Can anybody challenge the ruck GOATS?

[Mat0369]

It also puts Cameron's performance into perspective last week. Soldo/Balta/Coleman-Jones are awful

[Samsturmfels]

Nic Nat 100 sc in 58% game time last night

[eaglesman]

That’s it, grundy gone after that first quarter haha

[IntegralX]

Looks like no. I think Jacobs is fools gold. Goldy and Naismith left as options.

[Samsturmfels]

still have Gawn and Grundy and will most likely start with them, however this year there seems to be a good amount of underpriced ruckmen and alot of expensive rookies that impact on our sides structures. I feel if one of gawn/grundy start the year off slow (which may not happen) and if one of these mid price ruckmen can start the year on fire it may be a huge pod move. Here is a list of those midprice ruckmen i have been looking at:

-Naismith (251k): cheap and most likely swans no. 1 ruck. Although poor sc history.
-Zac Smith (254k): cheap but not suns no.1 ruck. in last full season (2017) ave 91 sc. If witts injures himself Smith would become more appealing.
-Jacobs (348k): Giants no.1 ruck, past twos seasons hasn't averaged over 87. Has a solid sc scoring history though.
-Nankervis (404k): averaged 98.2 in 2018 and was looking to improve last year although soldo made it into the team and likely ahead of nank now.
-Ceglar (417k): Will start as hawks ruckman and has dual-position. Although has poor sc history
-Tim english (448k): dogs no.1 ruck and the one player on this list that is young and his best is still to come.
-Nic Nat (457k): has the most potential on this list, however hasnt played more than 20 games since 2010 and 5 out of the last 6 years he has averaged under 104. His amount of game time he plays is also worrying.

The main issue with these guys is injury risk and potentially not scoring enough to make money. Another reason why i still have GG atm is that they are useful SC captains.

[RaisyDaisy]

I'm locked on GG but if I was going to waiver than the only other ruck I would consider is English

Everything about him screams breakout

Most of those other rucks are limited, none of them (other than NN who is a risky pick) I can't see going 100+

I get people saying they're a stepping stone, but would you spend that much on any other line without expecting/hoping they become a keeper? I don't think so, so I'd pick the ruck I think/hope can turn into a keeper and that's why I like English

Most of those other rucks are either past it or not capable of matching the best so I just don't love the idea of shelling out 350k+ on someone who won't be a keeper

Naismith I kind of get because he's actually cheap and a legit stepping stone, but the rest I'd want them turning into a keeper, and I'd pick English

That's just speculation of course, which is why I'm sticking with GG

[jvalles69]

I have to admit I'm considering Nic Nat or English right now over Gawn, but only if I can use the extra money to increase my keepers on another line...

I'm also playing for a 1K cash league so it allows me to be a bit less strict on my team I feel.

[Samsturmfels]

I'm locked on GG but if I was going to waiver than the only other ruck I would consider is English

Everything about him screams breakout

Most of those other rucks are limited, none of them (other than NN who is a risky pick) I can't see going 100+

I get people saying they're a stepping stone, but would you spend that much on any other line without expecting/hoping they become a keeper? I don't think so, so I'd pick the ruck I think/hope can turn into a keeper and that's why I like English

Most of those other rucks are either past it or not capable of matching the best so I just don't love the idea of shelling out 350k+ on someone who won't be a keeper

Naismith I kind of get because he's actually cheap and a legit stepping stone, but the rest I'd want them turning into a keeper, and I'd pick English

That's just speculation of course, which is why I'm sticking with GG

great comments RaisyDaisy. Even if English were to breakout the chances are he'd still be miles behind Gawn and Grundy

[IntegralX]

So really, I'm choosing between GG, G/Ceglar or G/Jacobs. It just depends how confident you are that you can make the points up elsewhere.

[hawkers65]

I'm gonna give Naismith a whirl. 3% of teams, priced at a little over an expensive rookie but better scoring potential. Hoping he'll do what Witts did for me a few years ago. Allows me to get a Dev Smith and a Brayshaw type plus load up on premium rookies rather than basement ones.

[dylanclements]

I'm gonna give Naismith a whirl. 3% of teams, priced at a little over an expensive rookie but better scoring potential. Hoping he'll do what Witts did for me a few years ago. Allows me to get a Dev Smith and a Brayshaw type plus load up on premium rookies rather than basement ones.

I'm thinking the same. I had Sauce in a few drafts of the team but it doesn't sit comfortably - he could easily average under 80, and 350 is a lot to shell out for someone who sits at 350-400 for half a season.

