Nick's Collingwood Bulletin Board

Needs to get a hell of a lot fitter if he's going to be anything besides a VFL player.

roar wrote:Needs to get a hell of a lot fitter if he's going to be anything besides a VFL player.

Correct .He needs to improve his tank by 10-20%.
If he can get his fittness up he could be an asset in 2008,but the jury is still out at the moment.
But he deserves a spot on the 2008 list.

ad4eva wrote:

TurkishPie wrote:Say what you want about him, but his attack on the ball cannot be questioned. There were moments late in the West Coast game where he threw himself at the contest like his life depended on it.

his physicality in that semi final was almost the difference. He has the ability to become a very damaging back up ruck - if he can apply himself.

his around the park game against the cats was good as well, Ottens has never played a better game in his life though!!! Bryan was doing the tackling and shepherting as one would expect. He was not a go to man but did his job well I thought!

Bryan has always been accused of lack of application. His time at the Blues shows this.
But I believe that after a year that his new club went so close, that he has realized the type of commitment needed to be a full time AFL player.
Hopefully this realization will mean a stellar pre-season that can translate into a stellar season '08.

xtcc wrote:Give the kid some time, he has to get over the effects of Tanking with the Scum.

Born: March 6, 1982

26 at the start of next season, hardly a kid.

merolz wrote:He's not quite a kid at 25, but it's important to be patient with ruckmen, it takes years to learn the craft. Mind you, not having a dominant ruckman for some years now hasn't hurt our clearance rate too much, the on-ballers have learned to get by without getting a tap down their throats.

I like Bryan, I think his physicallity makes him a better option than Richards. A decent enough mark and long boot makes him a optional forward too.

Why do people keep comparing him to Richards.

Richards is gone, finished out the door, the question is, will Bryan be to.

I for one hope so. He's terrible.

Took my time to warm to him but I think the last fortnight showed Bryzer what it means to be Collingwood. Must improve next year but no doubt will with a full pre-season.

Not for me, just seems to lack something

I like him. I like that he gives second and third efforts even when he stuffs up! I think that like many after having ths season with the pies it is only going to help him.
I hope he sticks around, and if he doesnt make any inroads then he should get the chop!

But I think he may prove to be valuable.

fraser25 wrote:

xtcc wrote:Give the kid some time, he has to get over the effects of Tanking with the Scum.

Born: March 6, 1982

26 at the start of next season, hardly a kid.

As i said it takes along time to get over Tanking.

burnsy17 wrote:I like him - hard body, bash & crash style of game suited to him.

Good Ruck option with Wood i recon with Fraser to spend more time in the forward line....

Dude, what does your signature say? Contradictory much?

Bryans interesting.

As an "around the park" ruckman he does well. A good mark, a good kick on goal, has little trouble laying a tackle.

Problem is, as an actual ruckman, Im sorry to say but he provides very little in actual ruck contests - in fact his highest number of hitouts last season was just 12. (and that was his only game in double figures)... and IMO that just isnt acceptable for a guy who's sole position on the team is as a ruckman.

If he can improve his fitness, then maybe he can be used more up forward/down back as well as being another option in the hitouts (in a Jason Laycock type role)... but I just dont think he is good enough to be regularly used as the number 2 ruckman in the 22. If Wood and Fraser are healthy - dont even consider Bryan. If one of those guys has a short term injury, then fair enough use Bryan sparingly... but if one of those players has to miss more than 5 games next year, then the team will not imrpove if it is still relying on Bryan to play as a ruckman.

With the arrival of Wood, Bryan will no doubt simply be a back up ruckman, destined to play most, if not all, of the year for the Collingwood VFL side.

CamGivesMeWood wrote:

burnsy17 wrote:I like him - hard body, bash & crash style of game suited to him.

Good Ruck option with Wood i recon with Fraser to spend more time in the forward line....

Dude, what does your signature say? Contradictory much?

Yeah good point...

i guess i like Bryan more than Richards as a ruck option - but acknowledge the fact that neither Richards or Bryan could ever be our first rucks... just cameo's to a proper ruckman.

I guess i'd like to see Bryan devcelop into a battering ram, not so much a tap ruckman.

I like his hardness at the footy and his angry shark faces. But his fitness and his kicking need improvement. He makes a few hear footsteps, will be handy.