Ryan Gardner is a good footballer - post your apologies here

[Bald]

Would legit be a very good second or third tall defender imo. As would Keath. As is Jones.

The issue is we need the number one.

 

[The Inbetweener]

Listen I’m harsh on him but there generally comes times when the opposition get a run on and he fails to do basic defensive stuff.

For Aymiss’ last goal, he was with him and then held back ‘to protect space’ and Aymiss took an uncontested mark. May be coaching, but if he doesn’t have the instinct to shut that down in an elimination final, can’t stick a tackle against an undersized mid in Serong that led to a goal or punch the ball on the goal line with no opposition near him, there is a problem.

 

[Mahama]

Listen I’m harsh on him but there generally comes times when the opposition get a run on and he fails to do basic defensive stuff.

For Aymiss’ last goal, he was with him and then held back ‘to protect space’ and Aymiss took an uncontested mark. May be coaching, but if he doesn’t have the instinct to shut that down in an elimination final, can’t stick a tackle against an undersized mid in Serong that led to a goal or punch the ball on the goal line with no opposition near him, there is a problem.

You keep saying he should've tackled Serong. Serong didn't have the ball. Gardner came off his player to put a bump on, pretty much all he could do in the situation.

The one on the goalline he came at least 20m off his player to get on the goal line. Meanwhile another slower or less switched on key defender wouldn't cop any blame because they wouldn't get near it.

In fact the one mark he conceded to Lobb came at he got himself out of position to help Cordy, who's opponent had gotten 15m goal side of him.

Again, just seems rough that he puts himself in these positions to help his teammates, who clearly need the help, and cops it from fans when he doesn't succeed every single time.

 

[maddog37]

Plenty of short leads into unprotected space as a result of the pressure on the midfield kicker being non existent. Defenders have no hope.

 

[Erect]

I thought he was good. Obviously has his limitations but is more competitive than most of our players and tries his guts out. If we had better options to pick over him then we should do it, but we don't.

 

[doggies ftw]

He would not be a very good 2nd or 3rd defender but he’d be passable. His ceiling is back up for a good team, love to have him on the list, great bloke great trainer yada yada. But he’s a back up defender at best, anyone who thinks otherwise is kidding themselves. If the only thing you bring to the modern game is being a lockdown dour stopper, you have to be bloody good at it. Moz like. He is not & never will be.

No one’s questioning his work ethic, but * me we’re running a professional football club not a ******* charity, the sooner we have someone in charge who realises this the better.

 

[Boof09]

Exactly!! The only one he has persisted with is Gardner.
Buku, Young, Schache and a bloke named Naughton.

This is it in a nutshell, he has continued to persist when others get dropped. It is classic Beveridge all through he coaching. He has been given opportunities others haven't and he will continue to whilst Beveridge is coaching

He is not getting better, was he the worst no, did he get beaten one on one, yes as he does most games. He is a punching one trick pony and it is generally 3 or 4th up, not to the teams advance. Apart from that he is very limited

 

[Boof09]

We're a terrible supporter base for piling onto whipping boys.

The bloke is one of the hardest workers at the club, dragged himself up by the bootscraps for a second shot at AFL football, didn't rock up during the covid years after letting himself go during the break (if you want to know why Young was let go...).
Nobody's arguing he's a prime Matthew Scarlett, but reading half of these posts you'd think he was Princess Diana's chauffeur

I could be at the club and be the hardest worker, doesn't mean I should get a game!

 

[Some Idiot]

Listen I’m harsh on him but there generally comes times when the opposition get a run on and he fails to do basic defensive stuff.

For Aymiss’ last goal, he was with him and then held back ‘to protect space’ and Aymiss took an uncontested mark. May be coaching, but if he doesn’t have the instinct to shut that down in an elimination final, can’t stick a tackle against an undersized mid in Serong that led to a goal or punch the ball on the goal line with no opposition near him, there is a problem.

Has to be coaching - because Cordy did the same thing with Lobb in the previous game against Freo. I hate it with a passion - dropping off the leading man with the assumption that someone else will drop into the hole.

 

[Graeme Cook]

His improved no doubt but his a ball watcher often let's opponents lead and mark unattended

 

[ExRoyboy]

His improved no doubt but his a ball watcher often let's opponents lead and mark unattended

Highlighted earlier today by David King on the Monday means test. I just went back and watched the vision and he is dead right. Gardner just let Amiss lead unopposed to the ball in the last quarter and decided to stay back and guard nobody. He was the full back manning the full forward and he chose, as did Cordy on Lobb when we played them at Marvel, to just let his man have a free lead at the footy so that he could stay and guard space in the forward 50 for Freo.

