Shane Mumford has added extra aggression to GWS ruckman Rory Lobb
GWS assistant coach Shane Mumford has transformed former string-bean Rory Lobb into a ruck star. And the Giants big man has a key role to play against the Sydney Swans.
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SHANE Mumford’s transition into professional boxing hasn’t been the GWS coach’s biggest heavyweight battle of the year.
The former ruck God’s mission to mould his protégé Rory Lobb at the Giants has been built on a premise that actions speak louder than words.
Mumford couldn’t get his injury-riddled body up for another season of AFL but it hasn’t stopped the champion ruckman from forgetting retirement at training this season whenever Lobb steps into the ring.
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The Giants’ finals hopes this season were always going to rely heavily on their ability to turn 2.05 metre key forward Lobb into a No.1 ruckman and Mumford, in his new role as assistant coach, has dedicated himself to creating the Frankenstein’s monster that will be unleashed on the Sydney Swans in Saturday’s elimination final at the SCG.
To complement Lobb’s freakish athleticism, Mumford has injected a healthy dose of his own DNA: no-holds barred aggression.
“The main piece of advice from Mummy has been aggression. More aggression in the ruck because if you go at that body up soft you’re going to get pushed out of it,” Lobb told The Daily Telegraph.
“The way he was, he was a very aggressive player. I feel like I’m aggressive in the air but it was about being more aggressive in those ruck contests as well.
“The main (turning point) has been at training because Mummy just trains me so hard.
“Because he’s so competitive, he still wants to win all the ruck contests when we’re doing training.
“If I can get Mummy out of the way I know it’s really put me in good stead to think I can actually play that front spot in the ruck.”
Mumford won his first boxing bout earlier this year by technical knockout and is eyeing off a high-profile clash with Cronulla Sharks great Paul Gallen who was recently rejected by Sonny Bill Williams.
In the meantime, Lobb has been doing the sparring.
“Maybe (I’d back myself) for length, but I don’t know about size,” said Lobb.
“He’s looking good. Looking really light on his feet to be honest.”
Lobb has had an injury interrupted season, but since fellow ruckman Dawson Simpson was ruled out for the year, the 25-year-old has stood up to be counted.
Having left school aged 15 to work on the tools among men, Lobb is built from tough stuff.
From reluctant ruckman, he has transformed into one of the Giants’ key men in the ding-dong battle against the Swans.
“Obviously these days if you’ve got a quality ruckman, it goes a long way to winning the game,” said Lobb.
“Mummy has been really good filling me with as much confidence as he can get into me. He sits on the bench and we have chats when I’m sitting on there to see what I can do to mix it up.
“Coming from the real world, leaving school at 15, it forces you to grow up and it has (shaped me).”