In a way I'd love to go with two rookie rucks. We might even get that option. But it's easy to see them getting dropped and leaving you stranded. And realistically it's a Hail Mary.

Naismith in means Whitfield up front and one less terrible fwd rookie. Really all I want Naismith to do is get to 350-400 so he can be used as a legit stepping stone. That'll be a reach for him for sure but it is plausible. And you never know, Gawn could be 650 by then. Or he could be 750  ::).

[LordSneeze]

I'm gonna give Naismith a whirl. 3% of teams, priced at a little over an expensive rookie but better scoring potential. Hoping he'll do what Witts did for me a few years ago. Allows me to get a Dev Smith and a Brayshaw type plus load up on premium rookies rather than basement ones.

I was originally tossing up Jacobs, but Naismith looks a better shout in that position. Its a huge risk to me with no cover and I would have to take Ceglar if going either Jacobs or Naismith

The question here ends up being
Ceglar + Naismith + 180k (50% chance of a prem, $150k cash generation, $180k to upgrade elsewhere, 2-4 trades)
Gawn + 150k rookie (Locked in prem, $200k cash generation, 2 Trades)
Is $130k gain worth the risk of a 50% chance of a prem & the potential need to use 2 extra trades.

I think ive convinced myself no.

[js19]

I'm gonna give Naismith a whirl. 3% of teams, priced at a little over an expensive rookie but better scoring potential. Hoping he'll do what Witts did for me a few years ago. Allows me to get a Dev Smith and a Brayshaw type plus load up on premium rookies rather than basement ones.

I was originally tossing up Jacobs, but Naismith looks a better shout in that position. Its a huge risk to me with no cover and I would have to take Ceglar if going either Jacobs or Naismith

The question here ends up being
Ceglar + Naismith + 180k (50% chance of a prem, $150k cash generation, $180k to upgrade elsewhere, 2-4 trades)
Gawn + 150k rookie (Locked in prem, $200k cash generation, 2 Trades)
Is $130k gain worth the risk of a 50% chance of a prem & the potential need to use 2 extra trades.

I think ive convinced myself no.

On paper that seems reasonable, however at this point I'm asking - Who's the 150k rookie that's going to make you $200k...

My strategy will be based on having playing rooks on the bench, as I can see a lot of the GnR teams being potentially without cover very early on. If it means I can afford GG, great, if not I see Naismith as a legit option to at least get cash gen rolling.

[hawkers65]

I also was running Jacobs but he just doesn't seem viable. You're kidding yourself if you see him averaging anywhere near 100. No matter what you want Gawn back anyway so Jacobs is just a no man's pick. Not a keeper And hardly a stepping stone. Gawn will be 600k at some point for sure, and your think Naismith will hit 400k with the easy ruck points. It's purely just hoping that these two line up remotely close which is a standard upgrade. Any other year you'd take Gawn and a rookie for sure but this year grabbing 2 mid pricers (in a forward line that wont require much to be a keeper) as well as a premium rookie actually showers on picking 3 basement rookies and Gawn. As a result I have a rock solid Defence and Mids (all 9 premiums are top end) and then it has me ballsing the mess that is Ruc and Fwd positions this year. Ride the wave with me

Edit: does anyone have news on Reid and Franklin? Only thing o worry about would be these guys coming back and Sinclair going back to rucking.

[frenzy]

I'm gonna give Naismith a whirl. 3% of teams, priced at a little over an expensive rookie but better scoring potential. Hoping he'll do what Witts did for me a few years ago. Allows me to get a Dev Smith and a Brayshaw type plus load up on premium rookies rather than basement ones.

I was originally tossing up Jacobs, but Naismith looks a better shout in that position. Its a huge risk to me with no cover and I would have to take Ceglar if going either Jacobs or Naismith

The question here ends up being
Ceglar + Naismith + 180k (50% chance of a prem, $150k cash generation, $180k to upgrade elsewhere, 2-4 trades)
Gawn + 150k rookie (Locked in prem, $200k cash generation, 2 Trades)
Is $130k gain worth the risk of a 50% chance of a prem & the potential need to use 2 extra trades.

I think ive convinced myself no.

On paper that seems reasonable, however at this point I'm asking - Who's the 150k rookie that's going to make you $200k...

My strategy will be based on having playing rooks on the bench, as I can see a lot of the GnR teams being potentially without cover very early on. If it means I can afford GG, great, if not I see Naismith as a legit option to at least get cash gen rolling.

Good read fellas.
I can also see people becoming short of funds very quickly. The days of the sprint to the finish are sadly no longer, so it seems.