The Long Road Home: Rucks

 

 

OK, no rhyming jokes about Rucks in this article, just a ruck-load of juicy stats to look over. Sorry, the temptation was too great. Anyway, I’ve checked out 8 ruckmen that people either have or might be considering getting into their side.

Bradburys

The guys who come home strong.

	Ave for Rounds 1-11	Ave for Rounds 12-22	Difference
D Jolly	79	88	+9
M Leuenberger	73	82	+9

These two guys are the only Rucks who significantly increase their averages in the second half of the year. I’ve only used 2010 stats for the Berger as he only played three games in 2009. I remember Jolly starting the year off poorly, before finding his feet in the Collingwood team and pumping out some good scores. This year, he’s had injury problems, so whether he can continue his late season form is questionable.

Lay Down Sallies

The guys who drop off when the going gets tough.

	Ave for Rounds 1-11	Ave for Rounds 12-22	Difference
D Cox	98	85	-13

Dean Cox is the Lone Ruck Ranger when it comes to giving up the ghost in the second half of the year. He’s been a gun for a long time, and it appears that he starts to struggle in the last half of the year. Over the past two seasons, he’s played all 22 games in the first half of the year. In the second half, he’s only managed 13 games out of a possible 22. Not only does he struggle to get on the park, but he struggles to score as well. Having said that, he’s staying as my number 1 ruck. I’m pretty sure he’s shaken off the struggles he’s had over the last two seasons and is back to his best.

Steve Moneghettis

The guys who keep it steady from start to finish.

	Ave for Rounds 1-11	Ave for Rounds 12-22	Difference
S Mumford	78	81	+3
T Goldstein	64	67	+3
A Sandilands	97	97	0
D Petrie	87	87	0
P Ryder	85	83	-2

Ruckmen are pretty consistent creatures, and it shows by having most of the payers reviewed falling in the Steve Moneghetti category. Goldstein has improved alot this year, and for those of you sick of Sandilands and his broken toenail (which would be the size of a car bonnet), he may be worth the pickup, showing he can continue his form for the whole year. Please note, Petrie’s figures are for 2009 only, while Mumford’s are 2010 only, since Geelong never gave him a run the year before.

To finish off, it is worth noting the number of games played in the second half of the year for these guys. While they may be pretty consistent, being big seems to mean getting injured is a frequent occurrence. Only Jolly and Ryder have played anywhere near a full amount of games in the second half of the season, with 22 and 21 respectively over the past two years. After that, it’s a dog’s breakfast! Goldstein = 18, Sandilands = 17, and Cox = 13.

I think I’ve covered all the ruckmen worth looking at, but if you have any others, let me know.

TOMORROW: Forwards.