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AFL Recruits American College Basketball Players for Ruckman Position

Boulder, Colorado, native Kevin Waida is an experienced Fantasy Football player who participates in competitive online leagues every season. A fan of sports in general, Kevin Waida also enjoys watching college basketball in his spare time. According to an article published on ESPN.com, American college basketball players of requisite height are being recruited to play in the Australian Football League (AFL). The AFL is looking to diversify its pool of potential candidates to assume the position of “ruckman” on teams across the country. The ruckman is typically the tallest player on an AFL team and is responsible for gaining control of the ball at the center of the ruck when players begin a game or reset a play after a goal has been scored. Coaches for Australian football aim to find players over 6’6” to hold the position, and after years of recruiting within Australia, young men capable of playing ruckman have proven difficult to find. Australian coaches now attend an annual US combine, where college basketball players 6’7” or taller from across the United States fly to Los Angeles in order to showcase their athleticism.

#kevin waida #sports #basketball #ruckman #Australian Football League

New Post has been published on www.sportsbanter.com.au

New Post has been published on http://www.sportsbanter.com.au/whos-third-man-up/

Who's Third Man Up?

It’s late in the quarter; a boundary throw in is about to take place on centre wing. Your team is trailing on the scoreboard, they need to roll the dice but your ruckman is fatigued and the opposition is just happy to wrap the ball up and slow the play down. The ball is thrown in and all of a sudden a third player engages the ruck contest, he comes in from the side off a shot run up, jumps and belts the ball in the direction of his goals… It’s the Third Man Up!

Most AFL teams have this designated player. A player who whether instructed to by the coach or of their own accord jumps into the arena usually reserved for 100kg plus and 200cm plus big men. Revealed below is the list of players who are the bane of opposition ruckmen everywhere:

Hawthorn – Jordan Lewis

The forgotten man of the Hawks star studded team, Lewis averages more hit-outs than any other non genuine tall player in the game.

Sydney – Luke Parker

Josh Kennedy is far and away the best clearance player in the AFL, add to this the presence of countless talls across the park in Pyke, Tippett, Franklin, Reid and Richards and a third man up option might seem redundant for the Swans. But despite this it’s the hardworking Parker who when required puts his hand up for the premiership favourites.

Geelong –Mitch Duncan

While former Sun Josh Caddy statistically enacts more hit-outs than Duncan, his dodgy shoulders could stunt his progression in the role. Duncan is the Cats best bet moving forward.

Fremantle – Nat Fyfe

It would seem strange for any side with Aaron Sandilands in it to ever need a third man up but if that time ever arises, Nat Fyfe is Freo’s man. Mind you at 190cm tall he’s not exactly a garden gnome

Port Adelaide – Ollie Wines / Brad Ebert

While Justin Westhoff often launches himself out of turn at a stoppage, he is a borderline ruckman anyway. Within the Power’s midfield ranks, it’s Wines and Ebert who fill the role to greatest effect.

North Melbourne – Jack Ziebell

While Nick Dal Santo and Daniel Wells often have a crack as the third man up, it’s robust onballer Ziebell who coach Brad Scott would ideally deploy in the role providing he can keep his body right.

Adelaide – Patrick Dangerfield

Is it any surprise that the player who shoulders so much on field responsibility for the Crows also takes on this role as well?

Essendon – Brendon Goddard

The former Saint goes within a whisker of qualifying as a genuine tall but since he falls just shy of 190cm we’ll let him slide on this one.

Collingwood – Scott Pendlebury

It makes perfect sense for the former basketballer, who no doubt competed in his fair share of jump balls, to fulfil the role for the Pies. Plus he makes it look bloody easy.

Gold Coast – David Swallow

While Swallow currently fills this role for the Suns, the player most likely to take on this role moving forward is Kade Kolodjashnij. The man with the difficult to pronounce surname had the highest vertical jump and running vertical jump at the 2013 AFL Draft Camp.

West Coast – Jeremy McGovern

He’s already shown his aerial capabilities with a couple of “mark of the year” contenders and he’s set to continue to utilize his leap to great affect for the Eagles at stoppages. Although good luck to him trying to jump over the top of Nic Natanui

Richmond – None

Outside of genuine ruckmen Ivan Maric and Shaun Hampson as well as tall forwards Ty Vickery and Ben Griffiths, the Tigers don’t employ a third man up option, maybe it’s something they should look into.

Carlton – Bryce Gibbs

Currently employed as somewhat of a utility by coach Mick Malthouse, it’s only appropriate that Gibbs add to his all-round reputation by being the Blues pinch hitter at stoppages

Western Bulldogs – Marcus Bontempelli

Excitingly the Bulldogs have already bestowed third man up duties on one of their young guns. Bontempelli’s pure athleticism should see him become a dangerous third man up option for years to come

Brisbane – Pearce Hanley

Remarkable to think that a player who didn’t know what a Sherrin was until 2005 is now not only so skillful with one in hand but understands the nuance of the third man up role so well.

Melbourne – Daniel Cross

At 31 years of age and having suffered several injuries this season, the mind may still be willing but Cross’ body is beginning to question if he is still the best option for the third man up role at the Dees. Paul Roos will no doubt be taking applications this pre-season.

GWS – Callan Ward

It comes as no surprise that in a team full of developing players, Callan Ward, their battle hardened skipper is the man who rises above the pack when the team needs it most.

St Kilda – Lenny Hayes

It’s a good thing the Saints have acknowledged they’re in a rebuilding phase because Lenny is their designated third man up and he’s retiring so looks like someone else will be learning a new role in pre-season.

#AFL #afl ruckman #banter #ruckman #third man up

the mental leaps of "black is beautiful" by dr. peter s. ruckman: 1. cats are hella weird 2. black cats used to be considered even weirder 3. panthers are black cats 4. panzer tanks were named after panthers 5. panzer tanks were used by the german military 6. hitler was german 7. hitler was evil and cats are weird dude you could have just said hitler was a bad dude none of us would have disagreed with you

#black is beautiful #ruckman #pbi #weird stuff #conspiracy theories #kyla liveblogs the bible belt

what's frustrating me most about this book at the moment is that his only reason for disliking certain people isn't like, you know, the laws they passed or anything

jfk had sex with other people and janet reno was a lesbian

like these are literally the most important thing he has to tell us about them

#ruckman #i can't

the-wayward-trio reblogged your post:i mean seriously "Our "founding fathers" decided...

I see now, i just read that little paragraph, and nothing else. that’s horrible thank you for clearing that up for me :)

yeah, no problem. i'm just at a loss with this book and it's all about aliens and how evil welfare moms are because they're stealing our money and i'm just like

i might almost agree with you about certain things but the rest of it makes it very difficult

#the-wayward-trio #ruckman