Tom Vs Mike

[CureTheSane]

After tonight's game, if I had to select only one for next week, it would be Tom.
We would have been much better off with Rohan in the side instead of Pyke who kind of looked lost (and I'm not referring to the handpass in the F50 he wasn't expecting. That was embarrassing, but can happen I guess)

[aardvark]

Pyke got better as the game went on. His ruck work in the last quarter was good and while he did little around the ground ruck work is primarily what he's there for. There's no doubt in my mind about who I'd keep, Pyke wins hands down.

[bodgie]

A question that is way too simplistic. Pyke was tapping to advantage in the last Q. Something Derix struggles to do at the best of times. Tom was baked to a crisp last week. You can't go a whole season with one ruckman especially one that is inexperienced and with patchy back up. Pyke back after 5 weeks with a dodgy hammy got better as the game went on. Goodes handballed to someone who was strolling in the opposite direction but you chose to raise it.

[CureTheSane]

To me Pyke was lazy and/or lethargic and/or injured.
No drive and passion.
He'll probably be in next week, but he'd better get his head in it....

[goswannies]

After tonight's game, if I had to select only one for next week, it would be Tom.
We would have been much better off with Rohan in the side instead of Pyke who kind of looked lost

I have my doubts as to whether Gary Rohan would have rucked any more effectively than Pyke tonight

(and I'm not referring to the handpass in the F50 he wasn't expecting. That was embarrassing, but can happen I guess)

When Goodsey had a set shot from less than 20m I'm willing to forgive Mike not expecting him to dish off a handball. I'd have thought Goodsey might have noticed Mike was facing the wrong way before he handballed it to him

[CureTheSane]

I have my doubts as to whether Gary Rohan would have rucked any more effectively than Pyke tonight

I don't

When Goodsey had a set shot from less than 20m I'm willing to forgive Mike not expecting him to dish off a handball. I'd have thought Goodsey might have noticed Mike was facing the wrong way before he handballed it to him

Yeah, I found it funny.
Having said that, there was probably only a 20% chance that Goodes would go though the middle, so he kind of should have ran towards the goals with his arms out...

[DA_Swan]

One thing that showed up tonight is that we are vulnerable when they are both on the field together - not a real lot of footy smarts between them based on to-nights effort

[mcs]

Pyke got better as the night went on - just packing some fitness and match practice.

the way I see it its simple - pyke can do what a ruckman is supposed to do and tap to advantage, derricx can not. Once.pyke is fully fit and finds.some form, the answer is a no brainer.

To slate pyke for one bad game is harsh in my book.

- - - Updated - - -

As for the goodes incident - pyke is probably the last player you would ever attempt to do that with I would of thought! He is hardly an expert at kicking on the run.

[Primmy]

I am with you there mcs. Pyke on the run,.......no.

He always looks slow on the run, because, well, he is. He can wear them down, but he is no sprinter into the goal square or anywhere else. He takes a great pack mark. He can now handball to advantage, he can kick for goal but close in, and he has lovely tap hands. But expecting a handball while running to goal square to protect the area while Goodsey is kicking for goal.....no. that was square on Adam's brain farting head.

Tom just played his 15th AFL game, has more or less rucked on his own for much of that time, he has been fantastic. But he probably needs a rest. Fine. But expect him back in a week or two (that's if the coaching staff think the same way I am at present), he will get better. Much better. Don't forget people, MikePyke is a 30 years old. Succession plans need to be worked on. Yes of course, Nankervis is a given, but still, we need more than one ruckman.

[Captain]

I'm sick of Pyke being a liability around the ground. He has absolutely no confidence in general play kicking and often handballs to a bloke under pressure when kicking would be the better option. He has played long enough now to learn how to kick!

[lwjoyner]

Tom got thrashed in centre ruck contest ,at least Mike broke even. Tom should be dropped if Mike not yet up to full game bring in Nanna.

[aguy]

I'm thinking we need to see how pyke goes as the solo ruck next week without derrickx. Backup should come from tippet if he's fit and if not we should play nankervis as tippets replacement in the forward / backup ruck role. Nanko seems to play that role a lot in true reserves when Naismith plays primary ruck so it is a like for like replacement that maintains the structure that has worked so well with tippet franklin goodes and Reid up front

[Matt80]

I am with you there mcs. Pyke on the run,.......no.

He always looks slow on the run, because, well, he is. He can wear them down, but he is no sprinter into the goal square or anywhere else. He takes a great pack mark. He can now handball to advantage, he can kick for goal but close in, and he has lovely tap hands. But expecting a handball while running to goal square to protect the area while Goodsey is kicking for goal.....no. that was square on Adam's brain farting head.

Tom just played his 15th AFL game, has more or less rucked on his own for much of that time, he has been fantastic. But he probably needs a rest. Fine. But expect him back in a week or two (that's if the coaching staff think the same way I am at present), he will get better. Much better. Don't forget people, MikePyke is a 30 years old. Succession plans need to be worked on. Yes of course, Nankervis is a given, but still, we need more than one ruckman.

Pyke obviously has some good pace. The All Blacks could not catch him!

He just needs to develop some confidence in his pace and athleticism.

The remarkable thing is that Karmichael Hunt and Israil Folau were known as quick rugby league players but appeared slow in an AFL shirt!

[Dosser]

i am a Derickx fan but I had to laugh last night at one contest when he jumped unopposed and tapped it down straight on to Maric's chest - never looked like missing!

[baskin]

I am so tired of all the negativity towards our ruckmen at the moment.
Pyke... is returning from injury. He handballs because players have obviously been told to run past for a handball. It has been happening for years now. Pyke was running back to the goal square to shepherd what should have been a regulation shot at goal from Goodsey.
Derricx....is still learning his trade. It was written in an article somewhere that he is working on bodying the opposing ruckman not tap himself.
In case no one has noticed, our midfielders usually read the opposition ruck taps pretty well. The past couple of weeks they haven't been quite as good at it. Might be something to do with McGlynn & Hanners not being there.
I'm sure there are more things I could say, however, the coaches, seem to be pretty good at what they do and if they want Derrickx & Pyke in the team at this stage, that is fine by me.