Re: The Ruck Division .... Is It Really Competent Enough ??
Reply #119 –
TDK is still light relative to other rucks, but so was Peter Moore.
I read TDK put on 9kgs this pre-season compared to last pre-season, that is a lot from a low base, if you do this stuff too quickly you end up breaking them like we broke SpecialK.
The big blokes have to grow into their frame, do it too artificially and they end up buggered. Like it or not, that means peak performance around 27 years of age, usually we have kyboshed them by that stage!
But the main problem last night wasn't TDK but the ruck umpiring was horrendous. Earlier this season if TDK did what O'Brien did last night TDK would be penalised for blocking. Then last night TDK jumps as the AFL are supposed to want them to do, and O'Brien stands flat footed and straight arms TDK away from the fall of the ball without penalty. It's bullsh1t adjudication, the kid can't win. Then he tried to jump over O'Brien and the umpires pinged TDK for making high contact!
When we drafted Tom he was 89kg. He is now 102kg, 1kg more than he was last season. Mirkov was 104kg when he was rookied and is the same now ... but I suspect there's more muscle. For completeness, Pitto is 104kg, the same as he was at Hawthorn.
Free kicks in ruck contests are a bit like chooklotto De Koning has been schooled well but the umpires clearly need to spend some time with Matty K.
Mirkov's ruckwork is often quite different. He often seems to psyche his opponent out of the contest and at other times he doesn't contest but roves the other ruck's taps. It will be interesting to see if he can do that against the better AFL rucks.