View Full Version : Ryan Houlihan
carltonblue
11 Oct 2007, 21:41
Look without PayTV and living in NSW Carlton never get a crack on the TV. But i noticed Ryan Houlihan was third on our possesions this year! He's 25 and averaged 14.1 kicks and 6.3 handballs for his 21 games this season.
How does he go?
Mentallo
11 Oct 2007, 21:47
Look without PayTV and living in NSW Carlton never get a crack on the TV. But i noticed Ryan Houlihan was third on our possesions this year! He's 25 and averaged 14.1 kicks and 6.3 handballs for his 21 games this season.
How does he go?
Finished 4th in our B&F.
I am a fan but very much in the minority on this board.
MyBloodIsBlue
11 Oct 2007, 21:50
Finished 4th in our B&F.
I am a fan but very much in the minority on this board.
I'm in your minority group Mantallo. He's only 25, very handy and can play forward or back.
ClayBlue87
11 Oct 2007, 21:54
He is probabaly a little under-rated...gets tricky jobs week in week out, normally shutting down players. No one really sees what he is doing, but somhow manages to take out his opponent and get 20 odd touches aswell. He was having a great game against Melbourne when it looked like he was either play really loose off his man or at HFF.
Very dangerous, classy finisher and probs some of the bets skills at the club. Doesnt stop my uncle from hating him though.
MyBloodIsBlue
11 Oct 2007, 21:55
Doesnt stop my uncle from hating him though.
Yeah a lady I sit with just refers to him as Foolahan. He certainly cops it
I dont rate disposals as much these days.....so dont go much on those....however with Houla, I would be happy to trade and or keep, he is a good finisher but jusnt has got the balls to take it to the next level........maybe with a bit of competition for a spot he will put his body on the line when needed......thats the beauty now, mids will be competing for spots, with 2 class mids coming in; Stevo and Judd, this means there are 2 less spots in the midfield, i.e. the rest of the fringe players need to work there guts out to get them.....
Mentallo
11 Oct 2007, 21:59
Doesnt stop my uncle from hating him though.
No he doesn't :D
Teagueeee15
11 Oct 2007, 22:02
I rate him as well and would like to see him play more in the forward line.
ClayBlue87
11 Oct 2007, 22:02
I dont rate disposals as much these days.....so dont go much on those....however with Houla, I would be happy to trade and or keep, he is a good finisher but jusnt has got the balls to take it to the next level........maybe with a bit of competition for a spot he will put his body on the line when needed......thats the beauty now, mids will be competing for spots, with 2 class mids coming in; Stevo and Judd, this means there are 2 less spots in the midfield, i.e. the rest of the fringe players need to work there guts out to get them.....
I believed similar 1/2 way thru the season... then i decided to spend 1 or 2 games trying to focus on him... puts his body on the line more often than not, but uses his brain to try and get the play in the right position so that he can stay on his feet... similar to what gibbs does (appart from that trip :D)
His value in our team should increase a little..26 next year with 150+ games under his belt. Should be at his prime next year if ever.
BLue_Bloys
11 Oct 2007, 22:07
Yeah I like him, he was forced to play some stupid defensive roles under Pagan.
He looked to be ok as a wingman / HFF
His perfect position IMO is the way he played vs port. Creative, silky skills and his lack of pace and hardness doesn't hurt him so much up forward.
He took his opponent out of the game, and kicked 2-3 goals himself, not to mention the multiple goal assists.
deluxeman
11 Oct 2007, 22:08
Would like to see him play alot of next year on the HFF. He is a talented player and needs to be player to his strengths, not his weaknesses!
Carlton Kid
11 Oct 2007, 22:15
In 2006 (haven't got stats for 07) he was second for the club in hardball gets and I believe second or third in contested ball.
Banga19
11 Oct 2007, 22:17
Gotta keep him
kreuzer-to-judd
11 Oct 2007, 22:20
If he grew a set of nuts he would be alright.
Blueboy86
11 Oct 2007, 22:21
Yeah Houla's definately a roaming half forward/crumbing forward type.....makes far too many mistakes when playing down back and looks all out at sea when defending one out....did do a very good job on Aaron Davey this year tho!
