335:, is a tactic often employed around the ground as a set play strategy (though was made illegal in the AFL from 2016). As only one ruck from each side can be used at centre bounces, this tactic is restricted to boundary throw-ins and bounces. It involves a second tall or high jumping player from one of the sides contesting the ruck, typically when the taller rucks are wrestling at ground level or consistently ineffective in getting a clear tap away. The tactic became especially popular during the 2015 season. It often results in a thump forward to keep the ball moving towards goal, as it is difficult for the shorter player contesting the ruck to aim a tap. This is because they are not able to be assisted by lifting and can often be put off balance in the air when jumping over the top of rucks. Additionally, by committing an extra player to the ruck contest, there is one less player from that team around the contest - though this can also have the effect of opening up space for more creative roving players. Some key position players are designated
287:) practices a more physical style of rucking. Typically, the player is of a larger or taller build and uses brute force (and a style often referred to as "crash and bash") to take their opponent out of the contest and punch the ball forward, typically going for distance and penetration into their attacking zone. These players are typically slower around the ground and less inclined to jump, as such are sometimes referred to as "dinosaurs" and sometimes criticised for a lack of skill around the ground. Heavy rucks became the dominant rucks in the VFL/AFL in the 1890s and also the 1960s and 1970s. This type of ruckwork is rarer in the modern game, more so at its highest level. At the beginning of 2003, the AFL rules were changed so that rucks must stand at opposite sides and run towards each other. This change affected thump rucks especially as players must now maximise their jump and reach if they are to win the tap.
272:) often describes a ruck that covers a lot of ground. Sometime this type of ruck is not as tall, as big, or effective at hit outs, but may possess a high leap and greater athletic endurance. Against less mobile rucks, this type of player can compensate with an ability to take more marks around the ground playing effectively as a tall ruck rover and sometimes with the additional ability to kick goals while playing from the midfield or drop back into defence when required. The 1980s and 1990s were the dominant era for the modern mobile rucks in the VFL/AFL and
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161:, is typically a tall and athletic player who contests at centre bounces and stoppages (such as boundary throw-ins and ball-ups). The ruck is one of the most important players on the field. They are often key to coaching strategy and winning centre clearances which result in the most goal kicking opportunities (inside 50s).
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was penalised after the ball hit him before it had been cleared. Gore was facing away from the contest. As a direct result of this and other similar incidents, the AFL clarified the rule, so that if the field umpire concluded that a player genuinely contacted the ball accidentally, a play on would be
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and beyond, in order to protect rucks. A player from each team must be "nominated" at each ruck contest, and only the nominated players can contest the ruck. No other player may come into contact with the ball until it has been hit by either ruck or until the ball hits the ground, or they will have a
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Rucking is one of the most physically demanding positions on the ground, both in terms of fitness and body contact. As a result of the high level of physical contact of clashing with opponents in the air, many rucks have large physiques or bulk up to prevent injury. As well, due to the use of knees
447:, the AFL introduced an additional two boundary umpires which many labelled the "quick throw-in" rule. Designed to make the game faster and more attractive for television viewers, this new rule had the unintended effect of many professional rucks no longer being able to contest boundary throw-ins.
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The ball-up has been a feature of the Laws of the Game since 1872, necessitating a "ruck" with the term entering the
Australian rules vernacular around 1876. The term for the player was not initially gendered, "ruck-man" or "ruckman" did not enter general use until early in the 20th century (circa
403:
and many kicks tend to drop short. Being the tallest player, it gives the ruck the best opportunity of any player to touch the ball before it goes through the goal posts and create an obstacle in area of goal to kick through. This can result in a behind instead of a goal and save 5 points, or can
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is used when a ruck is played in the forward line between stints in the ruck. As the ruck requires almost constant running, "resting" in the forward line gives the ruck much needed breaks and with their heights they do not need to run or lead as much into space to contest marks when the ball does
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During kick-ins the ruck can sometimes be a designated target. With extra height it is difficult for opposition players to take marks against them and they are an easier target to spot in a cluster. However the AFL's introduction of Gaelic
Football's quick kick-in rule in 2006 tended to favour
183:
With no offside or knock on rules, the ruck can tap the ball in any direction. Before a bounce down or ball up, rucks confer with the onballers (rovers and ruck-rovers) to pre-determine the direction of the tap so that they can position themselves to best receive it to the team's advantage.
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when jumping, many rucks wear protective thigh and shin padding, whereas players in other positions rarely do. Coaches often field more than one ruck and rotate them due to the physical pressure of the position and the endurance of having to run to ruck contests around the ground.
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and measured as a statistic and performance indicator of effective ruckwork. Although the ruck is the primary player to score hit-outs, sometimes tall key position players fill in for the ruck around the ground if the ruck cannot run to make the contest in time.
