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Proposals have been thrown left and right this week having to do with mid-season All Australian squads, and in my opinion, there’s no position that’s more fun to debate than that of the ruck.
The forwards are easy enough to pick – you just find the standout goal kickers and thin the herd as best you can.
The midfielders? Take your pick! The competition has one million of them and there’s a stack of players that are all more or less good enough.
Defenders are a bit harder but still, we all know who the standouts are.
But the ruck?
There’s so much to think about, so many factors to debate. They need to be tall, dominate and win as many hit-outs as possible, but what about the work around the ground?
How much of their own ball can they win? Do they run hard defensively – do they tackle? Can they contribute on the scoreboard?
And you can only pick one! Maybe two. So let’s break it down; just who is the best ruckman in the competition in 2018?
Melbourne: Max Gawn
Lock in Max Gawn, Eddie
At this stage of the season, I doubt many – barring a few – devoted contrarians will suggest that Melbourne’s Gawn is anywhere outside of the top two on any list.
Gawn leads the competition in pure hit-outs with 567, enjoying a lead of more than 100 over his closest competition.
He’s also third in total contested marks with 25, trailing West Coast’s Jack Darling and Jeremy McGovern.
Around the ground, Gawn is averaging 16.2 disposals per game in addition to his 4.1 marks and 3.1 tackles per contest. All of this with a staggering average of 47.3 hit-outs.
(AAP Image/Joe Castro)
Beyond winning plenty of his own footy, Gawn has eight goals too – a tally only rivalled by Sydney’s Callum Sinclair.
With Melbourne in the top four for the first time in a long time and producing some consistently exciting footy, Gawn has been at the centre of it all.
The bookies are in Gawn’s camp too, placing him as the fifth favourite to win the Brownlow Medal – trailing only Hawthorn’s Tom Mitchell, Richmond duo Trent Cotchin and Dustin Martin, and West Coast’s Andrew Gaff.
Collingwood – Brodie Grundy
I was never really sold on Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy until this season – and what a season it’s been.
In pure ruck numbers, Grundy has 457 hit-outs over 12 matches. However, it’s his work at the ground level that’s been truly impressive.
Grundy is averaging 20.9 disposals per game and operates at above 70 per cent efficiency consistently.
He has the most clearances by any ruck option with 61, a robust 20 centre clearances and 61 tackles.
Collingwood’s Grundy is ranked 12th amongst the entire AFL for contested possessions, a strong indicator of the work he’s been willing to put in both in the air and down below with the rest of the mere mortals.
Honourable Mentions
Stefan Martin has had ‘huge potential’ stamped across his forehead since the first time he laced up his boots at Brisbane. It’s been great to see him emerge as a name to look out for each and every week.
Martin is averaging 19.8 disposals a game at the Lions in 2018 and has 428 hit-outs to his name at an average of more than 35 per match.
Adelaide’s Sam Jacobs has had a huge workload this season in light of his club’s injury woes. His 465 hit-outs equal second best in the whole AFL.
Tied with Jacobs is Gold Coast’s Jarrod Witts, one of only three players averaging more than 38 hit-outs per game.
Witts also has 57 clearances – second only to Melbourne’s Gawn – and a fine effort in a struggling and oft-forgotten squad.
I would be remiss to ignore the two likely grand finalists – Richmond and West Coast – and the tall men taking them all the way.
Premiership ruck Toby Nankervis is back and better than ever for the Tigers so far.
Nankervis has 297 hit-outs at a meagre average of just above 22, but it should be obvious to all involved that he’s in the squad for his work at ground level, particularly his defensive pressure.
(AAP Image/Tony McDonough)
For West Coast, Nic Naitanui is looking as ferocious as he ever has. He is up above 300 hit-outs in total and a presence at every stoppage.
For a long time, I’ve doubted Nic Nat as a footballer purely on a game sense level. In those early years, he always looked lost in certain passages.
My biggest fear was seeing the Eagles fly all the way to the final challenge in September only to lose the game due to a loss of concentration or decisionmaking in that all-important ruck spot.
I rarely, if ever, see those moments in Nic Nat any more. The raw philosophy behind footy has been drummed into his mind – it is evident in every play now.
He attacks the ball at full speed and is eager to knock his opponent into next week defensively.
It’s great to see West Coast’s faith rewarded – and if the Eagles win a premiership in 2018, it will be with Nic Nat in the middle.
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