Ryan Gardner is a good footballer - post your apologies here

Bevo must be doing the AFL.com.au articles now too.

B&F fancies: Who's leading the race for your club's top award?​

Tom Liberatore​

Liberatore has pieced together one of the best seasons of his career, averaging 25 disposals and sitting fourth in the AFL for total clearances (145). He has played every game and been a starting point for much of the Dogs’ attacking work from stoppages, with his consistency likely to give him an edge in best and fairest voting. The tough ball-winner is vying for his second best and fairest at the club, having taken out the award in 2014. – Cal Twomey

Other contenders: Marcus Bontempelli, Ryan Gardner, Jack Macrae
 
Sep 22, 2008
25,502
34,593
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
If Naughton isn't in the top few I'd be shocked, he's had a couple of quiet games of late, but has been Herculean for most of the season imo.
Naughton quiet period has coincided with Jamarra becoming more of a trusted target in our forward line over the past 6 weeks I feel - they’ll have to work this out next year as there’s not a lot of chemistry between them right now. It’ll come though, they compliment each other beautifully in theory.
 

Mahama

Team Captain
Dec 28, 2003
458
446
Canberra
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Feels like a good time to have a look at how everyone's favourite key defender did during the home and away season!

To my eye it seemed like Gardner took a big leap in the second half of the season in particular. I'm sure it's partially about confidence – the more success he has, the more he feels like he belongs at AFL level and the more he's willing to take on the extra responsibilities a good key defender should. The fact he's doubled his career games tally this season and gotten a good, relatively injury-free run would no doubt help as well.

Watching a hard-working player gradually improve and have success with us has always been one of my favourite things about footy (think Boyd, Cross, Moz), so seeing Gardner continue to grow as a player and earn his spot in our best 18 this year has been genuinely enjoyable. His trajectory of improvement suggests we're going to have at least one solid defender to pair with Liam Jones next year, which is more than even I'd hoped for earlier in this season when I thought of him more as cheap depth.

Here's a look at his progression across a number of key stats since 2020. It's worth noting that, if we were to look at just the post-bye figures this year, Gardner would be rated elite among key defenders in spoils, contested defensive loss %, clangers and disposals per clanger. He'd also be rated above average in intercept possessions, intercept marks and contested marks. Pretty mind-blowing given where he was at last year.
Year
Games
Disposals
Kicking Efficiency
Clangers
Disposals per Clanger
Metres Gained
MG per Disposal
Spoils
1v1 Defensive Loss %
Intercept Possessions
Intercept Marks
Contested Marks
2020
10​
7.6​
63.4%​
1.7​
4.5​
70.8​
9.3​
7.2​
28.1%​
2.5​
0.6​
0.1​
2021
9​
6.1​
78.4%​
2.1​
2.9​
86.2​
14.1​
6.0​
17.4%​
3.7​
1.1​
0.4​
2022 (Pre-Bye)
12​
10.2​
79.8%​
3.0​
3.4​
163.4​
16.1​
8.0​
33.3%​
4.2​
1.1​
0.3​
2022 (Post-Bye)
9​
12.0​
74.2%​
1.4
8.3
128.4​
10.7​
8.3
11.8%
6.3
2.8
1.0

Finally, given the amount of grief Gardner has copped in this thread for constantly spoiling his teammates as they're apparently about to take a clean mark, I couldn't help but note the below play on the weekend... :oops:

 

Dazb86

Brownlow Medallist
Mar 31, 2008
15,901
13,402
melbourne
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I don't mind him. Wish he was our 3rd tall though with better players ahead of him.

Also wish we'd have picked Lewis Young ahead of him a lot more
 
Feels like a good time to have a look at how everyone's favourite key defender did during the home and away season!

To my eye it seemed like Gardner took a big leap in the second half of the season in particular. I'm sure it's partially about confidence – the more success he has, the more he feels like he belongs at AFL level and the more he's willing to take on the extra responsibilities a good key defender should. The fact he's doubled his career games tally this season and gotten a good, relatively injury-free run would no doubt help as well.

