Player Watch #17: Riley 'Stiffy' Hardeman - set to debut vs Crows

[RHLK]

Nothing says 'I mean business' like a No.2 haircut. Should be part of the uniform.

 

[Harvey Manfrenjensenden]

Unreasonable management. This is why I have to bribe witnesses to create multiple conflicting statements and then have to bully more people that don’t actually deserve to be bullied to get the desired outcome.

Edit: its a really simple process. Be a dumb campaigner, told you are a dumb campaigner, a useless campaigner, get the * out of here. Dont want to be bullied, dont be a dumb campaigner. Its really simple.

 

[nelroo]

View attachment 1887058
Nothing says 'I mean business' like a No.2 haircut. Should be part of the uniform.

Has he put on some size already ? Looks bigger across the shoulders ?

 

[muttley45]

Kind of flying under the radar a bit, not many positive mentions in training reports so far, but looks to be coming along nicely appearance wise to me, i have a kind of hidden gem feeling here, with Colby and Duursma getting most of the hype for the latest draftees, go get 'em Riley.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

He's a midfielder/winger.

I'm still a bit shocked and amazed we've never seen him in a center bounce. He's never attended one in any AFL game, which is quite bizarre given his junior career.

He went as high as he did because of his midfield work, his breakaway from stoppage. He could play back and forward obviously, but he was rumored at St Kilda at Pick 12 because of his midfield potential and a tall big bodied one with elite athleticism ontop of that. They essentially took Phillipou a year later who is a similar type.

I know he doesn't have the best endurance, but he absolutely should be doing bursts in the middle for his own development.

If he looks out of his depth, fine, but to not even test him in there, once?... He averaged over 25 disposals a game as a midfielder at u/18 level.

Between playing him as a full back in the VFL for his rookie season and playing him as a pure defender at AFL level, I really feel like he is joining a long list of ****ed up development cases.

His strength isn't his kicking, it never has been. He's a really great natural ball winner though, he can accumulate, and he's a really big body that can put meters on opponents quickly. His top age highlights were all breaks from stoppage congestion.

He is the ideal +1 midfielder imo if you are rolling up a winger or flanker around the ball, but he needs some experience at the coal face at AFL leve to be that.

That player shouldn't be Bailey Scott, it should be Goater given his contested ball winning potential. The other factor is, we don't have a massive amount of size outside of LDU in our midfield crew. Goater at 6"3 and his power is ideal as that big bodied mid, even if its only 20-30% CBA's.

It’s perplexing to me that he hasn’t played midfield at VFL level.

In Goater’s first pre-season he spent heaps of time doing contested/midfield drills. He showed plenty of signs, even when opposed to bigger bodies like Greenwood and Cunners, then we was forced to play as an undersize key defender for most of the year in the VFL.

This is the sort of thing that frustrates the living daylight out of me when it comes to our development.

 

[spurs]

It’s perplexing to me that he hasn’t played midfield at VFL level.

In Goater’s first pre-season he spent heaps of time doing contested/midfield drills. He showed plenty of signs, even when opposed to bigger bodies like Greenwood and Cunners, then we was forced to play as an undersize key defender for most of the year in the VFL.

This is the sort of thing that frustrates the living daylight out of me when it comes to our development.

We had Ratts last year, so let's hope with Clarko having his first full year he will see that he deserves a stint in the midfield when we need a bigger body.

 

[DuckYeah]

Kicking is his biggest issue. Everything else as a half back seems okay, oh and he doesn’t hit the score board. The best half backs hurt in offensive game, elite kicking, goal assists and scoreboard etc

 

[andana]

Kicking looks good. Better than our previous backs not including Sheezel.

 

[DuckYeah]

Kicking looks good. Better than our previous backs not including Sheezel.

Nahhh its not great. 5/10 kick. I watched that and initially thought he was a good kick too, then I went and looked at all his highlights and realised he’s about average, slightly below.

Kicking on the run is one of the hardest skills in footy, im not knocking him, he’s just a boy, but my ol sayin, if ya cant kick at 18..

He has plenty of other attributes that make him a good footballing prospect. He wasn’t drafted for his kicking skills or he’d have been a top 15 pick

 

[Footywizard]

Nahhh its not great. 5/10 kick. I watched that and initially thought he was a good kick too, then I went and looked at all his highlights and realised he’s about average, slightly below.

Kicking on the run is one of the hardest skills in footy, im not knocking him, he’s just a boy, but my ol sayin, if ya cant kick at 18..

He has plenty of other attributes that make him a good footballing prospect. He wasn’t drafted for his kicking skills or he’d have been a top 15 pick

He’s a beautiful kick. Unsure what your looking at

 

[shinboner magic]

By 2025 rd 1 he will be a lock in our back half
Has composure, reads the play , run ,good decision maker and nice kick

 

[giantroo]

WA draftee Riley Hardeman wants to follow Harry Sheezel’s first season at North Melbourne​

Samantha RogersThe West Australian
Sun, 4 February 2024 4:23PM

Riley Hardeman has the perfect blueprint for his first season at North Melbourne. And his name is Harry Sheezel.

The 18-year-old is already picking the brain of the Roos’ breakout star, who burst out of the gate in his debut campaign last year, averaging 27 disposals and playing every game in 2023.

