Ryan Harwood 2012 End of Season Review
by Tassie4ever
2011 review
Senior games: 16
Dreamteam: 916
Supercoach: 974
Goals: 0
Club Best and Fairest: 6.5
Image (2012 preseason) courtesy of Mr Ripper
Pick No. 47 in the 2009 ND, having been an AA in the Under 18 Nationals in that year.
Listed at 184cm and 79kg in the Record.
Nickname: Rhino. For once a nickname that says it all.
Played 6 senior games in 2010, 7 in 2011, and 16 in 2012. So the trend is in the right direction.
Season 2012 began where Ryan left off, in the reserves at least, displaying superior form that culminated in his elevation in Round 3, subsequent to which, after a bit of to and froing, he played every senior game from Round 12.
To this observer, Harwood's 2012 season was defined by his remake as a HBF. Indeed, I can clearly recall one game [forget which to be honest, but it may well have been his first in this new role] where I had to refer to my Record to identify who this bloke actually was, so unlike his previous persona was he. Bursting quickly and forcefully out of the backline, running hard, running off his man when necessary, delivering with some precison, confident. not just banging away. This was a side to Harwood that had not been at all evident beforehand, at least not to me, even with my Tassie goggles on. A bit of a revelation really, certainly kicking and pace-wise. On the other hand, let's be realistic, a Daniel Rich he ain't, but even so, a man's gotta know his limitations, and that's fine by me.
Harwood's opportunity to establish himself in a new role as a defender was probably afforded by Mitch Golby's long-term injury, and so therefore he might be seen as only warming Mitch's seat. Even if this is the case, Ryan has opened up new possibilities for himself, a new dimension for which the coaches are to be congratulated as I for one never once considered the backline as even a remote chance. Maybe this is down to Harvey's influence as surely Ryan is a man after Harvey's heart, playing style-wise.
Prior to Harwood's remake, his role had been limited almost solely to bursts of inside grunt, and inside grunt alone. Not much finesse there, and probably none required really, and at least you knew what you were getting. Bore in, head over the pill no matter the consequences, mostly handball out. I must admit to occasional thoughts of "cannon fodder" and even to some feelings that Ryan might be being unfairly shortchanged- know what I mean? Maybe not then, but we've moved on at any rate.
To expand on this "cannon fodder" thought [such as it is], prior to Harwood's relocation, in my mind [even allowing for my ever-Tassie focus] it would probably be fair to say that he had not fully cut the deal as a cemented-in senior player, even though his reserves performances clearly showed that he was a cut above at this level.
If I might be permitted a somewhat oblique comparison, Harwood is a bit like Beams in the sense that it wasn't until well into the season that the penny dropped, ability-wise, but again like Beams, it seems times have changed and both may well be destined for greater things. In my mind, certainly in Beam's case. But I digress.
Harwood's season highlights were a career high 29 disposals v the Demons in Round 14, a performance that placed him as a HBF'er in the AFL Team of the Week. Ryan also tallied 22 disposals in our Round 15 loss to the Swans- seriously impressive stats. A rich vein of form which although not fully maintained thereafter meant that Ryan was there and abouts at senior level for the rest of the season.
It remains to be seen whether Harwood can build on a good year, as he has in previous seasons. He will need to make every 2013 post a winner, as not only will be up against a returning Golby and possibly McGrath [if rumours prove untrue] and he will also have pressure from, inter alia: Clarke, Docherty, Michael [my personal pick], Wrigley, and not forgetting Yeo who will have a full preseason under the belt to develop his slender frame. Still- Ryan is there and they [Yeo excepted] ain't.
My hunch is that a more mature Harwood, displaying a broader and more diverse range of skill-sets, will make himself a solid team member of a slowly maturing team.
by Tassie4ever
2011 review
Senior games: 16
Dreamteam: 916
Supercoach: 974
Goals: 0
Club Best and Fairest: 6.5
Image (2012 preseason) courtesy of Mr Ripper
Pick No. 47 in the 2009 ND, having been an AA in the Under 18 Nationals in that year.
Listed at 184cm and 79kg in the Record.
Nickname: Rhino. For once a nickname that says it all.
Played 6 senior games in 2010, 7 in 2011, and 16 in 2012. So the trend is in the right direction.
Season 2012 began where Ryan left off, in the reserves at least, displaying superior form that culminated in his elevation in Round 3, subsequent to which, after a bit of to and froing, he played every senior game from Round 12.
To this observer, Harwood's 2012 season was defined by his remake as a HBF. Indeed, I can clearly recall one game [forget which to be honest, but it may well have been his first in this new role] where I had to refer to my Record to identify who this bloke actually was, so unlike his previous persona was he. Bursting quickly and forcefully out of the backline, running hard, running off his man when necessary, delivering with some precison, confident. not just banging away. This was a side to Harwood that had not been at all evident beforehand, at least not to me, even with my Tassie goggles on. A bit of a revelation really, certainly kicking and pace-wise. On the other hand, let's be realistic, a Daniel Rich he ain't, but even so, a man's gotta know his limitations, and that's fine by me.
Harwood's opportunity to establish himself in a new role as a defender was probably afforded by Mitch Golby's long-term injury, and so therefore he might be seen as only warming Mitch's seat. Even if this is the case, Ryan has opened up new possibilities for himself, a new dimension for which the coaches are to be congratulated as I for one never once considered the backline as even a remote chance. Maybe this is down to Harvey's influence as surely Ryan is a man after Harvey's heart, playing style-wise.
Prior to Harwood's remake, his role had been limited almost solely to bursts of inside grunt, and inside grunt alone. Not much finesse there, and probably none required really, and at least you knew what you were getting. Bore in, head over the pill no matter the consequences, mostly handball out. I must admit to occasional thoughts of "cannon fodder" and even to some feelings that Ryan might be being unfairly shortchanged- know what I mean? Maybe not then, but we've moved on at any rate.
To expand on this "cannon fodder" thought [such as it is], prior to Harwood's relocation, in my mind [even allowing for my ever-Tassie focus] it would probably be fair to say that he had not fully cut the deal as a cemented-in senior player, even though his reserves performances clearly showed that he was a cut above at this level.
If I might be permitted a somewhat oblique comparison, Harwood is a bit like Beams in the sense that it wasn't until well into the season that the penny dropped, ability-wise, but again like Beams, it seems times have changed and both may well be destined for greater things. In my mind, certainly in Beam's case. But I digress.
Harwood's season highlights were a career high 29 disposals v the Demons in Round 14, a performance that placed him as a HBF'er in the AFL Team of the Week. Ryan also tallied 22 disposals in our Round 15 loss to the Swans- seriously impressive stats. A rich vein of form which although not fully maintained thereafter meant that Ryan was there and abouts at senior level for the rest of the season.
It remains to be seen whether Harwood can build on a good year, as he has in previous seasons. He will need to make every 2013 post a winner, as not only will be up against a returning Golby and possibly McGrath [if rumours prove untrue] and he will also have pressure from, inter alia: Clarke, Docherty, Michael [my personal pick], Wrigley, and not forgetting Yeo who will have a full preseason under the belt to develop his slender frame. Still- Ryan is there and they [Yeo excepted] ain't.
My hunch is that a more mature Harwood, displaying a broader and more diverse range of skill-sets, will make himself a solid team member of a slowly maturing team.
