AFL Player #24: Nick Bryan

[Lore]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2025
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 16, ant555

 

[Lore]

Ruckman Nick Bryan is expected to feature for the VFL Bombers on Sunday after successfully rehabilitating a hamstring strain.

The 21-year-old has begun full training this week and McPherson believes Dons fans can expect to see Bryan face Casey.

“Nick’s progressed well through his rehab and will train fully this week,” McPherson said.

“We expect him to be available to play on the weekend.”

Injury news: Reid eyes off playing return

All the latest injury news ahead of round five.

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[ant555]

Hope he is ready to go. Will have more to report other than running laps.

 

[ant555]

Finally on the park and he did well.
14 kicks . 3 handballs. 6 marks. 3 tackles. 31 hitouts and 5 clearances.
Easily won the ruck against Jack Bell who was a former Saints rookie and Sandringham under18 from the 2019 draft and Schache which he should be doing at this stage.
Got around the ground well. Took a few marks. Dropped a few others. Moved well.
Very little time forward.
Good first up game.
I hope he can get some forward time at some stage as if he is the guy to take Phillips spot in time then we need him to show he can take a mark out of the goal square. Does not need much forward craft. Just an ability to clunk a mark or at the very least not get out marked or pushed out of the way.
Right now he is listed at 101kg which is only a couple of kg under Phillips weight and 4kg lighter than Sam but he is not as strong as those guys yet which is why he will need a bit longer still to build up the power / strength to hold himself under the footy and not get pushed out. He is only 21 so it will take him another 2 or 3 years to be in a position where he can really hold his own and be that huge presence Sam is at times when he is forward.
His ruck craft is really good. He is a better tap ruck than either of Drape or Flipper. Just hasn't got the maturity in the body yet.

 

[citizen-erased]

Finally on the park and he did well.
14 kicks . 3 handballs. 6 marks. 3 tackles. 31 hitouts and 5 clearances.
Easily won the ruck against Jack Bell who was a former Saints rookie and Sandringham under18 from the 2019 draft and Schache which he should be doing at this stage.
Got around the ground well. Took a few marks. Dropped a few others. Moved well.
Very little time forward.
Good first up game.
I hope he can get some forward time at some stage as if he is the guy to take Phillips spot in time then we need him to show he can take a mark out of the goal square. Does not need much forward craft. Just an ability to clunk a mark or at the very least not get out marked or pushed out of the way.
Right now he is listed at 101kg which is only a couple of kg under Phillips weight and 4kg lighter than Sam but he is not as strong as those guys yet which is why he will need a bit longer still to build up the power / strength to hold himself under the footy and not get pushed out. He is only 21 so it will take him another 2 or 3 years to be in a position where he can really hold his own and be that huge presence Sam is at times when he is forward.
His ruck craft is really good. He is a better tap ruck than either of Drape or Flipper. Just hasn't got the maturity in the body yet.

Natural successor to flip in 2 seasons then.
Flip goes out with 2 flags. Nick comes in for 2 more.

 

[Old Campaigner]

Finally on the park and he did well.
14 kicks . 3 handballs. 6 marks. 3 tackles. 31 hitouts and 5 clearances.
Easily won the ruck against Jack Bell who was a former Saints rookie and Sandringham under18 from the 2019 draft and Schache which he should be doing at this stage.
Got around the ground well. Took a few marks. Dropped a few others. Moved well.
Very little time forward.
Good first up game.
I hope he can get some forward time at some stage as if he is the guy to take Phillips spot in time then we need him to show he can take a mark out of the goal square. Does not need much forward craft. Just an ability to clunk a mark or at the very least not get out marked or pushed out of the way.
Right now he is listed at 101kg which is only a couple of kg under Phillips weight and 4kg lighter than Sam but he is not as strong as those guys yet which is why he will need a bit longer still to build up the power / strength to hold himself under the footy and not get pushed out. He is only 21 so it will take him another 2 or 3 years to be in a position where he can really hold his own and be that huge presence Sam is at times when he is forward.
His ruck craft is really good. He is a better tap ruck than either of Drape or Flipper. Just hasn't got the maturity in the body yet.

Was there a VFL thread this week?

Can't see the ANZAC day preview thread either despite knowing it exists because I got notifications that some of my posts got moved there

 

[Lore]

Was there a VFL thread this week?

