#24 Jakob Ryan

[qldmagpie67]

[joemamone@gmail.com]

This is great for the kid and I wish him well, but it raises an interesting question regarding Ruscoe's future!

[RudeBoy]

From the little I've seen of the VFL this year, the kid looks a ripper. Junior (JR) will acquit himself well I reckon.

[stui magpie]

Jay Clark on MMM just now said about him, "Think James Sicily"

[Jezza]

Good luck to the kid.

Great opportunity to test himself against the one of the more challenging opponents of the league.

[pietillidie]

Well done, lad. Very exciting given what Nick's trusty VFL watchers have said about him.

[scoobydoo]

[dalyc]

Not the debut he would have wanted but he’s a kid with plenty of time. I’m sure the coaches and players will give him appropriate support.

A cautionary tale (again) about expecting too much from young players in the seniors after tearing it up in the VFL.

[Pies2016]

Disappointing debut. Hard to show much in less than two quarters. He’s got all the tools and that’s a good start. If he is prepared to work his butt off in the off season ( and that’s even before the pre season ) he will get his chance soon enough in 2024.

[RudeBoy]

He'll be fine. Luckily for him, he probably will never remember his first game.

[orie]

[RudeBoy]

[swoop42]

Just a nervous kid making a few mistakes in his FIRST game against the No.2 placed side in the competition.

It was a bloody difficult assignment and in hindsight probably to big an occasion to debut in given how desperate Brisbane were always going to be.

He'll be fine.

[Jezza]

Tough start and to be thrown at the deep end against a premiership fancy was a big ask.

Hope the kid's confidence isn't shaken from the experience.

[LaurieHolden]

THE chasm between VFL and AFL was on show again Friday night. While Ryan's selection was bona fide, it was mistimed. The cold reality of expectation vs reality in bringing in an 18 y/o VFL player for his 1st game was laid bare, in an already shaky defence against a premiership contender.
It was a selection table mistake to expect him to step up to to the pace and discipline required to have impact against a quality Brions forward mix.

While he wasn't a 1st round draft pick, he's a bona fide talent, nothing surer. His VFL games to date have shown he's a cut above that competition. Unfortunately his senior debut was delayed by injury.
On selection, I've no doubt the Club were saying to him he's part of our future, and getting a game or two into him would give him a clear mental springboard to commit to an off-season and be ready to go come Round 1.

The defensive mix we took into Round 19 was Moore, Maynard, Howe, Murphy, Quaynor and Noble. That mix represented 774 games experience. Add in Crisp and Markov that jumped to 1059.
Round 23 went into the game with a defensive mix having played 480 games, and 449 of those with Collingwood.

Only 1 player, Maynard, had played over 100 games. Howe should have started back. There's a +50% jump in experience.
Even Ruscoe should have been ahead of him, but his exit Visa appears stamped.
When you play footy, you rely on your team mates. And when playing in defensive it requires more cohesion in order to back each other up, keep the talk going.
If I had Howe and Maynard within earshot, I reckon I'm walking taller and confident they'll also be marshalling me. Taking this into account, poor young Ryan never stood a chance.

While the goldfish in the match-day thread mocked his input, I view that his impact on debut for the little time he had on the ground was already cast at the selecton table, and not a reflection of his ability.
I'm genuainly appalled by some of the comments regarding his debut. Would you parent the same way? I bloody well hope not.

I hope the Club gets around him this week, I'm sure they will. I hope supporters do too.