Rucks

[Andrew Singh]

A point to consider when starting Mumford at R2 is that although you will have to play a rookie over the first 2 weeks. You will also have a captain loophole option which a lot of teams won't have in the starting rounds which should get some of the points back that you lose from fielding the rookie ruck.

The fact that GWS appealed his suspension shows how valuable he is to the club. At this point I think I will be starting the season with Mumford at R2 especially cause my main focus is league only concern for me is injury after coming back from a long break.

 

[Prospector]

It's easy to be calm when the season hasn't started.

 

[Azza Jones]

Got a toe trod on - is it really a hampered pre-season?

Your probably right but they are so close I
am looking for any point of difference. I don’t think I could go wrong with either Gawn or Grundy to be honest....

 

[Centroprise]

Its a great discussion this one. Gawn and Grundy will be defying history to top the charts for consecutive years (last was Cox?)

I am happy to pay overs to secure them now, rather spend trades getting them in. Use those trades to make cash elsewhere.

The scoring gap to everyone else is to big to make up - combined 20 to 50 points per week.

 

[keffa]

Its a great discussion this one. Gawn and Grundy will be defying history to top the charts for consecutive years (last was Cox?)

I am happy to pay overs to secure them now, rather spend trades getting them in. Use those trades to make cash elsewhere.

The scoring gap to everyone else is to big to make up - combined 20 to 50 points per week.

But what if you’re losing 20 to 50 points on another other line because you have less to spend? I agree they’re the best two rucks, but they are priced accordingly.

 

[doddy2731]

But what if you’re losing 20 to 50 points on another other line because you have less to spend? I agree they’re the best two rucks, but they are priced accordingly.

You could definitely make up the points deference with money saved by having higher scorers on other lines.
I can't see Gawn & Grundy being so far ahead of the pack by seasons end.

 

[Seppo]

But what if you’re losing 20 to 50 points on another other line because you have less to spend? I agree they’re the best two rucks, but they are priced accordingly.

But, if they average 120 each then you're losing 40pts a week for the whole season unless you burn trades in the rucks later on. And who knows when they'd really drop in price if they're going 120.

I'd personally rather back them in to go at least 120 than take a speculative shot on an F4/D4 that I think will get me those extra 20 points on ground. Realistically, if Gawn/Grundy underperform, you'd only be eating those extra 20 points for 6-7 weeks because you're pushing your worst rookies off the ground first.

Now, if you're confident another ruck will go 110+ or that you can pick a legit stepping stone that's midprice or below then there's absolutely no reason to pick both of Grundy/Gawn. I'm just not confident in this.

The ruck decision will be pretty season-defining and we'll know pretty quickly whether or not we screwed it up lol.

 

[Elliot H-R]

Thoughts on grundy vs gawn?

 

[tabs]

Thoughts on grundy vs gawn?

Im going Grundy atm, but not sure about R2 & R3. Am thinking about Mummy and Smith but really need to wait for team lineups

Thoughts?

 

[Bombers56]

Thoughts on grundy vs gawn?

Expensive, safe and boring Grundy & Gawn for me, if something goes wrong I can go down but if they both get of to a flyer it will be hard to get in.

 

[Azza Jones]

Thoughts on grundy vs gawn?

I like Gawn....

 

[Azza Jones]

Im going Grundy atm, but not sure about R2 & R3. Am thinking about Mummy and Smith but really need to wait for team lineups

Thoughts?

Archie Smith was injured in JLT 2. Might miss the first few weeks

 

[Azza Jones]

What are everyone’s thoughts on Lycett at $441k?

I am thinking of going him at R2... I think he has potential to go 100+ this year

 

[fazmountain]

Archie Smith was injured in JLT 2. Might miss the first few weeks

Archie should be good to go from what ive seen

 

[Shaker]

What are everyone’s thoughts on Lycett at $441k?

I am thinking of going him at R2... I think he has potential to go 100+ this year

Also has the potential to pump out 80 , you only get 2 rucks so for me it's pick the best 2 and that happens to be 2 of the 3 highest scoring players last year Lycett saves you cash but in the end think you will be trying to find a way to get Gawn or Grundy in which will cost 2 trades at least.

 

[smirski]

I can’t seem to steer away from English.
He will be the number 1 ruck at the dogs won’t he? Trengrove has more value around the ground than English will. Has had a good preseason put on weight. Scored ok in the JLT.

