J Bolton were just not able to win the usual contested ball that they do and as a result Freo were winning those clearnaces we have become famous for (much like last week against the Pies).

While LRT didn't really get a clean hit out to advantage, when the ball hit the deck he provided a strong contest on the ground and helped get the ball moving our way.

Really was a case of stats being misleading.

DST

[NMWBloods]

No doubt it turned, but I also think better work from the midfielders in clearances, plus also Freo's midfielders just stopping, were also factors that only partly relate to LRT's good work.

[SimonH]

1. The #1 player who seems to get our stoppage clearances when LRT is rucking is... LRT! Had an uncanny ability last night to get his own ball, and quite simply works harder than other ruckmen, who go for the hitout and then drop back, thinking, 'Right, that's my job done then'.

2. Credit where it's due for Roos. When I saw that LRT was our second ruck I thought it was worrying, bordering on suicidal: but it turned out to be a masterstroke.

[NMWBloods]

According to the stats he had 3 clearances, same as Jolly.

[Ruck'n'Roll]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
I thought he was very good, but I think "star" is a bit over the top. The stats are interesting.

Leaving aside what picture the stats do, or do not, reveal. It was a good effort by LRT (didn't he get a rising star nomination in the ruck?) and good move by Roos.
The change from a traditional meat-axe ruckman (there is no criticism in that epithet) to a more mobile leaping ruckman is often very effective. It should go without saying that we need to play 2 ruckmen, but I believe that contrasting styles is the best option (it can confuse your grass burners but not as much as theres).

This week against Adelaide we face a forwad line that may contain Riccuito, Hentschell, Burton and possibly McGregor. If Leo, B2, Dempster and Vogels repectively can handle them ~ then the LRT ruck experiment can continue against the crows 2 big ruckmen.

[ScottH]

Originally posted by NMWBloods
According to the stats he had 3 clearances, same as Jolly.

The stats wouldn't count the bullocking work done to get the ball out of a pack situatuation.

[Rizzo]

http://www.smh.com.au/news/afl/accidental-ruckman-turns-hero/2006/07/02/1151778813002.html

...when coach Paul Roos turned to Roberts-Thomson at three-quarter time on Saturday and asked if he could take the place of Darren Jolly in the ruck, the 22-year-old told the coach: "Oh, can you put Jolly in?".

Roos said: "I said OK, but then I think he remembered who he was talking to and he said: 'Oh no, no, I'm right, I'm right'.

[Missy]

lol...its such an LR thing to say. Geez he's a dork. How can you not love him?