Hille is a dud and just has not improved on where he was a few years back. Cartledge had potential and was still only 21, should have kept him.
Ryder would be excellent as a ruckman in a few years, but if he's gonna stay as a defender we need other options.
If Laycock can find some form again, he will be good. I saw Lachlan McKinnon yesterday for the first time since school days and he looked very good. If only Knights hadn't left him on the bench for the second half of every quater with no other real ruckman in the team Bendigo might have stolen a win against the team that has won the last 4 VFL premierships. McKinon also seemed to move around well and mark very well.
Laycock has played, what, 30 games? I think once he gets some more confidence in his body he will develop into a fine ruckman. Is still very inexperienced as an AFL ruckman.
Hille is a strange one. Often looks like he's got things figured out (I thought he was great for us last year) but has never really kicked on. Seems content to be a solid player rather than striving to be a good/great one. Certainly has the physical tools. Ideally I think Hille would be better value as the back-up ruckman, but with no other established rucks in the team that won't happen.
azza78 wrote:Laycock has played, what, 30 games? I think once he gets some more confidence in his body he will develop into a fine ruckman. Is still very inexperienced as an AFL ruckman.
I'm more interested in who's at the club helping him out. It's great to hear that the club is really putting in hard on the training track - skills work, tackling drills etc, but what are Hille, Laycock & Co doing at training re: ruck work? I would love to hear from those who go to training to report whether or not we have a ruck coach doing ruck work with these guys at training.....