Ryan Gardner is a good footballer - post your apologies here

[Anja_Nees]

I’ve watched him reasonably closely. His first game last year was solid enough given we were getting belted and he played a good preseason game as well.

Despite some horror moments with ball in hand early in the season, he was in the top bracket for one percenters in the league. The effort was massive but the bad outweighed the good.

Bevo put it out there that he was quite a good kick generally. Couldn’t initially execute at AFL level but he’s acclimatised now. He was never quite as bad as his rep.

No idea if he’ll be a long termer but good on him.

 

[doggies ftw]

Lol wouldn’t be tooting your own horn too early, shows just how poor he was that the last two games have been seen as “good” for him. Yes he’s definitely improved and shown a few signs that maybe he might have some sort of future. I highly doubt that’d be as anything more than a solid back up defender at any team other than ours. Not that that’s a bad thing and hey we could definitely use it. A long long way from being a good AFL footballer still though

 

[Draft Pick]

Hopefully Gardner is to Bevo to what Kevin Walsh was to Sheedy in the mid 80’s

 

[Mantis Toboggan]

Still to be convinced. His game against the Eagles was clearly his best but I’d say it was nothing more than ‘decent’. Some of the howlers he’s had, I think we need to see more upside to make it worth our while.

That said, I can’t say he’s not improving.

 

[perro_loco]

I got on the Gardner bandwagon ironically but it's pretty unironic now. I didn't think he was ever as bad as he was made out to be and always managed to do one or two good things to give me some hope. Not enough to think he was good, but just alright. The nerves seem well and truly gone and those one or two things are turning into 5 or 6 a game. I think he's starting to find his feet and I'm very proud of him and whoever made the decision to stick with him. Early days but I think he'll do fine.

I think we started to bag Gardner bc his first games were not good at all. This was also bc we lost those games. Add that the fact that the lockdown impacted on most of us. I lost the plot on Gardner and was wrong. I think he has a future. Lake was poor in the beginning but he turned the corner and was pretty good. I think we need to be patient with Gardner and he will turn out to be much better than we give him credit for. I hope he makes me eat my negativity with double cream. sorry about that Gardy!

 

[hutchy31]

Gardner is obviously a good footballer - nobody gets near an AFL list without being more than good. But that’s not the question is it?

Is he good enough to play AFL footy for a contending team? Is he best 22 for our team?

If someone like him is getting better that’s good, and I hope he does make it, that would be great. But if someone like me has an opinion that he won’t make it - that his base is too low, he’s too slow, his decision making is poor and his kicking isn’t good enough - it doesn’t mean we’re out with virtual pitchforks. I want my team to be good enough to contend, and imo he’s an enormous risk in a big game against a good side. It’s not personal.

Gardner, Gowers and others aren’t whipping boys because people don’t like them personally (at least I hope not) but rather that their selection doesn’t put the team in the best position to win - at least in the opinion of some.

 

[dogwatch]

Gardner is obviously a good footballer - nobody gets near an AFL list without being more than good. But that’s not the question is it?

Is he good enough to play AFL footy for a contending team? Is he best 22 for our team?

If someone like him is getting better that’s good, and I hope he does make it, that would be great. But if someone like me has an opinion that he won’t make it - that his base is too low, he’s too slow, his decision making is poor and his kicking isn’t good enough - it doesn’t mean we’re out with virtual pitchforks. I want my team to be good enough to contend, and imo he’s an enormous risk in a big game against a good side. It’s not personal.

Gardner, Gowers and others aren’t whipping boys because people don’t like them personally (at least I hope not) but rather that their selection doesn’t put the team in the best position to win - at least in the opinion of some.

I thought he was rated by the club as pretty quick. Did I remember wrong? He's obviously not as quick as Gary Rohan but very few are.

I realise there are things we could discuss like reaction time and speed of decision making but they are different to foot speed.

 

[House_of_Dahl]

I thought he was rated by the club as pretty quick. Did I remember wrong? He's obviously not as quick as Gary Rohan but very few are.

I realise there are things we could discuss like reaction time and speed of decision making but they are different to foot speed.

Yeah Gardy is pretty quick and agile for a KPP.

 

[RedWhite&Blue]

Sorry for the mudslinging Gards - You didn't deserve that.
Getting better with every game.
Keep it up

 

[House_of_Dahl]

Latest AFL article also shows he is an endurance beast too!

 

[badkicking]

Nah he's no good

What about a retraction, he is a disaster, can't kick either foot, runs around like a headless chook

 

[huddo#9]

What about a retraction, he is a disaster, can't kick either foot, runs around like a headless chook

This. Anyone that thinks anything different is in denial. Not his fault bevo selects him every week tho.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

It’s harsh to blame one person but when you lose by less than a goal and you give away turnovers and a goal against by deciding kicking to a 1 on 3 at half back is a good idea really hurts.

