AFL Player #24: Nick Bryan

[Lore]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2025
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 16, ant555

 

[Foxx]

Not crying about it just stating Goldy would’ve been the difference if he played (Witts also in obviously would’ve neutralised that advantage).

If Witt’s played we would’ve jabbed up Goldy and played him. Witts out allowed him to have a week off that he no doubt needed (and deserved) so I’m not against the call.

Correct. If Goldstein played, we win. We knew Witts was out, so shouldn't have let them off the hook.

Unless Bryan finds his one wood, he won't make it.
He's neither big enough nor skilled/composed enough. His footy IQ is very low too.

 

[ant555]

Think Bruno summed it up . He doesn’t have a big man’s game. I was not expecting him to start taking contested marks. It is not his thing.
What I did expect was something similar to his VFL form and be more in space to take a few marks around the ground and to finish the game off against an opponent he has had even battles with in the VFL.
His shortcomings are what they are but I thought he did not play up to his own level in the second half against a bloke he should have matched up on okay.
I have been saying he is not physically ready . Nothing yesterday proved that wrong.

 

[Pweter]

It was far from a diabolical game but everything the VFL watchers have been saying for a long time was on display yesterday.

I don't think we need to worry about losing him to another club where he'll suddenly become Polly Farmer, he obviously has a lot to work on but the questions are whether he can overcome the deficiencies to become a consistently serviceable ruckman (I can't see him ever being a star). He has the 15-16 months to show this otherwise I doubt he'll get another contract.

 

[Ambrosia]

Was a bit disappointing that Moyle seemed to figure him out after Bryan had a good start

 

[Milanista28]

I'd just keep playing him, he's going to learn a lot more in 10 AFL games than his next 50 in the VFL.

And I don't care about playing and winning a final in 2024, if Bryan plays another 10 senior games this season he's going to be so much further advanced round 1 2025.

It's also why I didn't mind giving Davey as many games as we did

 

[sup3rfish]

I rated his game yesterday. Competed well. Gets another crack next week for me.

 

[Nifft]

I don't care about playing and winning a final in 2024

 

[ant555]

After watching again. First quarter good. Second quarter okay. Second half disappointing.

 

[Foxx]

Elite ruckman have 3 things going for them:

They are almost always big solid physical units that don't get ragdolled.
They take marks around the ground including defence and attack.
They have a high footy IQ, and use the ball efficiently.

Solid ruckman at least have two of those they do well.

Bryans footy IQ is not there for mine. He's like a deer in headlights with the ball. He not taking marks around the ground either. And at his size, he needs to do those last two things well.

 

[maskmcgee]

Butterfingers Bryan

 

[ghostdog]

We went pretty quickly from losing our minds about him not getting a game to losing our minds about him playing a game.

Not me. Forest <> Trees.

 

[carloss]

 

[faible]

Next to Moyle he still looks a few kgs underweight, despite them being the same age.

 

[WABomber]

Changes your perspective seeing those highlights after the game, some good signs. I might have been harsh thinking he didnt lower his eyes, every possession was under a fair bit of pressure. Hope he gets more time as a backup ruckman.

 

[Howard Moon]

Notice when ever he was resting and 2mp was rucking, you'd see 2mp taking big deep defensive marks - does bristle just not have the tank to get back deep like that?

 

[fairbump_playon]

Thought he was pretty good. Very different style to Draper and Goldy. Reminds me of Tim English.

Yes. But without marking the footy

Really needs to add that skill in to make it.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Elite ruckman have 3 things going for them:

They are almost always big solid physical units that don't get ragdolled.
They take marks around the ground including defence and attack.
They have a high footy IQ, and use the ball efficiently.

Solid ruckman at least have two of those they do well.

Bryans footy IQ is not there for mine. He's like a deer in headlights with the ball. He not taking marks around the ground either. And at his size, he needs to do those last two things well.

Out of those 3 I reckon you have picked the wrong one to complain about

Physicality and marking - sure

But he is a natural with the footy

 

[Tazdog]

His game will improve a lot if he takes an extra step or two once he collects the ball. That and physicality

 

[Vindicater]

Reckon long term him and Draper are a great pair as a 70/30 split in the ruck with Draper causing chaos up forward.

 

[faible]

Out of those 3 I reckon you have picked the wrong one to complain about

Physicality and marking - sure

But he is a natural with the footy

Agreed, thought his work when he got the ball was pretty good for a big bloke, especially given he hasn't played a lot of AFL and is still getting used to the different pace and structure compared to VFL.

With more exposure and more strength, he'll be a good user for a ruckman.

 

[boncer34]

Elite ruckman have 3 things going for them:

They are almost always big solid physical units that don't get ragdolled.
They take marks around the ground including defence and attack.
They have a high footy IQ, and use the ball efficiently.

Solid ruckman at least have two of those they do well.

Bryans footy IQ is not there for mine. He's like a deer in headlights with the ball. He not taking marks around the ground either. And at his size, he needs to do those last two things well.

So Draper isn't a solid ruckman

 

[Howard Moon]

Think what draper has is the ability to cause chaos around the ball- sometimes it goes in your favour, sometimes it dosent but it's unpredictable nature in itself creates opportunities. Bryan is very metronomic, don't think it wouldn't take the other ruckman and mids long to read him

 

[faible]

Think what draper has is the ability to cause chaos around the ball- sometimes it goes in your favour, sometimes it dosent but it's unpredictable nature in itself creates opportunities. Bryan is very metronomic, don't think it wouldn't take the other ruckman and mids long to read him

Goldstein has been pretty metronomic, sometimes reliable is good, means predictability for your midfield group.

 

[Howard Moon]

Goldstein has been pretty metronomic, sometimes reliable is good, means predictability for your midfield group.

That's where I think we got screwed on the weekend, stringer runs through stoppage exactly where he knows Goldstein will hit it, problem being Bryan didn't, and Jake left a gaping hole where the gc mids kept running it out

 

[faible]

That's where I think we got screwed on the weekend, stringer runs through stoppage exactly where he knows Goldstein will hit it, problem being Bryan didn't, and Jake left a gaping hole where the gc mids kept running it out

Someone else posted a while back that Goldstein wins or loses in fairly predictable ways, so the mids aren't constantly guessing at where to be or what to do. I think that's something we've underestimated.

Draper adds chaos because he can win things in a totally unpredictable way, but lose them that way too.

My hope for Bryan is that getting to play with / learn from Goldstein helps him become reliable in a similar way, as I think Bryan's actual tap work is quite good and despite not being an imposing physical presence, his involvement in general play is pretty good for a ruckman.