JLT 1 - 67 off 86% TOG
JLT 2 - 85 off 45% TOG

How much does he have to average? 85+? I really think by picking English that the ~ $400,000 spent elsewhere will have a positive point gain.

 

[Orallus_Maximus]

I can’t seem to steer away from English.
He will be the number 1 ruck at the dogs won’t he? Trengrove has more value around the ground than English will. Has had a good preseason put on weight. Scored ok in the JLT.

JLT 1 - 67 off 86% TOG
JLT 2 - 85 off 45% TOG

How much does he have to average? 85+? I really think by picking English that the ~ $400,000 spent elsewhere will have a positive point gain.

I have had English in and out of my team - currently in but risky. One option that I am exploring is to look at Bines (WCE) as $102k rookie (RUC/FWD) and then someone like Lobb (FWD/RUC) at F3. Freo have lost Sandi for a while and Jesse Hogan is also out for some time I imagine. Lobb should score well as the number 1 ruck?

 

[Rupert]

I have had English in and out of my team - currently in but risky. One option that I am exploring is to look at Bines (WCE) as $102k rookie (RUC/FWD) and then someone like Lobb (FWD/RUC) at F3. Freo have lost Sandi for a while and Jesse Hogan is also out for some time I imagine. Lobb should score well as the number 1 ruck?

I wouldn't go Lobb for several reasons:
Lobb did play sole ruck in JLT1 but he was back-up to Darcy in JLT2. I don't think he will be #1 ruck, even with Sandi out. I may be wrong, but there is also the fact that....
Lobb doesn't like playing full-time ruck and has said so several times. E.G. A quote in footywire: "I just see myself being more effective as a forward. I felt like when I was in the ruck you're wrestling in the stoppages the whole time, I lose that bit of running and flying for my marks."
Also, Lobb doesn't necessarily score well when playing first ruck. Some examples from last year: Elim final - 37HO and 74SC; rnd.22 - 38HO and 74SC; rnd.11 - 37HO and 77SC. Yes, I'm being selective. He also scored 119, 150, 118, and 97 as sole ruck. But he was playing in a team with an A-grade list of mids surrounding him. Fyfe is, in my opinion, better than any single GWS mid but not better than all put together - even with Brayshaw etc in support.
A last point: I don't think that Lobb necessarily has the body to play sole ruck. Last year, he started the season as main ruck but was injured in rnd.3. He returned in rnd.8 but was injured again in rnd.12 and missed another game. When he returned he played for the rest of the season but it was only in the last 5 games that he was sole ruck again. His scores were pretty putrid in the time when he didn't play ruck.

OK. Maybe I'm a bit sore because I had him last year.

 

[Prospector]

...OK. Maybe I'm a bit sore because I had him last year.

Only a bit?

 

[Gawn Armi Witts]

I think I have craziest ruck idea out there this pre-season and I do see people have been talking about these players but, what about a ruck line of...

Grundy - English - Mumford

Call me taking leave of my witts but I've been trying to figure out ways to not pay the premium for two top priced rucks (sorry Big Max!), I just don't like my team shape when I do and I can't recall a season where spending $1.5M on rucks was a good idea.

With an English/Mumford duo you are guaranteed having 3 #1 rucks in your team and that it's as close to a sure bet as possible that these two will go up in price when playing which will add tons of flexibility and you're saving yourself ~$170k (across total ruck division assuming GnG+Loophole) to upgrade other lines.

Obviously this strategy makes even more sense if Archie Smith is the starting #1 at Brisbane this week but I consider that a longshot.

I get that the main disadvantages is potential points lost to other competitors in the ruck but I see it as if Mumford is pumping out 90s and someone on another line is scoring 10ppt better than it should be a wash there and two weeks of a spud English is only two weeks, not 23. You don't pick them assuming they may both be keepers but you're effectively double-dipping on them both having the chance to be and even a combined price rise of something like $100k will be a bonus when it comes time to cull them both and select a bottomed out Gawn or the clear #3 option and a rookie.


So if you're prepared to spend the money on both Grundy/Gawn, is it better to instead downgrade one of them and choose the two mid-priced options instead? Am I on the edge of the cliff with this idea? Please talk me off it if so!