Commentator on Bryan and Richards

[Lenz]

Was listening to the game on the radio and heard the commentator remark, "Bryan and Richards are absolutely smashing White in the centre. Who would ever have thought that?" Perhaps these guys will have the last laugh after all. Maybe they just need more game time and time to fit into the side. Maybe they'll be pretty serviceable rucks in future years.

 

[jazzie]

Maybe Bryan will have a small last laugh, but I'm not sure about Richards. The games I have seen him play he doesn't seem to be doing the work outside of the ruck contests that the really good ruckmen do. Richards looks a little too much like he forgets that he has to actually play in between ruck contests. I do think he has improved though.

 

[Coin_Toss]

There's still hope for Chris Bryan. He's not a pure ruckman but he gives a contest. On Friday night, he won the contest and made a second effort, and that's more than Guy Richards does. Guy Richards may be the best tap ruckman of the two, but he needs to get more involved at contests.

 

[Jabso]

Bryan + Richards > the sum of their parts.

This may seem soft, but I would not get rid of any of them. If we pick up 1 or 2 ruckmen in the draft, it can't hurt to have 4 or 5 ruckmen on the list. I'd rather have a young ruckman progress naturally rather than being thrown to wolves early because of lack of options ala Josh in his early career.

 

[deck]

There's still hope for Chris Bryan. He's not a pure ruckman but he gives a contest. On Friday night, he won the contest and made a second effort, and that's more than Guy Richards does. Guy Richards may be the best tap ruckman of the two, but he needs to get more involved at contests.

The problem is Bryan will never be good enough in the ruck work. I personally think we just have to put up with Richards lack of presence in general play for his ruck work. A ruckman is what we need and Richards offers more as a ruckman than Bryan ever will.

 

[AsianWithAFro]

Bryan could develop into a key forward if Rocca was absent.

 

[Lenz]

The problem is Bryan will never be good enough in the ruck work. I personally think we just have to put up with Richards lack of presence in general play for his ruck work. A ruckman is what we need and Richards offers more as a ruckman than Bryan ever will.

With the greatest of respect, how can you be so sure? I think of some of the really good contemporary players who've been written off in past years - Nathan Ablett springs to mind - and of others who've been launched in hype, then crashed, then risen again - Jarrad Brennan is an example - and I think I'd just rather give Bryan and Richards the benefit of the doubt, at least for now.

 

[Pie eyed]

I have read many posts condemning both to the scrapheap.
Ihope those who are so quick to condemn are equally as quick to praise as they both played well.
It is easy to compare their efforts to "really good ruckmen" and forget totally that these "really good ruckmen" take years to learn their trade.

I cannot think of one who just walked into the league and dominated...all took several years to mature and these two will take just as long if they do.

 

[Big Bucks]

I have read many posts condemning both to the scrapheap.
Ihope those who are so quick to condemn are equally as quick to praise as they both played well.
It is easy to compare their efforts to "really good ruckmen" and forget totally that these "really good ruckmen" take years to learn their trade.

I cannot think of one who just walked into the league and dominated...all took several years to mature and these two will take just as long if they do.

How long do you want to give Richards! he,s already been their 6 years.

 

[loki04]

How long do you want to give Richards! he,s already been their 6 years.

is it 2006?



7 YEARS !!!!!!!

 

[Pie eyed]

Late developer?
He played pretty well on friday night...
1.What sort of opportunities has he had in those seven years?
2.How many times have the ruck contest rules been modified in those 7 years?

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

Bryan + Richards > the sum of their parts.

This may seem soft, but I would not get rid of any of them. If we pick up 1 or 2 ruckmen in the draft, it can't hurt to have 4 or 5 ruckmen on the list. I'd rather have a young ruckman progress naturally rather than being thrown to wolves early because of lack of options ala Josh in his early career.

I agree in principle. We should be picking up ruckmen, not dropping them. Three rucks on the list is not enough.

 

[MarkT]

Neither are good enough. Therefore both should go and we should get another 2 to replace them plus another 1 or 2. Don’t ask me how we can get hold of 3 or 4 rucks but that’s what we need to do.

 

[Cyclops]

I think White is out of form, and Jamar isn't much chop. Bryan gave us some muscle in the first quarter, but faded. I think Richards broke even and was beaten later in the game.

Our mids had a good first half and made the rucks look a bit better than what they were, which is passable. I have a feeling both blokes played close to their best, against the worst side around. If thats the case, they are not a viable ruck duo.

 

[4#Didak#4]

I think we will have to keep both unless we have some kind of ruckman bonanza in the draft/trading period.

As a long time critic of both but particularly Bryan I thought Bryan was quite good on Friday. He does contest well, even if he doesnt win the taps he hits the other ruckman hard & wears them down. He also is quite happy to smash in when the ball is on the ground. He has the other dimension of being able to go forward. His biggest deficiency is he has no football brain whatsoever. If he plays like an old fashioned ruckman & does the simple things he will be OK for us. Richards I am afraid will have to stay in the VFL & be our backup ruck. We cannot afford to lose him altogether until we have 2 others ready fro AFL level - that is a long way off.