Mike Pyke should be given a wrap

[stellation]

I thought his ruckwork against Sandilands was absolutely amazing for a guy with such limited experience in the game.

Mike's 26 and 2 months, and is pretty much bang on the same size as Darren Jolly (200cms, 104/105 kg); Jolly's 28 and 6 months and Collingwood's commited 3 years to him from memory on contract? Probably expect him to go up to 2 more years after that I guess if he keeps it all up? So a ruckman could go to around 33 possibly? I think it's feasible that over the next year or so Mike's around the ground stuff clicks, I think the game on the weekend showed that he has enough ruck ability to make it in the AFL as a ruckman. Next year Mike is in his 3rd year playing the sport, if it all clicks he's still only 27 that season. Perfectly feasible he makes a career of it, especially with new teams coming in.

[dimelb]

Mike Pyke deserves a wrap? And gets one from Paul Roos:

He also praised rookie ruckman Mike Pyke, who rebounded from a shaky start against Aaron Sandilands to break even in the second half.

"Sandilands, early on, was pretty dominant but I thought after half time ... Pykie did a super job," Roos said.

"It was a really good effort to really nullify his early dominance. The way Aaron's playing at the moment, to keep him down to 10 possessions was a really good effort."

Full story here:

Our effort is lacking: Roos - Official AFL Website of the Sydney Swans Football Club

[Velour&Ruffles]

ITo a lot of people down south unless you were either born into rules or played all your life then you have no right to be successfull if you pick it up as a sport at a latter stage of your life. It's jelousy.

I'll give KirkysSocks the benefit of the doubt and assume that this is just trolling. If not, it is one of the most spectacularly stupid comments I've ever read on RWO. On this theory "a lot" of Melbourne-based Swans fans must dislike Tadhg and really resent his success. Just like Demons fans always hated Jimmy Stynes for taking to the game so well - that's clear in their reaction to him right up to today. North fans desperately want Majak Daw to be a miserable failure. And don't get Hawks fans started on that filthy Queenslander Jason Dunstall who came from rugby territory and achieved barely passable success. Personally, I always want Kieran Jack to fail because I hate the fact that this great little 10 year player we got at absolutely no cost has a rugby heritage. That really gets my southern blood boiling.

[Bas]

Personally, I always want Kieran Jack to fail because I hate the fact that this great little 10 year player we got at absolutely no cost has a rugby heritage. That really gets my southern blood boiling.

It's rugby league heritage. There is a differenece.

I think it is an insult to say KirkysSocks is trolling. There are lots of Victorians who still think that its the VFL and resent interstate teams. Just on this site alone there have been plenty who have bagged Karmichael Hunt for switching codes and saying he won't make it. He's achieved every thing he can in the NRL and he will make it in the AFL. He is like Pykey a superior athlete and it will be just a matter of time.

I don't think KirkysSocks was insulting others on RWO.

[waterfowl]

Pyke 21 Hitouts 7 Disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 0 goal
Sandilands 35 Hitouts 10 Disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 1 goal

Also spoiled many of Sandilands hitouts.
Superb effort

[BSA5]

Pyke 21 Hitouts 7 Disposals 2 marks 4 tackles 0 goal
Sandilands 35 Hitouts 10 Disposals 1 mark 1 tackle 1 goal

Also spoiled many of Sandilands hitouts.
Superb effort

You should include 5 clearances to Sandi in that (and 1 to Pyke), but yes, all things considered, it was a magnificent effort for a bloke so inexperienced up against the best (and tallest) big man in the comp. Pyke's raw ability in the ruck is right up there with the best of them, and while he doesn't do much around the ground, I'd say he's no longer a liability in that department. He's still well behind Mumford and Seaby, but as a backup, he's not bad, and he'll only get better. To what point is anybody's guess, it's fair to say he still has a LOT to learn, and who knows whether he'll be able to learn it, but if he is able, at the rate he's going he'll get there reasonably soon.

[unconfuseme]

The upside of Mike is huge ... a mature professional athlete, blessed with the physical attributes + the right attitude.

You know he will do what is needed to reach his potential ... if that is not good enough, so be it, but don't forget, he has only been 18 months with a Sherrin in his hands!

To do what he has done is quite special, his ruck work (which is not quite rocket science!) is getting up there, and his game sense improves every time he goes around.

A great story, and chapter in our history, in the making - get that banner out there - WE LIKE MIKE PYKE!

[Primmy]

One think I have noticed over the months is his blocking, which will never make the stats. He may not get into the action at the highest level but he is learning the art of blocking very well indeed; and its a big block, huge...

[KirkysSocks]

It's rugby league heritage. There is a differenece.

I think it is an insult to say KirkysSocks is trolling. There are lots of Victorians who still think that its the VFL and resent interstate teams. Just on this site alone there have been plenty who have bagged Karmichael Hunt for switching codes and saying he won't make it. He's achieved every thing he can in the NRL and he will make it in the AFL. He is like Pykey a superior athlete and it will be just a matter of time.