This has to be coaching strategy in my view because it’s the same thing repeated by our key defenders all the time. Whoever is our defensive coach has got it way wrong and it’s been apparent all season. It doesn’t matter who it is but with Gardner and Cordy they are constantly exposed. It was embarrassing.

Yes Gardner gives 150% effort and he launches himself into contests and punches the ball away, sometimes to the other teams advantage, sometimes spoiling his own fellow defenders, and sometimes spoiling the opposition, but he is not a smart footballer and he will never be one. We need really proper key defenders, not makeshift ones

 

[_Mike_]

Yes Gardner gives 150% effort and he launches himself into contests and punches the ball away, sometimes to the other teams advantage, sometimes spoiling his own fellow defenders, and sometimes spoiling the opposition, but he is not a smart footballer and he will never be one. We need really proper key defenders, not makeshift ones

Gardner's skill level wont go anywhere without a decent backs coach, same as the forwards. His lack of followup effort resulted in turnovers & goals, same with VDM.

Playing these two on the back six without a solid KPD and experienced intercept defender will continue to lead to failure. Doc & Keath are cooked, Crozier seems done. Ed and Dale are still developing their consistency in output. Williams has been meh this season

 

[ossie_21]

Gardner's skill level wont go anywhere without a decent backs coach, same as the forwards. His lack of followup effort resulted in turnovers & goals, same with VDM.

Playing these two on the back six without a solid KPD and experienced intercept defender will continue to lead to failure. Doc & Keath are cooked, Crozier seems done. Ed and Dale are still developing their consistency in output. Williams has been meh this season

Doc isn’t near cooked

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

We're a terrible supporter base for piling onto whipping boys.

The bloke is one of the hardest workers at the club, dragged himself up by the bootscraps for a second shot at AFL football, didn't rock up during the covid years after letting himself go during the break (if you want to know why Young was let go...).
Nobody's arguing he's a prime Matthew Scarlett, but reading half of these posts you'd think he was Princess Diana's chauffeur

Is that true and if it is true fair? Bruce was completely unfit in 2020, Hunter had and continues to have dedication issues and one of the hardest workers at the club (Wallis) battles to get a consistent look at it

 

[Snarls Barkley]

Is that true and if it is true fair? Bruce was completely unfit in 2020, Hunter had and continues to have dedication issues and one of the hardest workers at the club (Wallis) battles to get a consistent look at it

We offered Young a two year deal (and Lipinski a three year deal) so I doubt it’s true.

Think he left on his own terms because he’d get dropped whenever he played one bad game while others in his position could play a bad month and keep getting selected.

 

[huddo#9]

We offered Young a two year deal (and Lipinski a three year deal) so I doubt it’s true.

Think he left on his own terms because he’d get dropped whenever he played one bad game while others in his position could play a bad month and keep getting selected.

Correct. It's BS.

 

[The Slitherin' Snake]

We offered Young a two year deal (and Lipinski a three year deal) so I doubt it’s true.

Think he left on his own terms because he’d get dropped whenever he played one bad game while others in his position could play a bad month and keep getting selected.

Spot on

 

[4Seasons]

Ok player has ok game but doesn’t star - its all there fault we lost, we’ll never win a premiership with that player.

Star player has ok game but doesn’t star - he must be injured, let’s give up on the season and put them in for surgery. The ok players are wasting all the star players generational talent.

 

[TiAn_]

Given we barely use threads for individual players on this board I reckon this one is overkill and probably time to close it. Just imo.

 

[Hoges64]

Given we barely use threads for individual players on this board I reckon this one is overkill and probably time to close it. Just imo.

Reckon you're right. Was never great from the start, but getting beyond cringey now...

 

[glenashley]

Ryan Gardner

43

Ryan Gardner

Age

26

Ht

197cm

Wt

94kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

7.3

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

3.3

3star

M

2.0

2star

T

0.8

3star

MG

45.0

1star

D

8.5

2star

K

6.0

2star

HB

2.5

2star

M

3.0

3star

T

1.0

2star

MG

45.0

1star

D

7.3

2star

K

4.0

2star

HB

3.3

3star

M

2.0

3star

T

0.8

3star

MG

45.0

1star

is a good footballer and a good bloke to go drinking with...

 

[badkicking]

After carrying cordy all year here even had to carry him to a taxi at mad Monday

 

[Testekill]

7th in the B&F and Best Team Player award. Feels like he's rated pretty highly by the club for a reason.

 

[Golden_6]

I still think we need to offer him some more support as fans. Considering the growth from where he started, it’s a considerable achievement.

The best thing that can happen to the club is that he continues to develop and can hold down a key defensive post for the next 5 years. He was given minimal support via our defensive structure and the talls around him this year.

 

[huddo#9]

Think he was always a monty for coaches award or best team player given the support Bevo has given him.

He isn't a kid, he is coming into his eighth AFL pre-season.