Latest news with #ruckmen
News.com.au
22-07-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
AFL 2025: Essendon coach Brad Scott fears the future of big men due to a pair of rule changes
The AFL is at risk of 'breeding out' leaping ruckmen and Essendon coach Brad Scott says scrapping the substitute rule looms as a potential solution. Scott joined the chorus of senior coaches wanting to abort the limited minutes player and move to five players on the interchange. He said ruck rule changes and the need to select a more versatile player as the substitute is minimising the chances of a 'Nic Naitanui type ruckman'. 'We by definition are invested in our clubs and want what's best for our own club (but) I like to think we've all got a broader lens on the good of the game overall,' Scott said. 'What I would like to see is a really strong for and against having a sub, the argument around fairness, I don't see that argument – I didn't see it when I was at the AFL. 'My greatest concern around the sub is it creates all sorts of problem for player load, all sorts of problems for structure and balance of teams. 'I think ruck rule changes, we're very quickly breeding the Nic Naitanui type ruckman out of our game because you can't jump at centre bounces anymore. 'I genuinely can't remember the last time you saw two ruckman jump at each other for the course of a game. 'By having a sub it makes it very hard to have two ruckman, by having five on the bench I think more teams would at least look at it.' Incoming football boss Greg Swann plans to meet with officials about shortening the amount of elapsed time the game is now running for. He believes an immediate ball up instead of waiting for ruckmen to arrive could shorten the game by up to seven minutes. While Scott favours with the craft of ruckmen, he is in favour of an immediate ball up and feels it may also contribute to playing a second tall. 'I think we should just do that instantly, I don't know why we wait, if the ruckman can't get there that's their issue,' he said. 'The reason you can play one ruck is because the umpires wait for the ruck; if he's not there, throw it up. 'There's nowhere in the rules does that says we have to wait for the ruckman to get there, if the ball was thrown up quicker and the ruckman couldn't get there, maybe clubs would think, 'gee maybe we might need two'.
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Dockers coach sees ruck conundrum as a good thing
Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has a big rucking problem - but he can't understand why everyone is such a downer about it. The Dockers have been heavily criticised over the past two years for apportioning such a significant chunk of their salary cap on two ruckmen - Sean Darcy and Luke Jackson. The issue is again a hot talking point following Darcy's recent knee injury and the way Jackson has thrived as the lead ruckman in his teammate's absence. Put simply, Jackson plays his best football when he leads the ruck, and it's the position he enjoys the most. The former Demon has been cast mainly as a key forward in the games Darcy has been fit to play, but Jackson has become increasingly vocal about his love for the lead ruck role. Darcy is an out-and-out ruckman who has never kicked more than 12 goals in a season. Rumours are still circling that Jackson could request a trade back to Melbourne at the end of the season. That would be disastrous for Fremantle, given Darcy's injury history over recent years and form struggles this season. Darcy has missed the past two weeks with a jarred knee - and Fremantle have posted convincing wins over GWS and Port Adelaide in that period. Jackson starred in both of those games, and he was arguably best afield against Port Adelaide with 38 hit-outs, 21 disposals, eight clearances, one goal and a goal assist. drop punt from there is absolutely wild.#KalyakoorlWalyalup #AFLFreoPower — Walyalup Football Club (@freodockers) May 24, 2025 Darcy is expected to be passed fit to return for Saturday's crunch clash with high-flying Gold Coast at People First Stadium. With the Suns boasting star ruckman Jarrod Witts, the inclusion of Darcy could prove handy. But would it hinder Jackson's game? Many pundits think so. And would opting for two ruckmen give Jackson further fuel to seek a trade away from Fremantle? These are key questions Longmuir will have to answer, but the sixth-year coach sees having two classy ruckmen up his sleeve as a huge positive. "To have two players who are really good at their position - I see it as a good problem," Longmuir said. "Everyone else sees it as a bad problem, but I'd see it as a good problem. "Jacko has got flexibility to play other positions. There's other ways we can get him around the footy. "And Sean's proven over the course of a long time that he's one of the best rucks in the comp against some of the bigger bodies, especially the big-bodied ruckmen. "So it's a good problem to have." Given Darcy's lack of pre-season following ankle and knee issues, Longmuir may opt to bring back the 26-year-old via the WAFL. The Dockers (6-5) need to find a replacement for rebounding defender Cooper Simpson, who injured his AC joint in the win over Port.
