Player Watch #32 Samson Ryan

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Michaels said:
It's funny I was making this video below while this thread started kicking off on exactly the same topic.

I reckon Samson can make it as our number 1 ruck.

Come at me.

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It might not be this years but by the time Nank goes in say two years time, he might be ready.

Ryan got folded up and pushed around by some VFL rucks last season. Each year he will get stronger so that will become less of an issue, but will he ever be strong enough, let's hope so, he has 3 years so the club is backing that he will.

He looks like a natural footballer, moves well, has good marking technique (but his lack of strength means he drops what he should take), has good ruck craft and has good natural aggression in the ruck contest, or tries to. By the sounds of it he has improved he strength over summer.

Baby giraffes eventually grow into their bodies, if they survive that long.
 
Grrr said:
It might not be this years but by the time Nank goes in say two years time, he might be ready.

Ryan got folded up and pushed around by some VFL rucks last season. Each year he will get stronger so that will become less of an issue, but will he ever be strong enough, let's hope so, he has 3 years so the club is backing that he will.

He looks like a natural footballer, moves well, has good marking technique (but his lack of strength means he drops what he should take), has good ruck craft and has good natural aggression in the ruck contest, or tries to. By the sounds of it he has improved he strength over summer.

Baby giraffes eventually grow into their bodies, if they survive that long.
Click to expand...
The majority of baby giraffes end up as cat or dog food
 

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Grrr said:
It might not be this years but by the time Nank goes in say two years time, he might be ready.

Ryan got folded up and pushed around by some VFL rucks last season. Each year he will get stronger so that will become less of an issue, but will he ever be strong enough, let's hope so, he has 3 years so the club is backing that he will.

He looks like a natural footballer, moves well, has good marking technique (but his lack of strength means he drops what he should take), has good ruck craft and has good natural aggression in the ruck contest, or tries to. By the sounds of it he has improved he strength over summer.

Baby giraffes eventually grow into their bodies, if they survive that long.
Click to expand...
He looked light years away last season, honestly can’t see him making it

BUT there’s always someone that jumps up and surprises you every year. From a list balance perspective a 206cm ruckman, that can pinch hit forward would be very handy.

Really keen to see how Sims looks first year. He’ll be raw , but athletically has big Samson covered. Hopefully he grows another couple of cms.
 
Charlie Pannam said:
He looked light years away last season, honestly can’t see him making it

BUT there’s always someone that jumps up and surprises you every year. From a list balance perspective a 206cm ruckman, that can pinch hit forward would be very handy.

Really keen to see how Sims looks first year. He’ll be raw , but athletically has big Samson covered. Hopefully he grows another couple of cms.
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As I said, maybe not this year no hurry. He has some tools but seems to me no strength. Will know more soon.

Sims is the one to get excited about because if he comes on he could really work well in tandem with another ruck. If it is with Sampson good because Sampson can go deep and cause some trouble, something that Nank can't do. But again it is still a year or so away plus with both players you'd think. Would love to see Sims at some stage this season get a taste.
 
Grrr said:
It might not be this years but by the time Nank goes in say two years time, he might be ready.

Ryan got folded up and pushed around by some VFL rucks last season. Each year he will get stronger so that will become less of an issue, but will he ever be strong enough, let's hope so, he has 3 years so the club is backing that he will.

He looks like a natural footballer, moves well, has good marking technique (but his lack of strength means he drops what he should take), has good ruck craft and has good natural aggression in the ruck contest, or tries to. By the sounds of it he has improved he strength over summer.

Baby giraffes eventually grow into their bodies, if they survive that long.
Click to expand...

I disagree that anything to do with marking is good when it comes to Samson. I wonder if growing up in Queensland meant he barely did any kick to kick. Growing up we'd get to school and have 1/2 hour kick to kick before school, recess and majority of lunch. My parents always took me to Vic kick, footy training 1/2 hour early for it and growing up in a court with brothers and a handful of kids we were in teams with there'd always be a dozen kids and dads taking Capper's and Yablett's on each other out on the bitumen, gravel, mud you name it. He apparently weighs >100 kg's yet its comical seeing him get outbodied by Caleb Daniel types and outright monstered by the big boys.

