Lets look at the followers

[uuuuu..... The LoneSTAR]

What do the doubters have to say about our on ball brigade??

Fraser Licuria Holland

OK, Fraser may not be the best tap ruckman, but does provide a good contest at ball ups & you can't deny his work around the ground or his skill at ground level.

In Lica & Holland we have a couple of tough nuts that can find the ball and have good disposal (yes Lica too!!!!).

We have a few to rotate this year inluding Davis, Didak, Caracella, Lonie, Burns, Woey,....ETC
And Richards, Cam Cloke & Rocca with Fanning a bit of a show so far!

[highwireact]

I think our midfield is ordinary. They all need to play with more fire than last year. They aren't brilliant at anything.
Bucks and Burns are getting slower.
Licca is hard, but not great, his skills are average.
Holland doesnt seem too bright, but he does okay.
Woey lopes around too much and needs to make quicker decisions.
Lonie makes bad decisions, he too often just kicks to nobody. He would be better suited to a half foward flank type role where his accurate long kicking can be better used.

Fraser, Richards and Didak wont be playing until round 6 or so.

Cam Cloke needs more time, and will get most of his time in the forward half, but will have to be used as a Ruckman while Fanning goes out with a knee reco after 3 rounds.

Davis better be played more in the middle, as he is an average forward pocket. His pace needs to be exploited in the middle especially towards the forward side of things.

Buckley will only be used sparingly this year. He wont play all games, and he wont even play all game time in those he does play. I expect we'll see more of him down forward, but he'll have a hard time finding space with dodgy hammies down there.

[burnsy17]

Reasonable on ball division with the ability to tag and get the ball in and under to blokes who you've listed as the centremen....

You're spot on bloke, we've got very good depth in the ruck division remembering that C2, Fanning and Richards can all ruck, Lockyer and Burns can also rotate through the middle as your hard men while Woey, Bucks, Didak and Co. can provide the class....

[burnsy17]

Reasonable on ball division with the ability to tag and get the ball in and under to blokes who you've listed as the centremen....

You're spot on bloke, we've got very good depth in the ruck division remembering that C2, Fanning and Richards can all ruck, Lockyer and Burns can also rotate through the middle as your hard men while Woey, Bucks, Didak and Co. can provide the class....

[Joel]

Bucks and Burns are getting slower? Was is that based on? I would argue that they play at the same pace they have for years. Burns still plays well every week, and Bucks has had trouble with injury. Our midfield wasnt' the fastest in 2002/2003, but that didn't matter. Speed is nice, but getting the ball and being able to use it should be preferred.

The whole midfield will have to stepup after last year. We were beaten too often in the centre for my liking, and I hope to see some young guys played through there. I hope my post made sense.

[Culprit]

Followers and the Centre are all together these days.

Joel I agree with you totally.

[uuuuu..... The LoneSTAR]

OK, i'll admit they are not the most revered followers in the AFL:

Fraser - Is a number 1 draft pick. I've heard all the arguments that he hasn't lived up to it blah blah. In reply to that i say big men take longer to develop blah blah. So far, i think he has been a very solid player overall and one that will keep improving!

Lica - Multiple copeland trophy winner! I wasn't a huge fan of Lica's when he first moved across to us - but how good has he been???? Solid performer week in week out and can he play finals???,..... particularly V Port

Holland - This is one of our teams most under rated players IMHO. A great athlete, knows where the goals are, good tagger, tough with grunt and has that mongrel in him.

These guys are now season campaigners ripe & prime for a good season,.... don't you think ??

PLUS look at the guys we can rotate through and i see some spark, youth, experience, SPEED (for what thats worth!!),... & depth!!

[DaVe86]

The followers are good at full strength. We are still desperately missing a commanding ruckman of the likes of Darcy, Everitt or King. Fraser and Richards are not this yet. In terms of the first 6 rounds, Fanning has to hold up. As long as we can get 2 or 3 wins in these rounds, the team can strike from there provided we get no more injuries.

Burns and lockeyer and lica are all quality midfielders and will do good jobs this year.

