St Kilda ruckmen Billy Longer and Lewis Pierce to fight for their careers in 2019
With a lack of quality ruckmen in this year’s draft, St Kilda has challenged Billy Longer and Lewis Pierce to fight for the No.1 ruck mantle — and most likely their AFL careers — next season.
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With a lack of quality ruckmen in the draft, St Kilda has thrown down the gauntlet to Billy Longer and Lewis Pierce.
The Saints re-signed Longer and Pierce on one-year contracts and challenged them to fight for the No.1 ruck mantle — and most likely their AFL careers — next season.
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“There doesn’t appear to be many rucks in this draft,” Saints list manager James Gallagher said.
“There’s some fantastic opportunities for those two fellows and we can’t wait for them to get stuck into it and see who really wants to be the dominant ruckman.”
Longer, 25, and Pierce, 24, combined for just eight AFL games this year. Ruckman Tom Hickey, who was traded to West Coast, played 13.
St Kilda will have access to Next Generation Academy ruck Bigoa Nyuon next year.
The Saints hold picks No.4, 36, 46, 67, 69 and a rookie selection in this draft and are expected to take 204cm spearhead Max King with their first pick on Thursday night.
“Clearly there’s been a lot of talk about the top end of this draft, but at the same time there’s players littered through it that we think can potentially play a role,” Gallagher said.
Clubs searching for ruckmen have had to look at mature-age prospects.
West Coast added SANFL and ex-Gold Coast big man Keegan Brooksby and Hickey, Essendon has been linked to former Fremantle ruck Zac Clarke, while delisted Bulldog Tom Campbell is an option.
The only teenage ruckman expected to be taken in the national draft is 200cm Kieren Briggs, who is in the Greater Western Sydney Academy.
Adelaide is considering an early bid for Briggs as it plans for life after Sam Jacobs, while the Giants are also set to revive Shane Mumford’s career.
Clubs are preparing for live trading, but don’t expect many deals, primarily because players cannot be traded.
“We’re preparing ourselves for it, but you just don’t know,” Gallagher said.
“We’ve certainly done all of the scenarios where if we really want him and he’s still available here, when we didn’t think he would be, would we be prepared to give up X and Y?”
sam.landsberger@news.com.au