I don't think KirkysSocks was insulting others on RWO.

Thanks for backing me up Bas. Very true.

I was in no way insulting RWOERs but my comments come from observations. When i watch a game at a pub and it's filled with swans supporters i always hear insults hurled at LRT..all the time..hack, go back to rugby, unco idiot i can play better etc etc and its grating cause he doesn't deserve have the @@@@ that gets heaped on him. To me it feels there is this underlying angst cause he is not a natural AFL player.

The Rugby comment is also a pet hate. For most victorians they know its rugby league but in their arrogance they just call it rugby..such is their dislike. Most times when you correct them they reply with "same game who cares" which shows a lot of disrespect for the two codes, as anyone would know they are two different games who hate each other.

And Victorians really hate interstate sides. Not just a small % but a large %..old south melbourne fans might have a different viewpoint but it's taken a premiership for them to finally accept that the swans are an interstate side. After a game a while back against geelong i remember a few cats fans tell me how much they hate non victorian sides and how much it will joy them too see a few interstate sides fold. Repeat this mindset and it's still rampant down here.

If i insulted anyone, i apologise, but i draw my conclusions from observations around me.

[aardvark]

The Rugby comment is also a pet hate. For most victorians they know its rugby league but in their arrogance they just call it rugby..such is their dislike. Most times when you correct them they reply with "same game who cares" which shows a lot of disrespect for the two codes, as anyone would know they are two different games who hate each other.

What so its ok for the two Rugby codes to hate each other but not ok for us to dislike thugby?

And Victorians really hate interstate sides. Not just a small % but a large %..old south melbourne fans might have a different viewpoint but it's taken a premiership for them to finally accept that the swans are an interstate side.

Understand this. My family were born and bred in Sth Melbourne. My father and Grandfather played for port and my grandmother saw every nearly every game South played in her lifetime. The AFL took away not only our team but also our competition. They took away one of the best parts of our lives.
I understand going to Sydney was the lesser of two evils and after a few years grieving i started to support Sydney BUT only because i couldn't bring myself to barrack for anyone else.
We will never forget or forgive and if the Bloods came back to Albert Park tomorrow i would be the happiest man alive.
Victorians will always resent the inclusion of the interstate teams because thats how we deal with what we lost.

[aardvark]

If i insulted anyone, i apologise, but i draw my conclusions from observations around me. [/QUOTE]

Oh... and i accept your apology

[KirkysSocks]

What so its ok for the two Rugby codes to hate each other but not ok for us to dislike thugby?

You can dislike what you want, but don't go about it in such an arrogant and spiteful way (victorians who hate "thugby"). It's the same as when real loyal die hard Victorian football lovers arc up when someone calls their sport aFL and not aussie rules. Respect is a two way street.

Victorians will always resent the inclusion of the interstate teams because thats how we deal with what we lost.

You should be hating North melbourne more than anything. Their men were the ones who shifted south up north for both caseys ch 7 sunday football cash grab and for other clubs to get some kind of cash from the move. The president of the time was a north man and the holder of the rights was ch 7 who was also owned or run by a very prominent north man.

And really without the inclusion of the interstate sides then what you claim you lost would have died years ago. So just be happy and glad that interstate sides saved the VFL.

Oh and what i don't understand is, vics hate interstate sides yet there is a local comp played by local suburban teams called the VFL yet it is not attended or given the same coverage that the AFL is..you would think that this comp would be as big as say the AFL comp in this footy mad state.

[aardvark]

First of all i never said i hated anything. Hate and dislike are two very different things. All i'm trying to do is educate you as to why we react the way we do. As you said respect and understanding is a two way street.
Secondly i didn't think telling you of my experience was in anyway arrogant or spiteful. I think you just seem to have a problem with Victorians.
Thirdly the VFA as it was called was a third tier comp below the VFL and VFL reserves. It never gained the same coverage as the VFL except maybe in suburbs with teams in the Comp. It is now basically a Victorian AFL teams reserves comp although the Match of the round is still shown live every Saturday on the ABC.
And fourthly the only things i HATE are brussel sprouts and Collingwood.

[aardvark]

And fifthly Thugby is a term of affection, I'm a huge Storm fan who loves it when we thump the interstaters.

[Hartijon]

I played Aussie Rules in NSW and had 50% ex pats from Mexico as the cockroaches call it. South of the border! The other 50% were soccer converts who wanted a more physical sport and Rugy League guys who were curious or could not make the local(high standard) side in Rugby League. The Soccer guys understood the forward nature of the game a lot quicker but the rugby guys understood the need to stop an opponent. They took longer to stop throwing the ball under pressure but were great at bursting through a pack. I always thought Mike was a real chance if he leant to think forward play and to be careful with his tackles and disposal.He is doing this..almost too careful with the tackles! He has tremendous natural attributes and the right attitude.He will make it!