It doesn't take a scientist to understand that Liam Ryan has had challenges in his life, and those challenges saw him leave Geraldton, and also made clubs nervous enough to not pick him up in the draft before we did.
Liam Ryan is exactly what I am talking about when I say we have developed systems and supports at our club that can provide opportunities to those who wouldn't ordinarily get them.
It's actually bizarre for people to praise the club for taking a chance on Liam, and to praise Liam (rightfully so) for the hard work and good choices he has made to get where he is, and then simultaneously write off a guy like Elijah Taylor or Sydney Stack.
No doubt in my mind, the club has put a lot of effort and resources in place to help support Liam over the last 3 years, and look how far he has come. It's a great outcome for him personally, but also speaks to the capability the club has developed in terms of understanding and being able to respond to some of the challenging issues our players confront growing up and before they get drafted, especially the Indigenous boys.
Some folks walk in to footy clubs and need extra support and mentoring to help them with their personal development. We've built the capability and have the resources to that, we should continue to use them.
IMO, the post outlining Liam's background is a bit too graphic and detailed. There's a degree of privacy and dignity people are entitled to.
No one wants their dirty laundry aired out on the internet.
This. I’ve said it before, but the club should back itself in to get the best out of players like Sydney Stack and Elijah Taylor. I’d argue it’s reluctance on our part to bring in players that might have issues, but the club should back itself in with these things.