#40 Chris "The Bear" Bryan

[MagpieGirl_13]

doesnt really go through the lip just the top part of chin so it sits just above the bottom of your mouth in front of you lower teeth.

Doesnt look terrible still would an earring be easier?

many guys have then too annoying to shave with ive been told

I knew it went through the top of his chin, I just didn't know what to call that part of the mouth. I know a few people who have that done.

I just don't see the point, but hey, whatever floats his boat

 

[Optimax]

I knew it went through the top of his chin, I just didn't know what to call that part of the mouth. I know a few people who have that done.

I just don't see the point, but hey, whatever floats his boat

thats it mate suits him better than most ive seen ill give the bear that.

Still think an ear or eybrow ring are much easier accessories

 

[Optimax]

a full report about the bear will be provided after his collingwood vfl debut on saturday.

Stay tuned bearites, normal frequency will resum shortly

 

[Optimax]

VFL Rnd 1 Bear watch.

the bear played a decent game in collingwood rnd 1 win against port melbourne yesterday.

Played well in the second half afetr a quiet first half really worked himself into it and provided some spark in the third qtr when teh side was looking flat.

Had a good hitout and showed some promising signs of form, definetly ready become a senior if the need arises

 

[Optimax]

One of teh best is collingwoods VFL lost to williamstown.

Had 20 touches 12 kick and 8 handpasses, looked good all day and outpointed peter street around the ground.

Good effort by the bear

 

[Stakerz]

Come on Bear get yourself in to the team, I rate you!

 

[Optimax]

The bear had a good game today in collingwood vfl victory of frankston, kicked two goals and was named among the best.

A strong possibility to come in on anzac day against essendon as the third tall forward

 

[gothedons]

hows bryan gone since then? is he likely to break into the team this year? rated him at Carlton but havent heard much about him recently!

 

[Optimax]

hows bryan gone since then? is he likely to break into the team this year? rated him at Carlton but havent heard much about him recently!

surpised he wasnt at least an emergency while rocca was injured.

Has put in solid performances nothing spectacular. If rocca misses again i would say we would see him otehrwise not until either fraser or wood get rested

 

[Optimax]

Put in another solid yet un-spectacular effort in the vfl, in the loss against coburg.


With the likely event that fraser will miss with his PCL strain, Bryan is in line for his first call up to the seniors in season 08.

On behalf of all bearites good luck and give em hell chris

 

[Swanny36]

Put in another solid yet un-spectacular effort in the vfl, in the loss against coburg.


With the likely event that fraser will miss with his PCL strain, Bryan is in line for his first call up to the seniors in season 08.

On behalf of all bearites good luck and give em hell chris

agreed for some reason i have no idea why i love the bear...spose its just because he is a nice guy....

 

[Optimax]

Named in the ruck for his first game of the season.

Got out there and tear em apart bear.

 

[Swanny36]

Named in the ruck for his first game of the season.

Got out there and tear em apart bear.

i actually think he will have a good game....he is alot more mobile and this year he is looking super fit i reckon he has lost about 5-10 kilos and i think he will run the legs off the saints ruckman......
CARN BEAR AND PIES!!

 

[Optimax]

Bear Report.
11 kicks 4 handpasses 1 goal 1 assit 67% eff 8 hitouts (13% to advantage).

Played a very good return match, tackled hard, used his body well. Kicked a goal and set up medhurst on the lead with a ripper kick.

Looks really fit this year and was relishing being out there.

Made a couple of mistakes one short kick and one muffed snap into the stands but really was a decent match for the bear and one to prove his worth

 

[Optimax]

Second game of the season.

Second win for bear.

Played well again, attacked the ball with the ferocity of the animal he is nicknamed after and made sure every geelong player felt it.

Took a couple of good contested marks up forward and deep in defence, kicked a goal got the most hit outs of any collingwood player and well and truly proved he deserved his spot.

Stats
kicks 7
handpasses 1
eff 63%
marks 5 (1 contested)
Tackles 1 tackle (swear he had more maybe just good bumps)
Hitouts 14 (43% to advantage most on ground)
Goal 1

all round good gam should see him line up against the eagles next week, and got him some rave reviews on teh drive home last night (even from parkin who openly admits to not rating him) and many posters on multiple boards.

Onya bear

 

[Optimax]

