@Dreamteam_Guru Money Isn’t an Issue Ruck – Aaron Sandilands, Freo $406,500

Guru rated 30^th player in the league.

It used to be that you had to pick Dean Cox first, then another ruck and two cheapies.  That was until the rise and rise of Freo.  And the rise of Freo has centred around this man – Sandilands.

He is a giant off the field, but in dreamteam speak, he is a giant on the field.

Ruckman aren’t known for their big dreamteam scores.  In fact, one strategy is not to spend too much in the ruck department and load up on midfielders.  This can work.

However, the $406K here is well spent.

Look at this:

2010: 98
2009: 95
2008: 82

They look midfield numbers, but they are actually the number one ruckman in the competition.  For this reason alone, you should pick him.

However, there is an issue with picking him.  Most other teams will have him too.  Therefore, the power of having him in your team primarily is to negate other people who have him too.  Its a defensive move to pick him, but that doesn’t make it a bad move.

But you will need to think closely about your 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th ruck!

Often in these BLOGs I have compared them to other people in my ranking system.  To illustrate the worth of Sandilands, I thought I’d compare him to the other top 5 ruckman in the competition according you my rankings and show you the difference.

30. Aaron Sandilands (220.667)
64. Dean Cox (204.333)
87. Patrick Ryder (197)
101. Hamish McIntosh (194)
108. Kepler Bradley (191.333)

There is only three ruckman in the top 100, and only one in the top 50.  This is reason enough to pick him.

If you the salary cap to do it, I would suggest teaming him up with McIntosh.  I myself have the 15^th, 16^th and 26^th best ruckman alongside him.

I don’t invest heavily in the ruck, but I will in Sandilands.  Do you have him too?

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