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when an opposition takes a kick on goal. The extra height of the ruck means that the player has to kick higher, meaning more chance of missing, dropping short or even the possibility of actually kicking into the man on the mark (called a smother).
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When an opposition player is having a set shot at goal, particularly from a long distance or on an acute angle, the ruck may be instructed to run all the way to the goal square to protect it, temporarily playing a similar role to a
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In a contested situation, the ruck may be instructed to "bring the ball to ground", so that the smaller rovers or crumbers on their team know to attack the ball from front and square positions to gain possession.
172:. The key differences are that with the exception of boundary throw-ins, the ball is almost always thrown straight up high into the air rather than horizontally, so in this respect, the ruck is similar to a
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Rucks are sometimes classified by their style of play, although many players alternate styles during a game based on strategy, the style of an opponent, their physical attributes and versatility.
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might lead. This way the tall player can cut off a low pass designed to hit a full-forward. Standing in the road of a large forward leading out at full speed requires a lot of courage.
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459:, many free kicks were given against players who accidentally came into contact with the ball, especially when they were not watching the contest. A notable example of this was when
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during an attack on goals from outside scoring distance. This way they become a tall marking target if a player decides to "bomb" a kick into the goal square. The term
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injuries experienced by many rucks. The new rules favour taller players and those with high vertical leaps, and many mobile rucks now find it difficult to contest.
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241:) is the most skillful and high jumping of styles. Players using this style will deftly palm the ball directly down to the advantage of a smaller teammate or
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634:) have all been recruited, but have not been as successful as Brogan in converting to Australian football at the AFL level. Another non-traditional recruit,
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Due to the requirement for rucks to be very tall, in recent years clubs have often gone outside of the traditional junior football leagues to recruit rucks.
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and can not be assisted by teammates to jump. Australian football rucking often involves vigorous mid-air collisions with the opposing ruck.
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player rises over the top of the two designated rucks to employ a tandem ruckwork strategy in an AFL match at the
Telstra Dome in Melbourne.
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was also recruited from a college basketball background and became the first
Americans to play in the AFL. The aforementioned Mason Cox (
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was much more successful, with Brogan playing for Port for 12 seasons and playing 174 games, including the being a member of the winning
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1903). Bouncing the ball for the ruck became common from as early as 1880; the rules formally changed to a mandate a bounce in 1887.
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176:. The ruck needs to be able to control the ball by palm tap or fist with outstretched arms. Unlike rugby, the ruck must rely on
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In 2004, a new centre circle rule was introduced to reduce the ruck's run-up. The aim was to decrease the knee clashes and
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963:"American ruck/forward Mason Cox signs new three-year deal at Collingwood, rebuffing interest from other clubs"
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and Sydney), has enjoyed somewhat more AFL success than most of the aforementioned basketballers.
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526:) ruck in AFL/VFL history and was considered to be one of the most dominant rucks in the game.
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shorter passes to smaller players over set plays with high kicks involving the ruck.
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The ruck is typically the tallest player on either team. A typical professional
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714:"Motorsport Video |Motorsport Highlights, Replays, News, Clips | FOX SPORTS"
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is considered to be one of the best all-time rucks of this style. The AFL's
399:. Despite no height limit for the goal, the ball will always have a curved
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stood at 2.11m (6 ft 11 in) which was the equal tallest (along with
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When a ruck beats their opponent by contacting the ball, it is called a
934:"St Kilda's Jason Holmes set to become first American to play AFL game"
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Examples of modern-day rucks in the
Australian Football League include
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for boundary throw-ins and will sometimes be used in tandem ruckwork.
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743:. Vol. XIII, no. 341. Melbourne, VIC. p. 460.
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was the first AFL season to outlaw the "third man up" tactic
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team. He had previously won an NBL championship with the
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The role of the ruck in
Australian rules is similar to a
986:
Video of
Matthew Primus demonstrating basics of ruckwork
803:"A giant among ruckmen Aaron Sandilands | Herald Sun"
739:
Fair Play (12 October 1872). "Review of the season".
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The practice of "third man up" was outlawed for the
323:. Players surround the contest, waiting for the tap.
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215:Two rucks contest the bounce in a suburban western
57:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
416:A ruck contest occurs in a 2017 AFL match between
550:, but never played an AFL game. The selection of
371:, which effectively is the open space in which a
245:, often making their hitouts the most effective.
319:A ruck contest after an umpire ball-up during a
295:Rucks are often used by coaches strategically.
907:"Swans give Canadian Mike Pyke two more years"
1006:
773:. Melbourne, VIC. 4 November 1886. p. 6.
