GodisNavyBlue wrote
Quote:
It may be that, in general, the majority of ruck contests do not lead to a direct clearance but when they do it nearly always creates a shot on goal.
If you create a 50-50 out a ruck contest then the clearance is decided by the abilities of your midfielders BUT when you are getting smashed in the ruck (like we have been) then it does not matter how good your midfielders are at clearing the ball.
Exactly.
We are getting smashed in the ruck.
The Game wrote
Quote:
There aren't many hit outs that result in DIRECT clearances to a team mate.
Yes there are. It depends on what you define as 'many'. Have a look at the Hawks game last Friday; at least 10 easy goals came from the ruckman tapping the ball down the throat of a midfielder who broke through the centre and found a leading target. That's 60 points. It happens every week (not the 10 goals a game from the ruck), but I only give a shit about Carlton being on the end of it.
If it happens 5 times in a game, that may seem 'not many', but when you look at it closer, it's 30 points. A bonus 30 easy points is the difference between winning and losing in most games; that's how important it is to win or nullify the ruck contest.
So whoever thinks that our insipid performance against the Hawksi n the ruck didn't influence the blow out, then you just keep believing that; you're wrong. Have a look what happened when Ackland didn't even compete against the Hawks ruckman, in their forwardline...they scored an easy goal.
It's not the be all to end all, but every 1% er counts in the game of AFL.
Do you know what a one percenter is? I bet you do.
Thomas and St Kilda found out how important it is to have a good tall ruckman in the last 3 finals series. I don't want to down the same track as with the Saints' strategy when we get to playing finals again...and we only will if we have good tall ruckmen to compliment the team.
We need every position filled and a bit of luck to win a flag.
I want another FLAG soon.
I'm basing it on the AFL average not a pathetic Carlton rucking performance where O'Hailpin was actually so much worse than Ackland it wasn't funny.
Most ruck contests these days end up with the ball in dispute no matter who gets the tap. That is a FACT!
The days of Madden giving the on ballers a free ride are over.
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