[Damien]

rucking has not been a strength of ours for years...not since Monkey. However we have made a reasonable fist of it over the last few years of rucking well to the opposition. Josh may not be a commanding ruckman at the bounces but he can go forward and give you 2 goals a game which also counts for a lot.

What our on-ball brigade (Bucks, Licca, Brodie, Woey) lacks in youth they make up for in experience I reckon.

[3rd degree]

Fraser kicks a lot more goals and has better class when the ball is on the deck than most ruckmen. On top of that he has less tattoos than Everitt.

[Johnson#26]

I see our following division being as follows:

Ruck: Richards (with Fraser, Flaps, C2 and Pebbles doing their share).

Ruck/Rover: Licuira (hard running, ball winning midifleder who generally uses it well)

Rover: Burns (hard working, gutsy hard nut who never says die).

This line works very well with our centre line, forming one of the most powerful we have on offer.

Our ruckmen are developing well, and we haven't had a ruck division since the days of Monky at his best. If Stretch and Rogan can stay on the park and out of the medical room, we are well set for the future.

Holland and Tarks can also rotate through there, providing the flexabillity required. Even Jonno and oley will get their shot. They all have to make the most of it.

[35forever]

Geezuz highwireact! Do you even barrack for Collingwood? Licca isnt great? Good god! Havent you even seen a replay of the '02 finals? Woewy lopes around? Forget it...youre a Carlton supporter giving us a wind up!

As was stated, the roving positions & midfield are the same thing these days. The following division is the ruckmen. In my time we've had 3 truly great ruckmen at Vic Park: Thompson, Moore, & Monky. We dont have their like at this point, but we have the makings. Whats more, it matters little. Winning taps is nice, but not all that imprtant if you have a smart midfield & fast hands (and while our foot speed may not be the best, our hand speed is second to none). We lost all the taps in '02 but led the pack in clearances which is the whole point of the ruck. We certainly have enough talls to do the job, (because even if you dont win the taps, you still have to contest them), Pebbles, Josh, Guy, Cam, Tex, Dave Fanning,Trav Cloke & Davo, even Jason Cloke at a pinch. but these are mostly kids, and unless we trade for one next year we wont have a top line ruckman for 2 or 3 years (ie: a bloke who wins tapouts).

But that neednt stop us. Josh is too important to us for other things to be worrying about how many taps we win. He is one of the classiest big men when the ball hits the ground, and is an excellent kick & mark. If Dave Fanning develops along similar lines we will be well served. The possibilities for 'traditional' ruckmen are Cameron Cloke and Tex. Both are big & strong, able to go body on body with any of the big 'uns going around, but it should be Cammy we are concentrating on for the job. I want (yes, I'll say it yet again), Tex to be a full forward, he hasnt got enough mongrel for the ruck, and has a perfect build for a FF.

It's certainly our weakest point, but also the least important (or at least the one we can cover best). As for the smaller or ruck/rover positions, we are dripping class: Bucks, Lones, Licca, Burnsy, Woewy, Cara, Rowe, Daks, Johnno, Brodie, Tarks, as well as the ones who seem to be dismissed around here, but who I think will rise again: Rhyce, Lokan & Cheesy (when he used to play a more attacking game, running through the lines, he was right up there with the best, and will be again).

Bring it on, we're looking fine. A few early wins, a rise in confidence, and 4 or 5 knocking on the door, and we're set for a lovely spring.

[Johnson#26]

From Toay's Herald Sun Football Guide:

Is Richards the player the Pies have been praying for?

Yes, provided he stays injury-free. Made significant impact in his debut season despite taking a while to look comfortable. A serious bout of osteitis pubis ended his season after round 13, but by then he had all but established himself. Provided he is able to overcome a preseason knee injury, there is every reason for Pies supporters to be confident they have a serious ruckmen.

I certainly agree with all written. If he can fire, with support from Rogan, we are set!

[bwphantom]

Richards could be back in rounds 2-3. I like the look of him, good around the taps and a strong mark. Look to the future he will be our strength in years to come.

[Johnson#26]

bw, I spoke to Stretch at Family Day, and he said round two is his aim for a return.