Ruck Tactics

[wolftone57]

I just want to discuss the ruck tactics that we employed in the St Kilda game. I think our coaching staff were totally caught short when Jason Blake went into the first ruck. They all thought Koschitzke would play that role. I thought that Mike Pyke was all at sea playing Blake and it wasn't his fault. He was playing a much more mobile opponent who didn't attack the ball like a ruckman but like a forward by running up his hips and jumping on his side.

I think if Pyke had have been instructed to run directly at Blake from a long run up not allowing Blake to get a position to get body side of him he would have destroyed Blake. He is the far bigger man and Blake relies on his body to launch his ruck work so withdraw the body. In that I mean make him face front on a raging bull of a ruckman and see if he can continue to ruck against that. I think not! He has no body to use as a passage to the ball! The bigger ruckman will destroy him going in front on! Long run in and fast to the contest huge leap straight at the ball full body. Blake would have been @@@@@@ against such tactics but all day Pyke seemed to be instructed to body Blake and he just leapt over the top of him.

[BillyRayCypress]

Saints won.

Raging bull of a ruckman??????

Time for you to Coach the Swans Wooftone. It must be very frustrating to watch inept coaching. I'm still not over the $3.90 chips at SKODA.

A good discount chip always soothes away a poor team performance.

[Clammers]

Lot of the comment has been unfair to Pyke in my view. I recall at least two goals vs Saints that came directly from precision hitouts from Pyke. The bigger problem seemed to be in the @@@@lessness of the Swans midfield in getting the ball away. Also to some extent the Saints midfield were roving to Pyke as much as to Blake. Still the above comments make sense. Ruck staff might also want to consider encouraging Pyke (and anyone else) to whack it further. Too often the ball seems to come down right at the feet of the ruck contest and melee develops and any ruck advantage is nullified. What happened to the big 30 metre punch, a la John Nicholls from days of yore? As for Pyke, he strikes me (from a distance) as a thoughtful, athletic and dedicated chap who should be persevered with. Seaby and White are suburban plodders. And a prediction: the substitute rule will change next season because of continuing injuries to ruckmen who are the victims of coaches attempts to manage with just one ruckman in the 22. We need to conserve our dinosaurs by having 2 giants in every 22, even if one has to masquerade as a full forward occasionally.

[chalbilto]

Lot of the comment has been unfair to Pyke in my view. I recall at least two goals vs Saints that came directly from precision hitouts from Pyke. The bigger problem seemed to be in the @@@@lessness of the Swans midfield in getting the ball away. Also to some extent the Saints midfield were roving to Pyke as much as to Blake. Still the above comments make sense. Ruck staff might also want to consider encouraging Pyke (and anyone else) to whack it further. Too often the ball seems to come down right at the feet of the ruck contest and melee develops and any ruck advantage is nullified. What happened to the big 30 metre punch, a la John Nicholls from days of yore? As for Pyke, he strikes me (from a distance) as a thoughtful, athletic and dedicated chap who should be persevered with. Seaby and White are suburban plodders. And a prediction: the substitute rule will change next season because of continuing injuries to ruckmen who are the victims of coaches attempts to manage with just one ruckman in the 22. We need to conserve our dinosaurs by having 2 giants in every 22, even if one has to masquerade as a full forward occasionally.

I totally agree to having 2 ruckmen and would like to see both Mumford and Pyke selected. Look at the success of West Coast, Essenden, Carlton, Geelong (last year). Going with just 1 ruckman plus a fill in is a no brainer. I hope that Mumford plays tomorrow (provided he is fit enough) with Pyke.