Who will ruck this year given the reduced bench?

[Auntie.Gerald]

I still think this helps White have a chance at getting in the 22 and starting potentially on the field ahead of one of our "midfield" forwards.......

no doubt most teams will go with two ruckmen to start with and see what pans out

if every team stays with two ruckmen then it is a mut point and doesnt matter

what will matter is if we have a team that has only one ruckman and they start dominating or vica versa start loosing horribly in the ruck and loose games and possession

[AnnieH]

Seabs and Mummy.
No question.

[Hartijon]

Seabs and Mummy.
No question.

Amen!

[johnno]

So after having a look through this thread, what I want to know is....What happens to Pyke? Does he not get a game anymore because of this new 'sub' rule? After the way he performed when Seaby went down last year and more to the point, how he performed when Mumford went down was simply outstanding in my opinion. Very unlucky if this is the case....in fact I would go as far as to say keep Pyke in the side and let Seaby try and reclaim his spot as the number 2 Ruckman in the ressies....sorry Seabs, nothing personal, its just that Pyke deserves it more.

[laughingnome]

In all honesty I think Pyke will be starting the year as the third (albeit very good) ruckman, and consequentially lead the Reserves. He's a handy player to have in your pocket in case one of Seaby, Mumford or White goes down, in the latter case I think Seaby will play more forward and Mumford/Pyke will ruck.

[johnno]

In all honesty I think Pyke will be starting the year as the third (albeit very good) ruckman, and consequentially lead the Reserves. He's a handy player to have in your pocket in case one of Seaby, Mumford or White goes down, in the latter case I think Seaby will play more forward and Mumford/Pyke will ruck.

Thats just wrong(as in, you're right, that will probably happen, but it shouldn't). I mean I know he's not the greatest ruckman 'around the ground' although he is learning at a very rapid rate....but his tapwork to advantage is only 2nd to Sandilands in my opinion. He was bloody brilliant last year.

[RogueSwan]

Thats just wrong(as in, you're right, that will probably happen, but it shouldn't). I mean I know he's not the greatest ruckman 'around the ground' although he is learning at a very rapid rate....but his tapwork to advantage is only 2nd to Sandilands in my opinion. He was bloody brilliant last year.

Unfortunately you have to be more than just a very good tap ruck man these days. You need to have other skills.
I would like to see Pyke play seniors to develop those other skills at a faster pace, but it is hard to seem him getting in ahead of the other two.
Maybe we should drop White and let Mike crash the packs in the forward line, probably wouldn't be any worse.

[Hartijon]

Unfortunately you have to be more than just a very good tap ruck man these days. You need to have other skills.
I would like to see Pyke play seniors to develop those other skills at a faster pace, but it is hard to seem him getting in ahead of the other two.
Maybe we should drop White and let Mike crash the packs in the forward line, probably wouldn't be any worse.

Yes,that was my thinking too(Pyke as a Forwards) on another thread. It comes out of sentiment for his improvement but realistically ,i don't think it will happen. IMO he doesn't deserve to be left out but we could make a similar case for many players. Unfortunately injuries will inevitably rear their ugly head and Mike will be back in some capacity sometime in the future. If he doesn't get a game it means our injury list will be short...which is good I guess?

[Chilcott]

Big Mike Pyke will get his chance in the pre-seasons games.

If he keeps improving and plays some very good games in the NAB Cup series, we may just see him get a game Round 1.

If he doesn't play well, he won't deserve a round 1 spot.

[johnno]

I'll use the same argument for Teddy Richards too. As soon as C.Bolton, LRT and co are fit and ready to go, he'll be dropped to the ressies when he shouldnt be. After C.Bolton went down last year and especially after LRT went down after round 15(I think???), Richard performance in the backline picking up the 2nd big opposition forward was simply brilliant. He did an outstanding job and shouldnt be dropped until he stuffs up and loses his position to someone who is pressing.

Thats all I'm trying to say here in relation to Pyke and Richards...let them give you a reason to drop them(poor form, injuries, etc...)not just because someone else is ready to go. If one of our regulars(C.Bolton, M.Seaby, LRT...etc) are now free form injury and ready to go, its up to them to play well in the ressies and fight there way back into the side, not just be given a free ride back in because they're right to go.

[Bleed Red Blood]

So after having a look through this thread, what I want to know is....What happens to Pyke? Does he not get a game anymore because of this new 'sub' rule? After the way he performed when Seaby went down last year and more to the point, how he performed when Mumford went down was simply outstanding in my opinion. Very unlucky if this is the case....in fact I would go as far as to say keep Pyke in the side and let Seaby try and reclaim his spot as the number 2 Ruckman in the ressies....sorry Seabs, nothing personal, its just that Pyke deserves it more.

Seaby doesn't deserve a spot? outstanding in his first few games with us, he goes on to be injured, goes through the proper rehab perspective, all at the new club he came to because he could not get game time as a second ruck, and at Sydney he is relegated to third? no. not happening. pyke is if anything adaptable, and i think will bring positive energy to any positiion he fills in for a match, or grows into over a few succesive games.

[liz]

I think our recent experiences of Jolly, who has been incredible durable for a ruckman, have fogged over the common injury records of most ruckmen. They play such a physical role that it is unusual to go through a season without at least one of the regular crew getting injured at times. So even if Pyke is only the third stringer, I imagine he'll get opportunities to play a reasonable amount of senior footy this year.

[Mountain Man]

It should be really interesting to see how Seaby, Pyke and Currie are used today - who rucks when, for how long, and then where they 'rest'.

[Cephalik]

New article by the DT up about Mumford, pretty interesting. Shane Mumford a city sleeker | The Daily Telegraph

[dimelb]

New article by the DT up about Mumford, pretty interesting. Shane Mumford a city sleeker | The Daily Telegraph

It's something I've always done, I do my work in the ruck and then try and get after the ball, and if I can bowl a few blokes over on the way then that's good, I'm clearing a path for the midfielders or I'm getting it myself.

That's what we like to see!