Watching a hard-working player gradually improve and have success with us has always been one of my favourite things about footy (think Boyd, Cross, Moz), so seeing Gardner continue to grow as a player and earn his spot in our best 18 this year has been genuinely enjoyable. His trajectory of improvement suggests we're going to have at least one solid defender to pair with Liam Jones next year, which is more than even I'd hoped for earlier in this season when I thought of him more as cheap depth.

Here's a look at his progression across a number of key stats since 2020. It's worth noting that, if we were to look at just the post-bye figures this year, Gardner would be rated elite among key defenders in spoils, contested defensive loss %, clangers and disposals per clanger. He'd also be rated above average in intercept possessions, intercept marks and contested marks. Pretty mind-blowing given where he was at last year.
Year
Games
Disposals
Kicking Efficiency
Clangers
Disposals per Clanger
Metres Gained
MG per Disposal
Spoils
1v1 Defensive Loss %
Intercept Possessions
Intercept Marks
Contested Marks
2020
10​
7.6​
63.4%​
1.7​
4.5​
70.8​
9.3​
7.2​
28.1%​
2.5​
0.6​
0.1​
2021
9​
6.1​
78.4%​
2.1​
2.9​
86.2​
14.1​
6.0​
17.4%​
3.7​
1.1​
0.4​
2022 (Pre-Bye)
12​
10.2​
79.8%​
3.0​
3.4​
163.4​
16.1​
8.0​
33.3%​
4.2​
1.1​
0.3​
2022 (Post-Bye)
9​
12.0​
74.2%​
1.4
8.3
128.4​
10.7​
8.3
11.8%
6.3
2.8
1.0

Finally, given the amount of grief Gardner has copped in this thread for constantly spoiling his teammates as they're apparently about to take a clean mark, I couldn't help but note the below play on the weekend... :oops:


Of course, had the umpire had half a brain he would have noticed the massive push in the back to Williams in that contest. Should never have been play on in the first place.
 
Feels like a good time to have a look at how everyone's favourite key defender did during the home and away season!

To my eye it seemed like Gardner took a big leap in the second half of the season in particular. I'm sure it's partially about confidence – the more success he has, the more he feels like he belongs at AFL level and the more he's willing to take on the extra responsibilities a good key defender should. The fact he's doubled his career games tally this season and gotten a good, relatively injury-free run would no doubt help as well.

Watching a hard-working player gradually improve and have success with us has always been one of my favourite things about footy (think Boyd, Cross, Moz), so seeing Gardner continue to grow as a player and earn his spot in our best 18 this year has been genuinely enjoyable. His trajectory of improvement suggests we're going to have at least one solid defender to pair with Liam Jones next year, which is more than even I'd hoped for earlier in this season when I thought of him more as cheap depth.

Here's a look at his progression across a number of key stats since 2020. It's worth noting that, if we were to look at just the post-bye figures this year, Gardner would be rated elite among key defenders in spoils, contested defensive loss %, clangers and disposals per clanger. He'd also be rated above average in intercept possessions, intercept marks and contested marks. Pretty mind-blowing given where he was at last year.
Year
Games
Disposals
Kicking Efficiency
Clangers
Disposals per Clanger
Metres Gained
MG per Disposal
Spoils
1v1 Defensive Loss %
Intercept Possessions
Intercept Marks
Contested Marks
2020
10​
7.6​
63.4%​
1.7​
4.5​
70.8​
9.3​
7.2​
28.1%​
2.5​
0.6​
0.1​
2021
9​
6.1​
78.4%​
2.1​
2.9​
86.2​
14.1​
6.0​
17.4%​
3.7​
1.1​
0.4​
2022 (Pre-Bye)
12​
10.2​
79.8%​
3.0​
3.4​
163.4​
16.1​
8.0​
33.3%​
4.2​
1.1​
0.3​
2022 (Post-Bye)
9​
12.0​
74.2%​
1.4
8.3
128.4​
10.7​
8.3
11.8%
6.3
2.8
1.0

Finally, given the amount of grief Gardner has copped in this thread for constantly spoiling his teammates as they're apparently about to take a clean mark, I couldn't help but note the below play on the weekend... :oops:


Nice one. He would have improved his contested mark average there if it hadn't been for Ed!
 

stefoid

Brownlow Medallist
Mar 8, 2002
16,838
7,924
home
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Ed and Williams at fault there - Ed for the needless spoil, Williams for not having body on his opponent.

