DOM Tyson says Cam Pedersen looms as the most likely option to come in and help Melbourne’s ruck situation, given Max Gawn (hamstring) and now Jake Spencer (AC joint) are sidelined until after the mid-season break.
Speaking on 1116 SEN on Wednesday, Tyson said Melbourne had to be inventive in the ruck in the coming weeks.
“It’s a tough one and a match committee conundrum. We’ve got options. Cam Pedersen is doing some good things down at Casey and there is Sam Frost, who is super athletic,” he said.
“Wattsy (Jack Watts) has been doing a good job [as a support ruckman] and it gets him involved, up around the ball, because he’s a great ball user and classy around there.
“We’ve got a young fella, Mitch King, who has just come back off an ACL and he’s played one game for Casey, but it’s probably too big of an ask to tell him to really step up. The readymade ones are probably Cam Pedersen.”
Tyson said Spencer didn’t miss a beat during his brief return, which last one and a half games.
“He only played six quarters, but it was a big opportunity to get a lengthy period in the seniors because he [approached his opportunity] really professionally,” he said.
“He was in good form, so it’s disappointing for him. The poor fella actually had a knee injury and shoulder, so he was walking around on crutches and in a sling.
“He’ll probably be back around the same time as Maxy, so it’s a tough one.”
Tyson praised the work of young teammate Clayton Oliver, who was again one of Melbourne’s best against Richmond at the MCG on ANZAC Day Eve.
“Brendan McCartney calls him (Oliver) ‘Swooper’ around the club, as he seems to flash and pick the ball up in one grab,” he said.
“He’ll give the hands out and it’s off to a runner, and then he pops up at the next contest.
“He got himself really fit over pre-season and he’s working really closely with a couple of others like Billy Stretch and Christian Salem.
Meanwhile, Tyson said the notion that Melbourne was attempting to play ‘unsociable football’ wasn’t something that the team had “verbalised or vocalised”.
He said the likes of Jack Viney and Nathan Jones were naturally aggressive and physical players.
“A lot of guys do like playing on the edge and that’s the way of bringing their best footy out,” Tyson said.
“Whether that’s hurting us through free kicks or suspensions – it probably looks like that to be honest.
“I think Hoges’ (Jesse Hogan) was a moment of frustration … and Lewy’s was probably a tactic to try and get under [the skin] of one of Carlton’s better players. It backfired on us.
“On the weekend, we always have firey contests with Richmond to be honest.”
