Cazzesman wrote:
The major difference Sparky is the progress in player management (physical management) from when Fraser started in 1999 and now.
8 years is a long time in AFL terms and the professionalism at AFL clubs has come on leaps and bounds. Kruez doesn't get alot of game time. He is very well managed off the bench and only does 5-7 minute bursts on the ball. Maybe longer up forward. He is also closely monitored at Training.
Trust Cordy and Co to look after his welfare for the long term.
Regards Cazzesman
That's pleasing to read Cazz.
I thought that he was being managed well and that's why I didn't think he needed a rest; he needed minimal game time in the first ruck.
Then I read the first post from Sparky and start to think of the potential damage long term, ala Fraser.
We do need ruckMEN in footy, regardless what your take on ruckmen is. We need at least 3 good ones (1 as a reserve or all 3 playing if they are athletic as Hampson and Kreuzer are for different on field roles, notwithstanding the need when injury happens).
A competitive ruckman's prerequisite imo is 200cm. Cloke, Ackland, McLaren were never going to be AFL ruckmen.
There was never a doubt imo that in 2008 we needed a mature bodies (200cm+) ruckman (ref to my posts over the last 2 years) in order to use Kreuzer and Hampson sparingly in the ruck position and blood them in the forwardline.
2009 isn't any different.
Kreuzer will be 20 and Hampson 21. Who knows what is going on with Jacobs' development and Aisake's potential has seems to have been wasted, so against that backdrop we will still need to get a mature ruckman in 2009, or history will repeat itself; season 2008 for Carlton and the Fraser syndrome.