Clark Keating instead of Spida?

[Lucky Knickers]

What about Clark instead of Spida for a few years?

[Doctor J.]

Would only need 2 touches for the season to be better than Chambers.

[Plugger46]

Too injury-prone in my opinion.

[SimonH]

Yes. We don't actually need a superstar ruckman. We need (or at least, for security, want) a 5th ruckman on our senior list, who can occupy the 2nd ruck position.

1st ruck: Jolly. No matter how much anyone wants to diss Jolly, they couldn't deny that he's in the half-dozen or so top ruckmen in the league. If hitouts aren't the most important statistical measure of a ruckman's output, they're at least somewhere in the top 10: and Jolly led the league by a mile in 2006.
2nd ruck: Doyle is a clear 2nd ruck option if fit; but the risk is too high that he won't be. So we need back-up who is ready to step in and play seniors.
Young project ruckmen: Ericksen and Shaw on the senior list, plus Sam Rowe and James Wall on the rookie list. Well and truly enough young projects even if one goes.

Keating fits pretty well into that framework. He is 30 with a realistic maximum 2 years left in him and a recent injury history. Spida is 32 with a realistic maximum 2 years left in him and a recent injury history. Not a lot to choose between them there. Don't deny that Spida is better around the ground, but I'd query whether a team with Goodes and BBBH needs ruckmen taking a lot of marks around the ground, as badly as some teams do.

At a bare minimum, we want Keating to stay in the market as an alternative option for other clubs who might otherwise look at Spida. Barnaby French, Greg Stafford and Matt Clarke retiring, Rhett Biglands missing all of 2007, John Meesen being retained at the Crows despite earlier trade rumours, all adds up to an increased demand for ruckmen and a reduced supply of them.

[TheHood]

When fit and firing, Crackers is in the top 3 rucks in the game.

It has been about 3 seasons since he was "fit and firing".

I would still take him over Spida purely on age.

[reigning premier]

Originally posted by TheHood
When fit and firing, Crackers is in the top 3 rucks in the game.

It has been about 3 seasons since he was "fit and firing".

I would still take him over Spida purely on age.

Age he fits the bill.... Fitness/Injuries no way....

We may as well draft Biglands for next year!

[punter257]

bryan from carlton would be a great pickup even though it probably wont happen due to french retiring

maybe if they get gardy...............

[SimonH]

If we can do a quick medical (and he passes it), we should also very seriously consider the almost-27-year-old Beau McDonald.