Essendon ruckman Tom Bellchambers has praised Majak Daw after the pair faced off in the ruck on Saturday.

The North ruckman had four more disposals than his Bombers’ opponent, while the hit-out tally was even. Bellchambers claimed the edge in clearances.

Nevertheless, Daw copped criticism after the game around his performance. 

“I thought he rucked reasonably well yesterday. I think the numbers were pretty even,” Bellchambers said of Daw.

“At the centre bounces he probably got me a few times, and around the ground I probably got him a few times. It was actually relatively even.

“He’s got a good leap on him so I tried to negate that, but from a ruck point-of-view, I thought he rucked decently yesterday.”

Bellchambers said Daw would continue to improve as a ruckman.

“I think he’s played 30-odd games,” he added.

“When I was 30 games in, I was still learning as a ruckman the running patterns and those sorts of things.

“He’s still got a lot to learn but he’s a physical specimen so, from that point of view, he’s on the right track.”