Can't see the ANZAC day preview thread either despite knowing it exists because I got notifications that some of my posts got moved there

Both are on the first page of the board, if you can’t see them you might need to show ignored content… and then unignore the OP of each thread

 

[Old Campaigner]

Both are on the first page of the board, if you can’t see them you might need to show ignored content… and then unignore the OP of each thread

If I send you my ignore list can you ban those people from starting threads?

 

[Lore]

If I send you my ignore list can you ban those people from starting threads?

No

 

[Lore]

Nick Bryan​

17 disposals, 31 hit-outs, five clearances

Bryan's first game back saw him compete hard. He ran well and played well in the wet and slippery conditions as the main ruck.

VFL player review: Rd 4 v Casey

Nine AFL-listed players played in Sunday's matchup with Casey.

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[The Devils Advocate]

For the AFL side, you'd think they'd have him playing a lot of forward in the VFL.

 

[BrunoV]

Pedestrian first half.

Steene looks about 6'3 to 6'4 which means he's giving up 4 or 5 inches to Bryan. Bryan's been out hustled a few times and despite getting the ball he hasn't really done any big man work. Hasn't even taken a mark.

He could finish this game with 20 possessions and 44 hit outs, at the same level, and he'd be a mile off challenging Phillips.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

Steene's about 201-202cm so both as tall as each other.

 

[ant555]

Right now he is simply not physically strong enough.
He will not be getting more opportunities anywhere else as he is not physically strong enough for AFL level at the moment.

 

[Megabattimus]

Yeah he's got the fundamentals down. Just not the strength to execute them fully.

Also, he needs to improve his goal kicking. Should've nailed that shot he got in the first half.

On SM-G920I using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[citizen-erased]

Right now he is simply not physically strong enough.
He will not be getting more opportunities anywhere else as he is not physically strong enough for AFL level at the moment.

English was similar early years....to the point i thought his body would be a liability.
Took a few years of playing him with a strong partner to get him to where he needed to be.

 

[BrunoV]

Steene's about 201-202cm so both as tall as each other.

Not even close.

 

[BrunoV]

Right now he is simply not physically strong enough.
He will not be getting more opportunities anywhere else as he is not physically strong enough for AFL level at the moment.

Yep. It's almost the idea scenario in some ways. You have to get a ruckman to year 5 at least. More likely it is year 6 before he's going to be best 22.

Not having the physicality is the single biggest issue or at least on par with endurance for these guys.

Short of a turn around that does not look physically possible for Bryan in the next few months, no one is offering more than what we can offer. As such there is no reason for Bryan to leave, assuming he is not unhappy.

He'll leave for money or opportunity. His form is not getting him opportunity anywhere else. Who has more cap space than we do?

Watching today I'm starting to appreciate how spectacular a beast Draper is. He dominated VFL games in year 1. He dominated the VFL in year 2 (with maybe 3 exceptions).

Bryan was clearly a more natural footballer and there may be some aspects of ruck craft in which he is better than Draper, but none of it is enough for him to ever seriously challenge Draper as number 1 (mainly because Draper is capable of so much).

I'm revising my expectations with Bryan. The aim is now 2025.

 

[ant555]

Not even close.

Oscar Steene | AFL

Follow Oscar Steene's progress through AFL

www.collingwoodfc.com.au

 

[BrunoV]

Oscar Steene | AFL

Follow Oscar Steene's progress through AFL

www.collingwoodfc.com.au

Bryan was a head taller than him and Bryan ain't that tall.

 

[ant555]

Okay so my boys work this week.
17 disposals
1 mark
4 tackles
45 hit outs
9 clearances.

Played a decent game against young Collingwood listed ruck Oscar Steene and Ed Delany who was previously on Carltons VFL list.
Thought a lot of the hit outs where wasted and the Pies roved our ruck a bit. Could have been a bit more direction / planning adjustment IMO.
His marking was non existent other than the one really good contested mark.
Follow up work after the ruck contest was really good.
No forward line for him today. Played more defensive positioning .

 

[ant555]

Bryan was a head taller than him and Bryan ain't that tall.

This one is with Ed Delany who is listed at 200cm.
Steene was not any shorter to my eye.

 

[ant555]

Bryan and Steene

 

[ant555]

 

[ant555]

 

[ant555]