The Rooprint: WA draftee looks to follow Sheezel’s lead

WA draftee Riley Hardeman has the perfect mentor in North Melbourne teammate Harry Sheezel and is following the breakout star’s blueprint ahead of his first season.

thewest.com.au

 

[Makeshift Park]

[article continues]

Sheezel claimed the club’s best-and-fairest award and was named the AFL’s Rising Star before being voted into the club’s leadership group at just 19.

Also a dashing defender at home at half back, Hardeman revealed Sheezel’s impact on him at the club had been immediate.

“Especially in the early days, (Sheezel) was very conscious of me and making sure that not only myself but the other draftees were fitting in,” Hardeman told The West Australian.

“Just being able to go to him and pick his brain a little bit about what he was doing in his first year, in the same position as me, he’s been a really valuable resource.

Senior players at the Roos had also helped the 18-year-old settle in quickly, with co-captain and fellow defender Luke McDonald also guiding the former State skipper.

“He plays a similar position to me and his seniority at the club, just his leadership qualities are something I really look up to,” Hardeman said. “He always has the time for me and all the young fellas.”

After securing Sheezel and fellow top talent George Wardlaw in 2022, the Roos pulled off a spectacular draft sweep with five first-round picks last year.

Colby McKercher (pick 2), Zane Duursma (pick 4), Taylor Goard (pick 20) and Wil Dawson (pick 22) were all picked up by the Roos, while Hardeman was last but certainly not least at pick 23.

“It’s pretty funny. We joke about how I was the last taken in the national draft, but I still went back end of the first round,” Hardeman said.

“We’re a very tight-knit group. You know, we’re from all different areas of Australia. Colby is from Tassie, two Gippsland boys, and Goady, the South Australian.

“But we’ve all come together, and we’ve gelled really well as a group. We’re a bunch of different personalities. But you know, we’ve come together and we’re working through it together. We’ve all really helped each other.”

Despite the club’s on-field woes in previous seasons, the left footer says there’s excitement building at Arden Street.

“It’s just very exciting knowing that I’m part of the next phase of what North are trying to do,” he said.

“Being able to go out and train and everyone trains with such high intensity and just excitement for what’s to come. Everyone’s putting in the hard yards.”

Fuelling that is legendary coach Alastair Clarkson, who Hardeman had been looking forward to playing under from the moment his name was called out in November.

“Now all of a sudden, you’ll be working with him every day,” Hardeman said.

“To put it simply, he’s just one of the boys... he’s just a ripping coach, and also a ripping bloke.”

Hardeman admits his first pre-season has not been easy.



After being drafted on the Monday, he was on the training track - on the other side of the country - by Friday, swapping his Swan Districts black and white strips for a vibrant shade of blue.

“It’s been a step up from any level I’ve played ever, but that was the expectation leading into it,” he said.

“It was it was never going to be easy. It’s definitely been testing at times.”

But Hardeman only needs to look to the first-season debuts handed to Sheezel and Wardlaw in 2023 as motivation.

“It makes it definitely makes it very competitive at training,” he said.
“At North Melbourne, we’ve really been able to create an environment where it’s not just the same 22 guys playing every week.
“All 45 people are vying for spots, which creates a really intense environment and I absolutely love it.”
He admits a debut in his first season is “definitely desirable” but Hardeman says he’s happy to wait for his opportunity.
“Pre-season, as I’ve learned is a very, very long time of the year and you’re kind of just itching to get out there and play some games,” he said.
“But I know there’s a lot of development between me and getting out to play. I’ll just tick that off, day by day, week by week.”

 

[Sillygit]

ohh oobee doo, i wanna be like yoooou hooo

 

[Star]

“We’re a bunch of different personalities. But you know, we’ve come together and we’re working through it together.”

 

[Heaps of fun]

Kid speaks really well.

 

[shinboner magic]

Oh s**t we’ve found another one here - has Lmac played his last game for us

 

[Shinboner1]

Oh s**t we’ve found another one here - has Lmac played his last game for us

He's only getting a game cause he's the captain..

 

[Muscles Thommo]

Oh s**t we’ve found another one here - has Lmac played his last game for us

Won't get a game can't kick apparently

 

[apollo_creed]

d

View attachment 1887058
Nothing says 'I mean business' like a No.2 haircut. Should be part of the uniform.

does he look a little but like tom powell or am I putting all young white guys who shave their heads in the same basket?

 

[DuckYeah]

Disagree all you like Muscles Thommo his kicking is average/poor at best.

I bang on about kicking because our club has stunk it up with elite kicks from half back and wings, going on a decade. It hurts my ******* soul

 

[RossHenshaw]

Disagree all you like Muscles Thommo his kicking is average/poor at best.

I bang on about kicking because our club has stunk it up with elite kicks from half back and wings, going on a decade. It hurts my ******* soul

Shaun Atley say hi

 

[andana]

Kid speaks really well.

Has had a similar upbringing as Spitta.

 

[big_e]

Has had a similar upbringing as Spitta.

In what sense? Religious?

 

[The Warlord]

View attachment 1898842

LOLOLOLOLOL poast more