129:Playing position in Australian rules football
8:
727:'Third man up' banned in radical rule change
18:Ruckman (Australian rules football position)
404:remain in the field of play with no score.
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999:
991:
865:"Swans sign US basketballer Alex Starling"
138:A ruck contest from an AFL match in 2018.
367:Some coaches instruct rucks to drop back
117:Learn how and when to remove this message
701:Sandilands too big, too strong, too good
818:
816:
754:"The Norwood Footballers in Victoria".
679:
658:) has also had a solid career to date.
588:Metropolitan State University of Denver
378:Rucks will sometimes be designated to
1167:Australian rules football terminology
769:"Intercolonial football conference".
350:Rucks are sometimes dropped into the
66:"Ruck" Australian rules football
7:
823:Port takes a punt on basketball star
668:Follower (Australian rules football)
652:Oklahoma State University basketball
276:was one of the first in this mould.
55:adding citations to reliable sources
1022:Australian rules football positions
961:Laughton, Max (11 September 2017).
894:Top tips to make smooth transition
834:AFL can't be the only game in town
785:"More umpires mean fewer mistakes"
25:
845:Collingwood signs American rookie
480:Standing at 211 cm (6'11") tall,
191:ruck is over 200 cm or 6'7.
546:after previously playing in the
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863:Cordy, Neil (25 January 2012).
558:with the 26th selection in the
42:needs additional citations for
570:. Other basketballers such as
1:
488:makes for an effective ruck.
905:Paton, Al (4 August 2010).
438:posterior cruciate ligament
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758:. 15 July 1880. p. 6.
729:Peter Ryan on Dec 21, 2016
616:Bethune-Cookman University
548:National Basketball League
261:is a good recent example.
225:Campbelltown Kangaroos AFC
189:Australian Football League
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756:South Australian Register
688:Polly Farmer, trailblazer
151:Australian rules football
850:13 November 2009 at the
690:The Age 8 September 2010
359:reach the forward line.
628:Santa Clara University
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408:Ruck history and rules
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291:Strategies using rucks
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221:East Coast Eagles AFC
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791:. 15 September 2008.
703:The Age 15 May 2009
564:2004 AFL Grand Final
457:JLT Community Series
363:Defensive strategies
299:Attacking strategies
51:improve this article
1094:Centre half-forward
875:on 30 December 2012
166:lock in rugby union
1099:Half-forward flank
640:Canada rugby union
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699:Gleeson, Michael
686:Bartley, Patrick
544:1998 Rookie Draft
538:was recruited by
486:Fremantle Dockers
331:, often known as
219:game between the
174:basketball centre
159:ruckman/ruckwoman
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16:(Redirected from
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1048:Centre half-back
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942:. 20 August 2015
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871:. Archived from
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805:. Archived from
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259:Aaron Sandilands
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484:(right) of the
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40:This article
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1104:Full-forward
966:
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944:. Retrieved
939:The Guardian
937:
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916:. Retrieved
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877:. Retrieved
873:the original
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648:Jason Holmes
644:US Montauban
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516:Peter Street
510:
502:Nic Naitanui
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472:Modern rucks
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373:full-forward
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356:resting ruck
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333:third man up
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329:tandem rucks
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321:women's game
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49:Please help
44:verification
41:
1148:Interchange
1043:Back pocket
656:Collingwood
608:Collingwood
584:Daniel Bass
580:Collingwood
552:Dean Brogan
452:2017 season
443:During the
352:goal square
266:mobile ruck
207:Ruck styles
140:Tim English
107:August 2024
1132:Ruck-rover
968:Fox Sports
912:Herald Sun
789:Herald Sun
674:References
624:Ben Dowell
530:Recruiting
524:Ned Reeves
401:trajectory
389:goalkeeper
285:thump ruck
281:heavy ruck
274:Jim Stynes
217:Sydney AFL
77:newspapers
1119:Followers
946:22 August
771:The Argus
636:Mike Pyke
540:Fremantle
520:Mason Cox
465:Dean Gore
239:palm ruck
1161:Category
1063:Midfield
1038:Fullback
1030:Backline
848:Archived
662:See also
632:Adelaide
494:Max Gawn
468:called.
422:Adelaide
418:Hawthorn
235:tap ruck
170:line-out
1127:Ruckman
1086:Forward
918:9 April
542:in the
463:player
196:hit out
143:(right)
91:scholar
1076:Centre
879:28 May
622:) and
620:Sydney
424:. The
393:soccer
327:Using
253:great
93:
86:
79:
72:
64:
1137:Rover
243:rover
157:, or
98:JSTOR
84:books
1071:Wing
948:2015
920:2012
881:2016
654:and
630:and
618:and
606:and
590:and
578:and
522:and
504:and
420:and
283:(or
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