Toast Fremantle's 2nd Rookie Pick: Ryan Nyhuis

Mar 25, 2014
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Welcome to the club, mate!
Another tricky name to type.

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Ryan Nyhuis' ability to win one-on-one contests is outstanding.


Rookie Draft: Pick 34 - Ryan Nyhuis


Club:
NT Thunder
Position: General defender
Date of birth: 6 September 1996
Height: 188cm
Weight: 85kg

From the Freo recruiters:
Ryan came through the Northern Territory program as a 19-year-old and captained the Territory side through the under-18 championships, highlighting his excellent character. He had a solid carnival for the NT, playing through the midfield but really excelled when he was playing for the NT Thunder in the NEAFL. The key position player's biggest strength is his ability to defend. Ryan is very task-focussed and possesses great athleticism, which allows him to play on both tall and small opponents. His ability to win one-on-one contests is outstanding.






Northern Territory defender Ryan Nyhuis is still pinching himself at the thought of breaking into the NT Thunder senior side.

The 18-year-old defender starred for NT Thunder in their 14-point win over the defending premier in Brisbane in just his second NEAFL game to earn the Round 5 NEAFL Rising Star nomination.

Nyhuis, who turns 19 next month, made his NEAFL debut against the UWS Giants in Round 4 where he was also among Thunder’s best players.

He didn't know he was in line for his debut until midday before the 6:30pm game at TIO Stadium, where coach Xavier Clarke informed the youngster he was in the starting 22.

His first assignment was none other than AFL-listed forward Jed Lamb.

"He (Clarke) threw me in a bit but it was good. It has been a goal of mine to try and break into the Thunder senior side,” Nyhuis said.

“It’s been really good for Xavier to have that confidence in me to play on blokes like that."

The 185cm and 78kg prospect has risen through the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL) ranks with the Nightcliff Tigers, leading their under-18s side to the last two premierships and winning the Haritos Medal for best afield in the 2014-15 Under-18s Grand Final in March.

He played the majority of last NTFL season in the seniors, where Tigers coach and former Thunder assistant Damian Hale thrusted his teenage defender on to the likes of former St Kilda livewire Stephen Milne.

After battling injuries throughout his junior career – he broke the same forearm twice in the space of a year - Nyhuis said his first two NEAFL games have provided a timely confidence boost, where he provided another key shut-down role on Aspley star and former North Melbourne forward Eddie Sansbury last Saturday.

"Throughout the NTFL season Damian threw me on blokes like Stephen Milne, (former St Kilda rookie) Ross Tungatalum and (Thunder teammate) Thomas Motlop, so that definitely helped. It was an awesome experience.

“I’m definitely enjoying my footy at the moment and really appreciate the opportunity I have been given to play, so I just gave it everything.”
 
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maanco

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Watched him a few times up in darwin. Has needed to be played as the second tall defender a few times for NT thunder, and did Well.

More your typical shut-down defender. Than Running Halfback
 

DudleyDocker

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If you read the articles above, he was 185cm and 78kb, with Freo now listing him at 188cm and 85kg.

Either someone is horribly wrong or he has had a massive growth spurt in the last 6 months (not out of the question).

If he is 188 and 85, it's a fair bet he's still growing, and could end up a very handy size.
 

george2

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If you read the articles above, he was 185cm and 78kb, with Freo now listing him at 188cm and 85kg.

Either someone is horribly wrong or he has had a massive growth spurt in the last 6 months (not out of the question).

If he is 188 and 85, it's a fair bet he's still growing, and could end up a very handy size.
Yeah there seems to be a big gap there for some reason. He could develop in to a nice third tall option with the ability to play on talls or small if that was the case. seems to be the type of player we have been targeting of late. Kind of sounds a bit like Ethan Hughes type player to me which could be handy
 

Scham

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Yeah there seems to be a big gap there for some reason. He could develop in to a nice third tall option with the ability to play on talls or small if that was the case. seems to be the type of player we have been targeting of late. Kind of sounds a bit like Ethan Hughes type player to me which could be handy

Good reading of where the game is headed. 182cm-190cm mobile defenders are becoming more and more useful and important to a successful teams structure.
 

PowerToThePurpl

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Highlights have been uploaded to the club website:
http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/video/2015-11-27/ryan-nyhuis-highlights-pick-34-rookie
He looks the goods, reminds me a lot of Ibbotson. Some noticable positives about his agility was a great run-down tackle on the wing at 1:13 and a one handed pickup and shimmy at 2:14. The rest is basically chockablock full of intercept marks and spoils. Looks like an exciting prospect.
 
Last edited:

2006_Eagles

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Ni hao Nyhuis
 
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Highlights have been uploaded to the club website:
http://www.fremantlefc.com.au/video/2015-11-27/ryan-nyhuis-highlights-pick-34-rookie
He looks the goods, reminds me a lot of Ibbotson. Some noticable positives about his agility was a great run-down tackle on the wing at 1:13 and a one handed pickup and shimmy at 2:14. The rest is basically chockablock full of intercept marks and spoils. Looks like an exciting prospect.

He thinks quicker than Ibbotson.
Quick and correct choices made by hand and foot
 
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