Rucking Duties

[Duff Soviet Union]

Best ruckman ever?
I don't think so. Thompson and Moore would have had him for breakfast. They could tap, more agile and even more importantly could take a mark.

You're entitled to your view - but I disagree. Neither Thompson nor Moore had Grundy's ability to steamroll the midfield. Both were more elegant.

I didn't see enough of Thompson in his prime to make a legitimate comparison but Moore is by far the best Ruckman Collingwood has had in my time watching, daylight second, Grundy probably 3rd.

Yes Grundy can play as a bullocking mid but Moore was a better pure tap ruck, could legitimately play KPF and was an extra midfielder in his own right with his run and carry.

FWIW, post Moore I'd rate Monkey next, followed by Fellowes (Wes), Fraser then Jolly.

Big Wes was mostly serviceable, quite a good tap ruck but had one brilliant season. Fraser could have been the next Moore but was buggered by Malthouse and Jolly, while just a good ordinary grunt ruckman was exactly what we needed in 2010, along with Leigh Brown.

Monkey was a weird one. He had two really good years in 1992 and 1993 where he looked set to become the best ruckman in the comp. Then, at an age where players of his type are just starting to peak, he went backwards. Don't really know what happened there.

[Duff Soviet Union]

Also, I'm not sure I can remember a better young ruckman than Josh Fraser. It usually takes rucks years to have an impact but he was a star in his second year. Then he declined pretty rapidly.

[Wonka]

Having just finished reading Neil Balmes book, you can see why he was able to hold premiership lists together a little longer than most.

“How much do you need?” opposed to “how much do you want?” was his philosophy which probably explains why players like Hawkins are on 300-400k.

Going back say, two seasons, Hawk is bit older now, but say, two seasons ago , if he was out of contract, and a Melbourne club, offered him say, $700 000 for three yrs, per year, you telling me hed knock back 300K more per year, to stay with the Cats ?? Thats $900 K more, every man has his price, he would not have knocked that back, turn it up.

I actually would. Hawkins runs a farm in his spare time and he is a full on country boy. Geelong have a real advantage, they have their own boutique ground and players will take less money for the Surf coast lifestyle and lower cost of living.

When a prominent player is very greedy and selfish, it spreads through the club, because the other players' managers will compare salaries, and that's the difference between being a losing prelimary finalist and premiers.

[Pies4shaw]

^ Piffle. Just ask Dustin Martin about salary sacrifice and see how you go. His massive salary really cruelled Richmond's chances to win premerships.

[qldmagpie67]

^ Piffle. Just ask Dustin Martin about salary sacrifice and see how you go. His massive salary really cruelled Richmond's chances to win premerships.

Difference being Martin led his team to GF victories and was vital in not only winning those games but getting his team there
Grundy hasn’t and doesn’t
For all your perceived ideas of Grundy’s greatness his stats are padded by his own limitations as a ruckman
If he was able to hit the ball to our advantage or even outside a 2 meter circle giving our mids a chance to run onto it he would have only a fraction of his touches and clearances
He’s a average kick below average mark and well below average going back to assist defence
Granted he has a massive tank and his mobility around the ground is above average for a man of his size
Those couple of pluses don’t outweigh the downside to his game
Like it or not the team actually looked and played better with no Grundy in it
The game style McRae wants to play doesn’t suit Grundy or Grundy can’t play it the way the team needs
Take away his one quarter against Essendon and his sample size this season had him as a average player at best
You don’t pay average players $1m a season hence the position we are now in

[RudeBoy]

I see it a bit differently QM67.

For mine Grundy is an A grade ruckman, but one worth no more than $850,000 pa. If his $7 million contract was back ended, as reports suggest, then he could now easily be on around $1.2 m, which he certainly isn't worth. Our club's decision to trade him now, even if it means paying $300,000 of his salary, is the result of Grundy's manager squeezing every last dollar from our club, and our club stupidly agreeing to such an outrageous contract.

Make no mistake, Grundy is still one of the best ruckmen in the AFL, but still not worth the money he is currently on. Also, the form of Cameron and Cox demonstrated that we could still be a Premiership contender without Grundy.

I wish him well at Melbourne, except when he plays against us.

[eddiesmith]

I hope he gets his 50 hitouts on Kings Birthday, will be of great benefit to Collingwood

[Presti35]

Grundy is still one of the best ruckmen in the AFL, but still not worth the money he is currently on.

This is all.

[piffdog]

Why isn’t this in the “Trading Grundy” thread?

[Presti35]

Cameron/Cox/Begg will be our options in 2023.

We had a link to Sam Hayes very early in trade rumors, but nothing eventuated there. Draper is uncontracted after 2023, so maybe he'll be our target? Ryder is 34 and now retired, if he wasnt injured to buggery, could have filled a role (even if only as depth) for 1 season.

[stui magpie]

Don't forget both McStay and Frampton are able to ruck if required, Johnson is also able to pinch hit.

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

I see it a bit differently QM67.

For mine Grundy is an A grade ruckman, but one worth no more than $850,000 pa. If his $7 million contract was back ended, as reports suggest, then he could now easily be on around $1.2 m, which he certainly isn't worth. Our club's decision to trade him now, even if it means paying $300,000 of his salary, is the result of Grundy's manager squeezing every last dollar from our club, and our club stupidly agreeing to such an outrageous contract.

Make no mistake, Grundy is still one of the best ruckmen in the AFL, but still not worth the money he is currently on. Also, the form of Cameron and Cox demonstrated that we could still be a Premiership contender without Grundy.

I wish him well at Melbourne, except when he plays against us.

Personally I think Grundy was worth the 900k a year when he signed his contract. I just don't think he was worth the 900k a year for SEVEN years and I don't believe Graham Wright thought differently either.

[23 YIPPEE!!!]

Charlie Dean as well possible ruck option along with if we still have him Tom Wilson

[think better]

Krueger did really well I thought when he got thrown into the ruck

[burnsy17]

Thought I heard Wright say in his post trade interview that we’ll be looking at a back up ruck option through the PSD or draft.

Wouldn’t surprise me if we pick up a Mature aged big man from the state leagues