He was so lucky to get 3 years extension, mainly due to Naismith bust and Chol and CCJ bailing unexpectedly. He's 24 and shown nothing other than being tall. It would be great if something drastically switches and he becomes kinda, sorta AFL standard but I doubt it. He's timid with zero mongrel, can't mark and useless when the ball hits the deck.

Even plenty of VFL games I saw part timers and teams 3rd and 4th in line ruck show him up. I just don't see it. Samson and Colina will most likely amount to nothing but by the only virtue of being tall should walk away in their mid - late 20's with healthy bank balances and plenty of contacts to branch out in whatever field they desire. In Australia being 7ft is the male equivalent of being blonde, blue eyed with a great rack and smile. Hopefully in the midseason draft we can land a journeyman stop gap upgrade. Who know's North's 1st rounder could be used on a long overdue, home grown ruck superstar who plays 200+ games and by time of retirement sits comfortably in the conversation with names Wright, Green, Lee, Crowe, Morris instead of always trying to poach them.
 
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richoplzbreed said:
I disagree that anything to do with marking is good when it comes to Samson. I wonder if growing up in Queensland meant he barely did any kick to kick. Growing up we'd get to school and have 1/2 hour kick to kick before school, recess and majority of lunch. My parents always took me to Vic kick, footy training 1/2 hour early for it and growing up in a court with brothers and a handful of kids we were in teams with there'd always be a dozen kids and dads taking Capper's and Yablett's on each other out on the bitumen, gravel, mud you name it. He apparently weighs >100 kg's yet its comical seeing him get outbodied by Caleb Daniel types and outright monstered by the big boys.

He was so lucky to get 3 years extension, mainly due to Naismith bust and Chol and CCJ bailing unexpectedly. He's 24 and shown nothing other than being tall. It would be great if something drastically switches and he becomes kinda, sorta AFL standard but I doubt it. He's timid with zero mongrel, can't mark and useless when the ball hits the deck.

Even plenty of VFL games I saw part timers and teams 3rd and 4th in line ruck show him up. I just don't see it. Samson and Colina will most likely amount to nothing but by the only virtue of being tall should walk away in their mid - late 20's with healthy bank balances and plenty of contacts to branch out in whatever field they desire. In Australia being 7ft is the male equivalent of being blonde, blue eyed with a great rack and smile. Hopefully in the midseason draft we can land a journeyman stop gap upgrade. Who know's North's 1st rounder could be used on a long overdue, home grown ruck superstar who plays 200+ games and by time of retirement sits comfortably in the conversation with names Wright, Green, Lee, Crowe, Morris instead of always trying to poach them.
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I agree with much of that, well sort of. He has decent ruck craft and fights for position but is moved aside by as you say, pretty average ruckman. I don't think he has zero aggression, but just not strong enough to do anything with it. He seems to start the season off well and then fades, is that confidence or lack of condition.

He was probably as surprised as we were with the 3 yr extension, but he is there so he can only improve. They say he has added a fair bit of strength this year and was going evens with Nank in the match sim in the ruck work according to some, so we will see.

As far as marking goes, kick to kick is not really a part of the playground much these days so marking has dropped off. But I think Ryan has a good natural marking style. He times his leap and hits the ball at its highest points with generally cocked arms like the good marking players do. Remember how Rogers used to mark with straight arms, Mark Lee sometimes. Ryan looks pretty good until there is a contest and then he gets knocked off his line or is not strong enough to hold his form/arms, so he drops them. He has taken some very good marks when he gets a run at it and is not impeded.

From training reports and some videos he seems to be moving well. Maybe he is finally growing into his body. Will know more shortly, but he is still long odds I agree.
 
Its one thing to back him in, already in year 5. but if he does not improve will they have the balls to say no we made a mistake.

Should we have all of our future eggs in the Ryan and Basketballer baskets? or should we have another likely prospect just in case, given Nankervis is already 30 and the likes of Ryan and Colina have shown so little to date?

Prudent list management suggests we need to cover our bases.
 
Grrr said:
As I said, maybe not this year no hurry. He has some tools but seems to me no strength. Will know more soon.

