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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: AFL First Wildcard Final 2026 Pre Game Predictions Carlton vs Melbourne at the G
Last post by LP -
Quote from: DJC – on
Pitto’s “ruck nerd” discussion that’s in today’s Age and various other places gives a good insight into how he tackles Gawn.  It basically boils down to limiting where Gawn can direct his taps so that our midfielders can shark the ball.
As I've said, winning the tap is over-rated by fans, when they talk about taps they expose a naivety of their understanding of ruck contests.

Good rucks can lose the tap and still control the space, leaving less options for opponents and a greater chance for team-mates to contest. They do this by controlling the angle of approach, the side of the opponent's body they contact, how they rotate through the contest affects what the opponent does, and where the ball falls relative to the opponent's body. Also, where they move and what they do immediately after landing. In effect you turn the centre circle into a semi-circle closing off half the available options.

It's called controlling the ruck, and it has very little to do with the tap, and it makes the outcome of the stoppage / contest more predictable for the midfield.
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: VFL 2026 Wildcard #1 Carlton vs Williamstown
Last post by Gointocarlton -
Quote from: crashlander – on
A week is a long time in football. Last week Willi dominated because they won the rucks with Preuss and Mirkov, while we had only O'Keefe. A week on and Willi lose both Preuss and Mirkov by 1/4 time. The result? Essendon wipe the floor with them. I'm not sure if we can consider this fate, or a message. But it does show how important rucks can be.
Yes
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Robert Heatley Stand / Re: VFL 2026 Wildcard #1 Carlton vs Williamstown
Last post by crashlander -
A week is a long time in football. Last week Willi dominated because they won the rucks with Preuss and Mirkov, while we had only O'Keefe. A week on and Willi lose both Preuss and Mirkov by 1/4 time. The result? Essendon wipe the floor with them. I'm not sure if we can consider this fate, or a message. But it does show how important rucks can be.