Im with Sheeds - talent is more important for attack, experience for defence.

Do we have a good defensive coach though? Smith might be great at conveying some things but we make a lot of mistakes in contested or loose ball situations.
 

Testekill

Don't look at me like that
Dec 3, 2009
18,172
18,054
Brisbane
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Footscray Bulldogs, Williamstown
Feels like a good time to have a look at how everyone's favourite key defender did during the home and away season!

To my eye it seemed like Gardner took a big leap in the second half of the season in particular. I'm sure it's partially about confidence – the more success he has, the more he feels like he belongs at AFL level and the more he's willing to take on the extra responsibilities a good key defender should. The fact he's doubled his career games tally this season and gotten a good, relatively injury-free run would no doubt help as well.

Watching a hard-working player gradually improve and have success with us has always been one of my favourite things about footy (think Boyd, Cross, Moz), so seeing Gardner continue to grow as a player and earn his spot in our best 18 this year has been genuinely enjoyable. His trajectory of improvement suggests we're going to have at least one solid defender to pair with Liam Jones next year, which is more than even I'd hoped for earlier in this season when I thought of him more as cheap depth.

Here's a look at his progression across a number of key stats since 2020. It's worth noting that, if we were to look at just the post-bye figures this year, Gardner would be rated elite among key defenders in spoils, contested defensive loss %, clangers and disposals per clanger. He'd also be rated above average in intercept possessions, intercept marks and contested marks. Pretty mind-blowing given where he was at last year.
Year
Games
Disposals
Kicking Efficiency
Clangers
Disposals per Clanger
Metres Gained
MG per Disposal
Spoils
1v1 Defensive Loss %
Intercept Possessions
Intercept Marks
Contested Marks
2020
10​
7.6​
63.4%​
1.7​
4.5​
70.8​
9.3​
7.2​
28.1%​
2.5​
0.6​
0.1​
2021
9​
6.1​
78.4%​
2.1​
2.9​
86.2​
14.1​
6.0​
17.4%​
3.7​
1.1​
0.4​
2022 (Pre-Bye)
12​
10.2​
79.8%​
3.0​
3.4​
163.4​
16.1​
8.0​
33.3%​
4.2​
1.1​
0.3​
2022 (Post-Bye)
9​
12.0​
74.2%​
1.4
8.3
128.4​
10.7​
8.3
11.8%
6.3
2.8
1.0

Finally, given the amount of grief Gardner has copped in this thread for constantly spoiling his teammates as they're apparently about to take a clean mark, I couldn't help but note the below play on the weekend... :oops:



I bet that Ryan was also the one that copped all the blame for that in the gameday thread.
 

Foxman98

Norm Smith Medallist
May 25, 2018
5,152
7,185
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I don't mind him. Wish he was our 3rd tall though with better players ahead of him.

Also wish we'd have picked Lewis Young ahead of him a lot more
You know Young had a higher percentage of one on on losses then Ryan?
 
May 30, 2016
9,404
13,954
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics
You know Young had a higher percentage of one on on losses then Ryan?
Both aren't adequate key position players and should be backing up better options for their respective teams.

Carlton in a better situation as they burned a #1 selection on weitering.

Sam Darcy could end up like that for us...but hard to know and we can't afford to wait for that development. Sam could also be a Coleman winning forward which is to the detriment of our defense.
 

Foxman98

Norm Smith Medallist
May 25, 2018
5,152
7,185
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
You tell me who you'd prefer.
Statistically this year Ryan is the better option. Again no one is saying he is a star but he is a much improved player and is actually a good defender and has been left out to dry by our players up the ground providing little to no pressure
 
May 30, 2016
9,404
13,954
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Boston Bruins, Boston Celtics
Statistically this year Ryan is the better option. Again no one is saying he is a star but he is a much improved player and is actually a good defender and has been left out to dry by our players up the ground providing little to no pressure
I agree with you on the fact he's much improved and the fact the defensive pressure system leaves him and his other linemates out to dry. A lot of what made the previous bulldogs teams tick is the defensive effort and forward pressure which is non existent this year.