RUCKMAN Chris Bryan knows all too well he has Collingwood to thank for the fact he still has an AFL career, after the Pies decided to throw him a lifeline when he left Carlton at the end of 2006.
The 25-year-old left the Blues in search of "more security", after the club he was drafted by in 2004 offered him just a one-year deal to stay on at MC Labour Park.
He not only found that security at the Lexus Centre, but he also discovered something much more profound – that he could take his footballing ability and improve it by "leaps and bounds", which ensured his second chance would be justified.
"My personal development with my fitness and how I play has changed dramatically," he told collingwoodfc.com.au.
"It was the best decision to leave [Carlton]. There's just so many coaches here; you always get someone one-on-one, and some different opinions, and you can take a lot from everyone.
"I knew if I had another year like I did in '06, I probably would have been finished by now. Moving was what I had to do, and it's paid off."
The change in surroundings also means Bryan has played for two of the most experienced coaches in the AFL – Mick Malthouse and Denis Pagan.
"Both of them have been coaches for 20 or 30 years, and it's been good playing under them," he said.
"I look back at Denis now and some of the things he did I really respect, with the way he's done it over the past, and there's some similarities between him and Mick that are quite evident."
While Bryan is clearly happier as a Magpie these days, he admits it wasn't always so easy to ride out the transition between the cross-town rivals.
"It was tough early on last year, just trying to fit in and I obviously didn't have a pre-season because I had a knee op, so I wasn't getting on the track with the boys," he said.
"Now, a year and a half on, they've embraced me and I've really embraced Collingwood and how they go about it."
He also credits a move from his childhood home of Keysborough, where he played for Frankston in the VFL for a year, to the northern suburb of Moonee Ponds for creating a sense of stability in his life.
"For the first year at Carlton, I travelled from up there to Carlton every day. It was an hour and a half each way, and three hours a day in the car," he said.
"I didn't think anything of it; I just did it at the time, but then once I moved up to the city, it was just a big lifestyle change and a lot better."
This weekend, Bryan will face West Coast after breaking his way back into the senior side two weeks ago.
The big man has only positive memories of the last time he faced the Eagles, which was during the Pies' thrilling extra-time triumph in the semi-final last year at Subiaco.
Bryan booted a goal in the pivotal extra-time period, and admits the rush that action provided was the biggest he's ever felt in football after gaining a late call-up owing to Josh Fraser's back soreness.
"It was fantastic. I only found out early in that afternoon that I was playing, so I didn't have much time to prepare myself," he said.
"It was just an incredible night.
"The goal I kicked was interesting; it was just one of those kicks where the ball went in and you sort of roll the dice, but you go forward, read it, and it spilled out.
"I just took off and was lucky enough to get the hands. ‘Tarks' [Tarkyn Lockyer] probably could have kicked it himself, but he handed it off and I kicked it myself. It was incredible.
"You often hear about the noise over there, and it was only the Collinwood supporters that were making any noise.
"It was an incredible feeling."

seems to have found his sense of belonign here and good for him, i couldnt play for carlton either

 

[Snag Breac]

That sense of feeling more settled at C'wood may account for his recent great form. Hopefully he'll go from stregth to strength.

 

[Optimax]

Played well once again.

Threw his weight around took a very nice mark in the last and proved hsiw orth to our cause.

One more "its a bad move playign bryan against (insert ruckman)" posts i may go postal.

Full report either later tonight or tomorrow

 

[MagpieGirl_13]

I was VERY impressed with Bryan today. As was the rest of my family!
He's growing on me. Thought he played really well, was fairly good in the ruck & also took a good pack mark in the backline & then in the center.

Great work Bear!!!

 

[Optimax]

Bear Report
K 11 H 4 Toatl 15 (7 contested) eff 73 M 9 (3 contested) HO 15 ad 33% (most of any magpie)

4 clearences and 5 inside fifties.

Another very hard bodied and strong armed game from the bear.

Started by showing the agles defence no bullshit tactics would be tolerated, took out two eagles going for a mark in the third and ended with a screamer in the last.

Cannot be faulted and will resume his heated rivarly with the big demon Jeff white next week on Queens birthday monday.

Give em hell bear

 

[Swanny36]

Bear Report
K 11 H 4 Toatl 15 (7 contested) eff 73 M 9 (3 contested) HO 15 ad 33% (most of any magpie)

4 clearences and 5 inside fifties.

Another very hard bodied and strong armed game from the bear.

Started by showing the agles defence no bullshit tactics would be tolerated, took out two eagles going for a mark in the third and ended with a screamer in the last.

Cannot be faulted and will resume his heated rivarly with the big demon Jeff white next week on Queens birthday monday.

Give em hell bear

cant wait to see him line up against Melbourne, He is gonna tear them a new one, they wont know what hit them, he is just so unbelievably hard at the ball for a big man..great to see, just what the game needs Hard at it but as fair as any other player in the comp....

 

[Optimax]

Played a good game today.

was sporting a bandage around his head, from the first qtr. Tackled very hard and provide an option all day.

Full report and stats will be provided tomorrow

 

[Optimax]

Bear enjoying every moment
Nick Hulett 8:35 PM Mon 09 June, 2008
Chris Bryan is happy to be making a contribution in a successful team.

Since being recalled for the round seven clash with St Kilda, the Collingwood ruckman has been making an excellent contribution, averaging 13 possessions, six marks, 12 hitouts and three clearances per outing.

“It’s what I enjoy. We’re winning, I can’t complain, it’s really good,” Bryan, who is nicknamed 'Bear', told CTV in the rooms after the 21-point victory over Melbourne on Monday.

His performance against the Demons was particularly impressive. Bryan gathered 14 touches to go with some terrific ruck work against Jeff White and Paul Johnson, but it was the way he was able to run to position and then find a target much further afield with his powerful left boot that stood out.

