#24 Nick Bryan - ACL recovery thru 2025

[PlayDraperAlreadyFFS]

Great opportunity for Nicky. Seems to be most comfortable as a sole ruck. Could be a breakout game for him. Also could not.

[stir_fried_ewok]

WOB is also in denial that at draft camp bryza ran the 20 metre time trial at light speed.

[Anabelle]

Great opportunity for Nick, wish him well this Saturday night, love how BDB said we are very fortunate to have Nick in our side.

[Bacchusfox]

@westozziebomber

I just think the statement he’s the most promising ruck we’ve had since 2000 is ridiculous. Because it is

Promising is an interesting word, as promise doesn’t ensure that the potential will be fulfilled.

Bryan is 22 in October, so young by ruck standards; 203 cm and 101 kg, so has the build, is quick for a big man, quicker than Draper who does well in that regard, very good kick and has good ruck skills.

So WOB that is promise, and if you look back since 2003, I can not think of any who had more “promise”, maybe Paddy Ryder. Now if he ends up better than David Hille, TBC, Paddy Ryder and Sam Draper then he will have lived up to the promise.

[frosty]

@Windy_Dill

@MattyKnights

But he is without a doubt the most promising young ruckman we’ve had in the 2000’s and yes that includes Draper.

Without a doubt you reckon? I’m pretty sure all 18 clubs would pick Draper over Bryan if given the choice between the two. By Bryan’s age Draper was offered $1.7M by St Kilda while he was recovering from an ACL, before he had played a game. Hopefully Bryan gets to AFL standard, but the idea he is more promising than Draper is nuts.

The disrespect to Jason Laycock…

[frosty]

Damn it, yet again I was too slow!

[Paul_Peos]

@Bacchusfox

So WOB that is promise, and if you look back since 2003, I can not think of any who had more “promise”, maybe Paddy Ryder.

Clearly Paddy Ryder. Easily.

And Bryan is no more promising than a young Tbell was at the same age. Which is fine. Bryan has plenty of promise, but geez it gets oversold hard on here sometimes.

[Bacchusfox]

These days Paddy Ryder would have been a CHB or CHF. Probably would have been a superstar at either of those positions.

[Paul_Peos]

I dunno, he was still rucking pretty damn well as recently as last year before his body carked it.

You don’t waste somebody with those tap skills at CHB.

[ivan]

@Bacchusfox

These days Paddy Ryder would have been a CHB or CHF. Probably would have been a superstar at either of those positions.

Nah, ruck was his thing. He looked all at sea down back until we moved him into the ruck. And he was never much better than a pinch hitting key forward. Tbell was honestly a better forward than Ryder.

Being in the ruck kept him in the game because it’s very clear where you need to be and what you need to be doing at any one time

[Paddy2]

I can recall during the Hird coaching years when there was a lot of talk about Ryder’s poor form. He played forward against Freo (from a rusting memory) kicked 4…and was still talked about in grudging terms re form. The game has changed a bit since then. Oh, and he was the best tap ruckman we’ve had since Simon Madden I think

[MattyKnights]

@Ants

The whole “without a doubt” is obviously hyperbole, and to exclude Ryder is kind of crazy. But, he isn’t as far off as it sounds

You mean Paddy Ryder who basically did nothing in his first few years and only began to fulfil his potential towards the end of his stint at Essendon and then blossomed at Port.

Funny how it takes young rucks a few years to develop. We’re all so hell bent on 19, 20 and 21 year old kids becoming champions of the game before they’ve played even 50 games. Of course Ryder had enormous potential and by mentioning him simply confirms my belief that we need to afford Bryan the same time to fully develop.

[Ants]

@westozziebomber

Sorry, where was i talking about any of that?

I just think the statement he’s the most promising ruck we’ve had since 2000 is ridiculous. Because it is

You seem to pot him on a pretty frequent basis.

[westozziebomber]

What the actual fk is your point here, or are you just nit picking to be a ■■■■■■■■?

Thats because i don’t rate him nearly as highly as others. Whether im right or wrong is completely irrelevant to the statement of he’s the most promising ruckman we have had since 2000 because even if i did rate him a bit higher, i still wouldn’t agree with that statement

[Esteban]

I’m excited for Bryan to get his chance to be 1st ruck. Hope he grabs it. Rhys Stanley is not the biggest ruck going around but gets plenty of hitouts. I think Bryan would be the perfect foil for Draper who can’t ruck a whole game. I think long term, Bryan can do what Phillips has been doing but offer a bit more around the ground.

[Henry_s_Angry_Pills]

He’d be about 4th on that list I think.

Ryder, Draper, Hille by a fair way, then probably Bryan before Bellcho.

Even Laycock looked great for about 5 minutes.

Those are the only 6 that I can remember us playing as kids. I’m sure there’s another.

[Paul_Peos]

You’re very fiery these days WOB.

[Ants]

@MattyKnights

@Ants

The whole “without a doubt” is obviously hyperbole, and to exclude Ryder is kind of crazy. But, he isn’t as far off as it sounds

You mean Paddy Ryder who basically did nothing in his first few years and only began to fulfil his potential towards the end of his stint at Essendon and then blossomed at Port.

Funny how it takes young rucks a few years to develop. We’re all so hell bent on 19, 20 and 21 year old kids becoming champions of the game before they’ve played even 50 games. Of course Ryder had enormous potential and by mentioning him simply confirms my belief that we need to afford Bryan the same time to fully develop.

I meant the Patrick Ryder who in 2009, his 4th season which is equivalent to 2023 for Bryan, led the AFL ruck division from round 5 after Hille was injured and got us into a final. The idea Bryan “without a doubt” our most promising young ruck in the 2000s after 4 years when compared to what Ryder had shown to the same point is patently ridiculous.

[Henry_s_Angry_Pills]

The overall point is right though. The semantics probably not.

They all looked good in patches here and there but weren’t consistently good

[Saucy]

I wanna see WOB smack someone in the face with his meat.