I just don't think he's a good defender. I think he's serviceable and is playing on forwards far above his ability a lot of times. He desperately needs a far stronger defender to reduce his load.

There's zero chance of winning a premiership if he is taking the opposition's best big forward.
 

Golden_6

Brownlow Medallist
Aug 15, 2014
10,163
20,867
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
Other Teams
Chicago Bulls
Feels like a good time to have a look at how everyone's favourite key defender did during the home and away season!

To my eye it seemed like Gardner took a big leap in the second half of the season in particular. I'm sure it's partially about confidence – the more success he has, the more he feels like he belongs at AFL level and the more he's willing to take on the extra responsibilities a good key defender should. The fact he's doubled his career games tally this season and gotten a good, relatively injury-free run would no doubt help as well.

Watching a hard-working player gradually improve and have success with us has always been one of my favourite things about footy (think Boyd, Cross, Moz), so seeing Gardner continue to grow as a player and earn his spot in our best 18 this year has been genuinely enjoyable. His trajectory of improvement suggests we're going to have at least one solid defender to pair with Liam Jones next year, which is more than even I'd hoped for earlier in this season when I thought of him more as cheap depth.

Here's a look at his progression across a number of key stats since 2020. It's worth noting that, if we were to look at just the post-bye figures this year, Gardner would be rated elite among key defenders in spoils, contested defensive loss %, clangers and disposals per clanger. He'd also be rated above average in intercept possessions, intercept marks and contested marks. Pretty mind-blowing given where he was at last year.
Year
Games
Disposals
Kicking Efficiency
Clangers
Disposals per Clanger
Metres Gained
MG per Disposal
Spoils
1v1 Defensive Loss %
Intercept Possessions
Intercept Marks
Contested Marks
2020
10​
7.6​
63.4%​
1.7​
4.5​
70.8​
9.3​
7.2​
28.1%​
2.5​
0.6​
0.1​
2021
9​
6.1​
78.4%​
2.1​
2.9​
86.2​
14.1​
6.0​
17.4%​
3.7​
1.1​
0.4​
2022 (Pre-Bye)
12​
10.2​
79.8%​
3.0​
3.4​
163.4​
16.1​
8.0​
33.3%​
4.2​
1.1​
0.3​
2022 (Post-Bye)
9​
12.0​
74.2%​
1.4
8.3
128.4​
10.7​
8.3
11.8%
6.3
2.8
1.0

Finally, given the amount of grief Gardner has copped in this thread for constantly spoiling his teammates as they're apparently about to take a clean mark, I couldn't help but note the below play on the weekend... :oops:


There's a significant amount to like about those post-bye stats, in particular the 1v1 loss %, intercept possessions and intercept marks. We've had a tough stretch of opponents over that period so moving forward that's now the minimum standards that Ryan should set for himself.
 
50-game rule should apply, but I'm still gearing up for Gard-tember (although I'm not confident that will catch on)
 

Foxman98

Norm Smith Medallist
May 25, 2018
5,152
7,185
AFL Club
Western Bulldogs
I agree with you on the fact he's much improved and the fact the defensive pressure system leaves him and his other linemates out to dry. A lot of what made the previous bulldogs teams tick is the defensive effort and forward pressure which is non existent this year.

I just don't think he's a good defender. I think he's serviceable and is playing on forwards far above his ability a lot of times. He desperately needs a far stronger defender to reduce his load.

There's zero chance of winning a premiership if he is taking the opposition's best big forward.
I don't disagree with you that he isn't a #1 defender because he isn't but he's a very good #2. Look at Harrison Petty when May is out vs when he is in chalk and cheese the issue isn't Gardner the issue is Cordy and a rapidly declining Keath around him
 
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