IS IS IT TIME FOR A CHANGE OF PLANS?

[quinny88]

Okay ill admit it... Im getting cold feet!
All pre season I have preached on about "setting and forgetting" the rucks but suddenly im having second thoughts..
Its the mid rookies fault! It started off being full of talent and potential but injuries and job security questions have come forth over the past few weeks and now im really struggling to feel confident that my mid rooks will all play.. And not be vested.
With old mcdonald now missing the next 2 weeks he has to sit on my bench and take up a spot which leaves me with little room for error.
Would I be better off getting a fourth prem into the mids, at the expense of big cox as my ruckman as the rookie rucks have more js and are far less likely to be vested.. Or should I just leave it as a 3 prem midfield and leave cox and mummy to do their stuff in the ruck?

I guess alternatively again I could get a mid pricer in at M4 & R2.. But dont really want to do that

[2 large cokes]

stick with your original plan! change it and it always backfires. there's a reason u wanted cox and mummy in the rucks so I'd keep it that way. 1 games been played, plenty to come so I wouldn't panic.

[quinny88]

I love the fact of not having to think about the rucks for the season (barring injury)
But these rookie mids are full of question marks all of a sudden which is whats making me change my mind

[quinny88]

I should have made this decision a week ago so atleast if I went with the 1 prem ruck mummy wouldnt be locked so I could get cox

[quinny88]

I should add that if I go with four prem mids my team will be..

MID: GAJ, SWAN, BOYD, SELWOOD, JMAC, SHIEL (SMITH, MAGNER)
RUCK: MUMMY, REDDEN (GILES, BIGO)


If i go with the 2 prem rucks it will be..

MID: GAJ, BOYD, SELWOOD, JMAC, SHIEL, MAGNER (SMITH, KERRIDGE)
RUCK: COX, MUMMY (GILES, REDDEN)

[sj9177]

Second option, seriously, its going to be really handy to have Giles all season to coverb byes and short term injuries or suspensions - can you say Mumford.

If you have 3 rooks you will need to either trade both of Redden and Giles to get a half decent ruck (one out, one upgraded) and then have poor backup

Or

Do two trades from somewhere else to upgrade one of the guys

Given the depth or Mid / FWD rookies who will be blooded mid season you have much cheaper downgrade options there

[tor01doc]

Ruckruck better.

[quinny88]

Second option, seriously, its going to be really handy to have Giles all season to coverb byes and short term injuries or suspensions - can you say Mumford.

If you have 3 rooks you will need to either trade both of Redden and Giles to get a half decent ruck (one out, one upgraded) and then have poor backup

Or

Do two trades from somewhere else to upgrade one of the guys

Given the depth or Mid / FWD rookies who will be blooded mid season you have much cheaper downgrade options there

Yea i agree with what your saying but even if i have 2 prem rucks and giles builds up a nice price on the bench im still probably going to want to trade him out to create another prem in another position.. i dont see the point in keeping a rookie that hs built a good average and price but still sits on the bench. the only rookies i will keep are the ones that are needed on the field e.g dyson heppel last year

[tor01doc]

A rookie like Giles who cost you nothing is a great bench warmer later in the year should ther be a rest or susp or short term injury.

Saves you trades.

Other rookies, eg mid and back and fwd will generate enough money for you.

You'll be trade poor this year so save them with guys like Giles.

I think.

[quinny88]

A rookie like Giles who cost you nothing is a great bench warmer later in the year should ther be a rest or susp or short term injury.

Saves you trades.

Other rookies, eg mid and back and fwd will generate enough money for you.

You'll be trade poor this year so save them with guys like Giles.

I think.

Like i said though, ive been all about the 2 prem rucks all pre season but is there really many cash cows in the mids.. just about every player that gets mentioned is either tagged with "injury" or "vest bait"
I cant afford the real expensive mid rookies, im looking at the 130k and under mark..
Currently have:
Clay smith (talk of being vest bate)
Shiel (should play)
Mcdonald (suspended)
kerridge (vest bate/job security issues)
magner (should play)

the other guys around these price ranges that i could bring in eg. ledger, koby stevens, lachie neal.. all have the same question marks.

[Ringo]

I am working on a 1/3 strategy.  I believe Giles will be like Zac Smith last year and run out of steam around Round 11/12 making him the perfect upgrade target to a premium Ruck tat is performing.  To be honest I am not 100% sure on prem rucks this year as imo there are a number of variables so that is why I went 1/3. Bottom Line is will your 4th Prem Mid score more than a Prem Ruck.

[Talisman]

I am working on a 1/3 strategy.  I believe Giles will be like Zac Smith last year and run out of steam around Round 11/12 making him the perfect upgrade target to a premium Ruck tat is performing.  To be honest I am not 100% sure on prem rucks this year as imo there are a number of variables so that is why I went 1/3. Bottom Line is will your 4th Prem Mid score more than a Prem Ruck.

I humbly disagree. I believe with the support of a quality AFL ruckman like Brogan (Smith had the biggest spud ever in Fraser as "support") that Giles will/should play pretty much every game this year - obviously, injuries/suspensions permitting. Personally, I think the bottom line is trades - mid rookie should fatten up quicker than, say Redden & Big O, allowing you to upgrade to prem mids (& score higher) more quickly.

The main reason i steered clear of the 1/3 ruck setup is because downgrading in the tucks can be problematic later in the season - will there be any rookie priced Rucks playing consistlt to act as bench cover? Most likely not.

[Ringo]

Appreciate your comments Talisman and they are valid - Just one comment though and you can still feel free to disagree with me after byes which I am looking at would you need your Ruck 4 to be playing.  There are a number of Rucks that may or may not play later in the season that you could downgrade to just to sit on pine.  I would be looking at some Rookie ruck with a $94k price tag when the time comes and not be worried whether playing or not.

[PommyPirate]

And why do you need a 94k ruck anyway?

All you do is upgrade Stephenson, on the proviso he plays and keep Giles as 3rd ruck just as those who started with 2 prem rucks are doing.

Personally I think Giles as 2nd ruck is the way to go this year, this is of course if Stephenson goes ok and keeps getting games. You just upgrade him as soon as you can afford a Mumford or similar.

[quinny88]

I am working on a 1/3 strategy.  I believe Giles will be like Zac Smith last year and run out of steam around Round 11/12 making him the perfect upgrade target to a premium Ruck tat is performing.  To be honest I am not 100% sure on prem rucks this year as imo there are a number of variables so that is why I went 1/3. Bottom Line is will your 4th Prem Mid score more than a Prem Ruck.

My fourth prem mid will be selwood so theres a good chance