The Duke wrote:
DownUnderChick wrote:
Elusive Turtle wrote:
The Spornstar wrote:
Interesting. Note also we are coming dead last in hit outs.
Hit Outs for: 455
Hit Outs against: 780
Difference: -325
This is a shocking stat. Needs to improve dramatically next season.
Of those 455, it would be interesting how many were to advantage.
According to those in Talking Recruitment, we should be gunning for a midfielder in Kerr or a forward in Brown.
Never mind a ruckman being more of a pressing need for the club.

Ehemmmm, that'd be me

. Just let me qualify that by saying that we also need a ruckman, but you might notice that they don't come by easily.
We've almost got into the finals with those horrific stats, imagine how we'll go with a Johnno B or Kerr?
Our rucks will progress further and bridge the gap by probably 20-40% in the off season. We can speed it up by getting a top line young ruckman, but that'll come at a massive cost, if at all - and in 2 years we'll have a surplus of ruckman and a shortage of Key forwards.
I say we put a priority on Kerr followed by Brown, then ruckman if all else fails.
Be assured that one of these targets will be met.
Playing Hampson should be our priority this year.
No offense, but it is that same attitude towards ruckmen that was adopted by the recruitment department over the last 10 years which got us in to trouble.
In terms of positions on the ground, we have lost games this year we could have won but for our deficiency in the ruck (with the short Cloke) and becuase we lacked the height in the last line in defense to cover resting ruckmen or very tall forwards/ gorillas (when Setanta was injured).
If we were to recruit a ruckman this year, how do you come to the conclusion that we will have too many ruckmen in a couple of years; curious

How many do you think we should have on the list? Name the ones you consider will be on the list in 2 years time.
Realistically, every team has gaps, and Geelong albeit almost a perfect team (ala Carlton circa 95) even that same Geelong squad had weknesses till they matured. I don't think we have too many gaps, and young players will mature and improve.
I think we need a CHB to release Waite up forward (or a CHF to leave Waite at CHB), a ruckman to ensure we have a fall back in case of poor form or injury to our #1 or #2 ruckman, let alone being able to release Kreuzer to forwardline for longer periods, and the BP, when Setanta is injured or drops in form to mind resting ruckmen.
If we want Kreuzer to play forward, then we'd have to have rotating ruckmen like Hampson and a taller one than Cloke. We'd still need a developing ruckman or 4th fit ruckman in reserves, to retain this sort of structure.
As for all positions on the field, there's no doubt that depth is a good thing to add to our midfield, in fact all positions.