If he grew a set of nuts he would be alright.
:thumbsu::thumbsu:...awsome player at training and when there is no pressure on field. I think that when we are good enough to carry passengers, he will shine;)
legendtofski
11 Oct 2007, 22:38
Houla is our most under-rated, skillful and useful player.
However watch him get completely lost in the mix with Stevens and now Judd in the side.
He'll be traded or delisted at years end, since they were meant to 're-invent' him as a midfielder and he did squat. Wasn't damaging enough as a forward in his early days, and is laughable as a defender.
Did Pagan vote on B&F's this year? Houla got more votes than Smurf, right?
I just love all the vague adjectives you use to hype this bloke: ' 'silky', 'roaming', 'handy' 'useful' sounds almost like yr describing a form of masturbation!
thylacine60
11 Oct 2007, 22:52
If he grew a set of nuts he would be alright.
This is a typical comment about Hoops. All he really needs is to run the wrong way head-on into a pack and all his worries would be over (or he would be dead - same result). He was taken with pick 80 odd whenever it was and he has racked up over 100 games. He is what, 25? Silky skills (knockers are sick of hearing this I'm sure but it's true) but needs to REALLY hurt the opposition with them. He is the sort of player who will be inspired by or embarrassed by Judd coming to town. He's a keeper but he needs a kick in the strides.
Dramoth
11 Oct 2007, 22:57
If he grew a set of nuts he would be alright.
Should now be moved to the HFF where his preferred position is.
I think that it was Pagan who used him down back as a stopgap defender and that hasnt worked.
Has all the skills in the right places.
Expect him to shine once more on the forward line with the midfield we now have pumping it into him and the rest of the forwards.
BlueWorld
11 Oct 2007, 22:58
Houla is our most under-rated, skillful and useful player.
However watch him get completely lost in the mix with Stevens and now Judd in the side.
He'll be traded or delisted at years end, since they were meant to 're-invent' him as a midfielder and he did squat. Wasn't damaging enough as a forward in his early days, and is laughable as a defender.
Did Pagan vote on B&F's this year? Houla got more votes than Smurf, right?
I just love all the vague adjectives you use to hype this bloke: ' 'silky', 'roaming', 'handy' 'useful' sounds almost like yr describing a form of masturbation!Did your good mate Pratt's car washer tell you that? Wasn't he traded to West Coast with Kennedy today?:o
http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?p=9119230&mode=linear#post9119230
My mate who is Pratt's carwasher, reckons the deal has been done and it's this
3, Kennedy and Houlihan
Swanna convinced them that Houla was our 4th B&F, has good skills.
Also he will not fit into our new team with Judd as he can't play midfield and our forward line is full, and he can't play a defender.:o
Sounds like he knows it all!:rolleyes:
thylacine60
11 Oct 2007, 23:03
Yeah a lady I sit with just refers to him as Foolahan. He certainly cops it
Get your mum to behave at the footy.
dukester95
12 Oct 2007, 00:06
Houla looks more effective as a forward. He does have good kicking skills and I view him as a Brad Pierce type....could kick a few every week given quality of supply. Don't waste him in defence.
blues4flag
12 Oct 2007, 00:41
Much maligned player - hurt by a couple of squibbish acts in the past. I don't think the soft calls are all that warranted - laconic looking at times, but he's grown a reputation and people go with it.
Like him as a player, however prefer him up forward. He did a number of good jobs down back this year - Mcleod and Davey sticking out in particular, however he can also concede goals in quick succession.
Blue Dimension
12 Oct 2007, 00:50
I'm a Houla fan - always have been, always will - silky skills when he gets it right...looks pathetic when he gets it wrong...but i'm fine with that...
AlecDuncan
12 Oct 2007, 00:53
Much maligned player - hurt by a couple of squibbish acts in the past. I don't think the soft calls are all that warranted - laconic looking at times, but he's grown a reputation and people go with it.
Yeah, it's the laconicness that sets off people. When he makes a mistake it looks like it's because he's careless, when it's really just like when anyone else screws up. In turn he gets little credit for the good he does.
Except from the match committee. :D