Sims is the one to get excited about because if he comes on he could really work well in tandem with another ruck. If it is with Sampson good because Sampson can go deep and cause some trouble, something that Nank can't do. But again it is still a year or so away plus with both players you'd think. Would love to see Sims at some stage this season get a taste.
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As well as needing to add strength, he needs a tank . He really struggles in the second half of games. Sometimes hes that exhausted getting to a ruck contest, he can barely lift his arms.
To build strength and endurance, Serpell is going have to pull something pretty special out of his arse. But he does have 3 more years to work on it.
 
Moppey said:
Its one thing to back him in, already in year 5. but if he does not improve will they have the balls to say no we made a mistake.

Should we have all of our future eggs in the Ryan and Basketballer baskets? or should we have another likely prospect just in case, given Nankervis is already 30 and the likes of Ryan and Colina have shown so little to date?

Prudent list management suggests we need to cover our bases.
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They would do well to add a ruck to our VFL list, there must be one or two in the country.
 

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Grrr said:
They would do well to add a ruck to our VFL list, there must be one or two in the country.
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Pointless adding a VFL ruck. We get no priority to them if they are any good. Better of getting time and development into what we already have. We are miles off being competitive so it's not necessary.
 
Nank never plays out a full season.
Either injuries or suspension usually disrupts his year so there’s a strong chance Ryan will get a decent block of #1 ruck time in 25.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

I recall him going toe to toe with Gawn in 23 when Nank was missing and did an admirable job for 3 quarters before Gawn overwhelmed him and took the game by the scruff of the neck. His first in that game gave me some promise that he can be serviceable as a ruckman if he can build a tank to match the gorillas for a whole game.
 
Grrr said:
They would do well to add a ruck to our VFL list, there must be one or two in the country.
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Totally disagree they would do well to add a ruck to our afl list who at the very least has some runs on the board as a ruckman rather Ryan who has not shown a thing at afl level or a few basketballers who are nothing but extreme reaches based on nothing but height.
 
sregit said:
Pointless adding a VFL ruck. We get no priority to them if they are any good. Better of getting time and development into what we already have. We are miles off being competitive so it's not necessary.
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Short term, can always add mid year if necessary injury wise. Of course develop our own, that is what Sims is for and why they have given Ryan 3 years.
 
Moppey said:
Totally disagree they would do well to add a ruck to our afl list who at the very least has some runs on the board as a ruckman rather Ryan who has not shown a thing at afl level or a few basketballers who are nothing but extreme reaches based on nothing but height.
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Well yes, but can't do that now. Mid season yes if necessary, but if they are already playing in the VFL you get a good look at them at least.
 
Grrr said:
Well yes, but can't do that now. Mid season yes if necessary, but if they are already playing in the VFL you get a good look at them at least.
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Moppey said:
Totally disagree they would do well to add a ruck to our afl list who at the very least has some runs on the board as a ruckman rather Ryan who has not shown a thing at afl level or a few basketballers who are nothing but extreme reaches based on nothing but height.
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Naismith was one end of the age spectrum. Not much game experience. Max knobel was delisted and picked up by the suns. He never played a game at Freo. He's too close to Ryan on the development curve. So we drafted Sims. Rookie players like
OHb will never play a game.
The ruck market tightened up. TBH, ya barely need one. I remember Port had Finlayson rucking a huge chunk of one season.
 
tora tora tora said:
Naismith was one end of the age spectrum. Not much game experience. Max knobel was delisted and picked up by the suns. He never played a game at Freo. He's too close to Ryan on the development curve. So we drafted Sims. Rookie players like
OHb will never play a game.
The ruck market tightened up. TBH, ya barely need one. I remember Port had Finlayson rucking a huge chunk of one season.
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Hayes Brown showed a bit as well so you would think would improve.

Could always throw in Colina, 3 years in and they still can't get a picture of the Richmond website. 19ft tall and nobody has ever met him, might unsettle Gawn for a couple of ball ups.
 
Punt Road Feral said:
Nank never plays out a full season.
Either injuries or suspension usually disrupts his year so there’s a strong chance Ryan will get a decent block of #1 ruck time in 25.

Will be interesting to see how it plays out.

I recall him going toe to toe with Gawn in 23 when Nank was missing and did an admirable job for 3 quarters before Gawn overwhelmed him and took the game by the scruff of the neck. His first in that game gave me some promise that he can be serviceable as a ruckman if he can build a tank to match the gorillas for a whole game.
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IMG_1343.jpeg
 

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Player Watch #32 Samson Ryan

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