His decision making has been costly for direct goals a few weeks in a row. Finally it hurt big time in a final.

 

[Timewillcome]

I'm not bagging this guy and I'm not going to. He is a solid VFL player who may one day become a solid AFL player. This year was not the year to have to experiment with defenders, no state league and only scratch matches are not an ideal way to judge talent.

Watching him play just makes me realise we still need a solid defender with a football brain. Someone who can read the play. Not sure what his role is supposed to be and his shortcomings get exposed time and again. Need to trade a defender in.

 

[Boyd oh Boyd]

He's a nervous footballer. Finals isn't a good place to get nervous. Simple as that.

 

[bigboysdontcry]

I’m so sick of this political correctness of not being able to be frustrated with players that are just not up to it.

The reality is, Gardner is at best a VFL player. Doesn’t know when to mark the ball instead of punching - has improved by not holding a players shirt since the Brisbane game. Has a crack, with one thing in mind to punch the ball at all cost. Doesn’t have good positioning or strength. Is decent with his speed over 5-10m. I hold our recruitment team responsible for not trying harder to get someone else over off season to partner Keath. The guy that played for Saints tonight called Dougal Howard, I wonder if we tried hard to enough to make a play for him. We have him tonight and we win the game.

 

[Lex22]

He’s a poor man’s Cameron Wight and that’s saying something.

Has a crack and wish him well but not up to it.

 

[Northernsoul74]

I'm not bagging this guy and I'm not going to. He is a solid VFL player who may one day become a solid AFL player. This year was not the year to have to experiment with defenders, no state league and only scratch matches are not an ideal way to judge talent.

Watching him play just makes me realise we still need a solid defender with a football brain. Someone who can read the play. Not sure what his role is supposed to be and his shortcomings get exposed time and again. Need to trade a defender in.

Good post. He’s not the reason we lost and he has been better the past month. But, I did say on here I think he will be found out in finals. The last month he has given the impression that he’s playing on the very edge of his ability. I just don’t think there’s much more growth in him. Moving forward can we continue to carry a defender who refuses to mark? He really needs to add some more strings to his bow as he’s very limited as a footballer. Happy for him to stay on the list but he’s never going to be a best 22 finals quality player in my opinion.

 

[bigboysdontcry]

Good post. He’s not the reason we lost and he has been better the past month. But, I did say on here I think he will be found out in finals. The last month he has given the impression that he’s playing on the very edge of his ability. I just don’t think there’s much more growth in him. Moving forward can we continue to carry a defender who refuses to mark? He really needs to add some more strings to his bow as he’s very limited as a footballer. Happy for him to stay on the list but he’s never going to be a best 22 finals quality player in my opinion.

Spot on, it’s like he has blinkers on by just wanting to spoil everything without even summing up the situation - if it is better to mark it, if it’s better not to spoil team mate going for Mark.

seems to get lost on positioning and decision making with the ball.

I wasn’t a fan of Fletcher Roberts but I would feel more comfortable with him as a defender.

 

[Doggy Dan]

It’s harsh to blame one person but when you lose by less than a goal and you give away turnovers and a goal against by deciding kicking to a 1 on 3 at half back is a good idea really hurts.

His decision making has been costly for direct goals a few weeks in a row. Finally it hurt big time in a final.

Butterfly Effect stuff but that horrific kick directly led to Cordy’s injury. He really is not good at this level at all.

 

[King Harold]

Sad , but just not AFL standard.
Poor skills and no real feel for the game.

Not his fault , but he cost us a number times.

 

[glenashley]

I don't actually think he did much wrong. Maybe should have taken a shot instead of a short pass on the left to Bruce but he was far from our worst.

 

[badkicking]

I don't actually think he did much wrong. Maybe should have taken a shot instead of a short pass on the left to Bruce but he was far from our worst.

I don't actually think he did much wrong. Maybe should have taken a shot instead of a short pass on the left to Bruce but he was far from our worst.

Who was worse than Ryan Gardner then ?

 

[Oliver G]

Another building game from and Gardner finished with more Ranking Points than Bont for the first time. Overall he was ranked 10th best for us.

Yes he gave away a goal but Dunkley gave up 2, while Hunter, Macrae, Bontempelli, R.Smith and Keath all gave away 1 as well. Keath's was the worst by far.

He is building and I will bet my life on him playing the majority of games next year.

For those wondering who was ranked lower than Gardner...

 

[The Inbetweener]

I don't actually think he did much wrong. Maybe should have taken a shot instead of a short pass on the left to Bruce but he was far from our worst.

I still can’t understand why he went on the left. He was barely under any pressure