He also laid six tackles, despite having to leave the ground with a gash above his left eye that would later require stiches, the result of his physically imposing approach to his game.

“I just had a couple of stitches put in above the brow, it’s not too bad.

“It’s fine now, I actually had a bit of blurred vision in my right eye before this, then got this knock and it cleared up the blurred vision, so it’s probably a good thing that I got it.

“Full credit to Melbourne, they came out with a style of game that they wanted to play, and they played pretty well, so to nut it our for the four quarters was good, hopefully a much better performance next week.”

After moving to Collingwood via the pre-season draft at the end of 2006, Bryan appeared in 12 matches in 2007 including all three finals, but had to bide his time in the Magpies’ VFL team behind Josh Fraser and Cameron Wood for the first part of this season, before a knee injury to Fraser meant an opportunity arose for the match against the Saints.

The 26-year-old performed well in that nine-point victory and has held his spot since.

"It was pretty frustrating earlier on in the year to not get a go, so with Josh going down for that week I got my opportunity, and I just said to myself, ‘don‘t give it up without a fight’.

“I’m just doing everything I can to hold my spot.”

He is certainly holding his spot, and playing a significant role in the process. His three big contested grabs against the Eagles in round 10 were testament to his versatility, in that he can effectively contest the ruck, roam the ground and play as another midfield option, but also push deep into defence and thwart opposition forward forays.

Now, with seven wins at the halfway point of the season, the Magpies host arch-rival Carlton at the MCG next Sunday on a day Collingwood will pay tribute to recently retired former captain Nathan Buckley.

For Bryan, it will be his second outing against the team he played 16 games for in 2005 and 2006.

“Our focus will switch to that (the Carlton game). It should be a good challenge up against Carlton, they had a good win this week, they’ll be thereabouts, it will be good.”


All very good news, keep it up Bear

 

[Optimax]

Bear Report
K 11 H 3 T 14 eff 86% con 6 Uncon 8
M 8 contested 1
Ho 11 (18%)
Inside fifties 4
Clearences 3
Clangers 0
Tackles 6
TOG 72%

Played a good ruckmans game got his share of hitouts, and always provided a target through the midfield and then managed to use his kicking prowess to find a teamate clear up the field.

He also Laid some fantastucly hard tackles, one in the first where he lifted up a melbourne player and planted him in the centre circle turf winning him a HB free kick, was at his vicous self through out the game.


This week he has a rematch with the team that he walked out on, so expect a big match from the bear proving to carlton what they are missing

 

[Optimax]

Happy on the big stage

PLAYING on the grand blockbuster stage in front of an average crowd of 50,000 passionate fans is something Magpies ruckman Chris Bryan is all too familiar with.
The 26-year-old might have only played 32 senior games since being drafted in 2004, but nearly all of those appearances have been witnessed by sizeable crowds given that the tall has played for two of Melbourne's best-supported clubs, Collingwood and Carlton.
"I can't even think of what the smallest crowd I've played in front of is," Bryan said, five days out from the round 12 clash between his past and present clubs.
"You just get used to it, I suppose, and enjoy the moment.
"[Playing in front of big crowds] is a good lead up into the finals, because if you play finals footy, you're going to be in front of a big crowd every week.
"We're lucky to play in front of an average of 60, 70-odd thousand every week. I don't really think it's an issue; as a player, that's what you want to do, play on the big stage, so it's exciting every week."
This Sunday, Bryan looks set to take on the Blues for just the second time since he crossed to the Magpies at the end of the 2006 season.
The ruckman said there was no lingering animosity between him and his former teammates, and joked he might even try to obtain some inner-sanctum information from some of his close Carlton friends in the lead up to the game.
"It will bring back the old rivalry for the Carlton-Collingwood clash, and there's a bit extra there for me, I suppose, having played there for a couple of years," he said.
"I left the club on good terms, and I got offered a one-year contract there and Collingwood offered me two.
"I had to take it, and I have no resentment towards those guys. I'm still mates [with some of them], and I have dinner with them occasionally.
"And I live in Moonee Ponds so they see me around the streets.
"I might send out a few texts [this week] and see if I can get any inside information, and try not to give away too much myself."
Bryan broke back into the senior line-up in round eight this year following an injury to fellow ruckman Josh Fraser. He then held his spot when emerging tall Cameron Wood was directed to take a spell in the VFL.
In the past month the former Blue has put together a handful of impressive performances, which he admits were motivated by his aim to make it difficult for the club's selectors to omit him.
"I struggled early on. I couldn't get into the side, and 'Woody' and Fraser were doing a good job, and then 'Frase' got injured and I got my opportunity," he said.
"I just grabbed it. I want to play the rest of the year, so I have to do everything right and just keep doing the things they ask of me and hopefully I stay in.
"I'm definitely a lot fitter and I think I've matured a lot more. It's my fourth year now so I sort of understand the business and what you need to do to play league footy."
collingwoodfc.com.au