Bombertalk

Just had a look through the stats and noticed that Paddy took only one mark today (not that I thought he had a bad game by any stretch).

So I went to have a look at the season so far and he averages (only?) 3.2 marks per game. Given this kids leap, hands, speed, and general footy smarts I found this to be extraordinary! He certainly doesn't drop them when it comes to him - so it must be we just aren't finding him enough.

I would think the best thing we could do when we attack the corridor is to target him somewhere in the centre square and let the runners feed off him. This way we might avoid the high-risk hand-ball strategy out of the back half - and instead develop a kick-mark-HB-kick-mark-HB route to the forward line.

Most of you may remember the way we used John Barnes in 2000 - he always was the marking target out of the back half (admittedly he tended to drift to the wings) - but perhaps we could use Paddy is a similar manner (or just more in general!)

Thoughts?

tonysoprano wrote:
Most of you may remember the way we used John Barnes in 2000 - he always was the marking target out of the back half (admittedly he tended to drift to the wings) - but perhaps we could use Paddy is a similar manner (or just more in general!)

Thoughts?

As soon as I started reading your post, the role Barnesy used to play jumped into my mind... then you went on to say the same thing. I like having a target to hit in the middle of the ground, with some overlap to run and carry then hit the forward target. That's what we should be aiming for.

Paddy has to get himself into positions where he can be used more often and present more and even demand more of the ball.

The quick ball movement that we try and use doesn't really cater to a ruckman taking many marks and so maybe that's why he isn't taking many.

It's very difficult to be credited a mark from a handball. That's what we seem to do from our backline..... run with a series of handballs like a wave into the F50. Only today, we were pressured off it a fair bit.

When he's not in the ruck contest he almost plays like a running on-baller. Couple that with the fact that we predominantly handball between the arcs and he rarely goes deep and you see why he doesn't take many marks. It's all about balancing his role and strengths with the game plan.

Then again, maybe I'm making excuses for him!

Knights made an interesting comment about him recently. Says that Paddy ffrustrates him as he often doesn't even bother calling for the ball during a game.

He (Ryder) seems to have great stamina, judging by the way he's rucking almost the whole game so it's obviously not a fitness issue...just a bit laconic me thinks.

pevfan wrote:Knights made an interesting comment about him recently. Says that Paddy ffrustrates him as he often doesn't even bother calling for the ball during a game.

He (Ryder) seems to have great stamina, judging by the way he's rucking almost the whole game so it's obviously not a fitness issue...just a bit laconic me thinks.

Was going to say the same thing. "He's a bit laconic" I think was the phrase he used following that. He's certainly a laid back character. Hopefully the rucking duties will help him impose himself on the game a little more in the future. If he can get hands on ball a little more in the middle of the ground and float forward, he's going to have a huge impact on our game.

I'd like to see him make his opponent work a little more and push forward to create an option like Hille does. Makes his opponent more accountable, and if he's got a big engine then it makes his opponent hurt as well. Double bonus for us.