IF FRIDAY night's NAB AFL Draft showed that recruiters are reluctant to use early picks on ruckmen, Monday's rookie draft highlighted exactly the way clubs are keen to find their next big man.
Just days ago Tim English, the best young ruckman to come through the draft in years, slipped to the Western Bulldogs' pick No.19 because clubs are generally averse to using early selections on rucks.
This was despite many clubs viewing him as a top-10 talent, and one who had the height (204cm), athleticism and skills to be a long-term player. Put simply, the clubs in front of the Dogs had other priorities to address and prospects of different shapes could step in sooner.
Instead, clubs used the rookie draft – perhaps in its final year as part of the AFL landscape – to stock up on ruckmen.
Essendon started the trend at pick No.1, drafting in 18-year-old South Australian Sam Draper. Draper is 202cm and has only really played one year of footy after transitioning from a soccer background, but caught the Bombers' eye with his competitiveness and size.
The Bombers needed some ruck back up, with Matthew Leuenberger and the returning Tom Bellchambers the only rucks on their list after delisting rookie shot Gach Nyuon after one season.
It was the club's only real 'live' selection at the draft so they had to use pick one on him (having committed to re-selecting Shaun McKernan and Yestin Eades as rookies), but it kick-started a run of rucks getting a go in the first round.
The Pies grabbed ruck/forward Mitch McCarthy from the Dandenong Stingrays, before Melbourne selected Lachlan Filipovic. After the Dees came Port Adelaide, who took local ruckman Peter Ladhams, before St Kilda selected Rowan Marshall, a tap specialist from North Ballarat.
If you include Gold Coast re-selecting Keegan Brooksby with its first choice, plus the Bulldogs' acquirement of Nathan Mullenger-McHugh (who is 196cm but has played as a ruckman at times), then seven of the first-round rookies can fill ruck positions.
Later on, Casey Scorpions big man Oscar McInerney got a chance for the Brisbane Lions after being overlooked at the national intake, while the Magpies also grabbed GWS academy ruckman Max Lynch with selection No.51.
Both prospects will be ready to play next year, particularly McInerney, who attracted strong interest across the year from clubs looking to boost their big men stocks. Hawthorn also re-listed Jack Fitzpatrick for depth, and as expected West Coast brought in Drew Petrie to fill a spot in attack and in the ruck.
The addition of 12 rucks was the main story line to come out of the rookie draft, which many clubs went into having spent the weekend going through more vision after the large majority of players on their talent boards were taken at the national draft in Sydney.
There were many players who were unlucky to be overlooked altogether, including Jonty Scharenberg, Hamish Brayshaw and Sam Walker. Scharenberg was the shock – the younger brother of Collingwood defender Matt has been on the draft radar since playing senior SANFL footy as a 16-year-old.
Some recruiters have suggested his pace and ball use as reasons behind his inability to land on a list, while injury meant Brayshaw never really hit his straps throughout the season.
