Pick 72: Ryan Garthwaite | PUNT ROAD END | Richmond Tigers Forum
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Pick 72: Ryan Garthwaite

tigerman

It's Tiger Time
Mar 17, 2003
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He’s exceptionally good in the air though. In current form he won’t get outmarked too often I can tell you that in spite of being a bit shorter.
Have you seen him live this year ToO? Don't know whether it's my imagination, but from what I've seen his kicking doesn't look quite as mechanical.
 
Jul 26, 2004
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Have you seen him live this year ToO? Don't know whether it's my imagination, but from what I've seen his kicking doesn't look quite as mechanical.


Yes I have. Along with a couple of other PREnders I watched him in the intraclub scratch match. His overhead marking was a standout feature. Taking several in a row. Very strong in the air & reads the ball in flight exceptionally.
He outmarked Tom Lynch 1 v 1 in a contested marking situation & that cemented my thoughts on whether he was tall enough or not.:D

Still a little mechanical in terms of kicking technique but didn't miss any many targets. Around the ground though possibly less so mechanical in movement.
Been with us a few years now, I just think he's done enough to warrant another opportunity at the top level & see what he's got before hard list decisions are made.
 
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Smoking Aces

Batten Down The Hatches
Sep 21, 2007
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Yes I have. Along with a couple of other PREnders I watched him in the intraclub scratch match. His overhead marking was a standout feature. Taking several in a row. Very strong in the air & reads the ball in flight exceptionally.
He outmarked Tom Lynch 1 v 1 in a contested marking situation & that cemented my thoughts on whether he was tall enough or not.:D

Still a little mechanical in terms of kicking technique but didn't miss any many targets. Around the ground though possibly less so mechanical in movement.
Been with us a few years now, I just think he's done enough to warrant another opportunity at the top level & see what he's got before hard list decisions are made.
Good replacement for Borad who I think needs to play on a wing.
 
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zippadeee

Tiger Legend
Oct 8, 2004
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We need a tall key defender not another 192 size.

We've got Grimes and Broad for that we need a key defender a big bastard, actually we need someone near the 2 m mark as these are the Key Forwards that hurt us even if they arent that much chop, (Cox, Brown, Dixon) they all get a ton of goals from frees against our blokes who are always infringing to try and stop them because they are undersized.

I'm almost tempted to just throw Noah in now during this *smile* season and get him learning for the rest of the year he aint gonna learn much playing scratch matches, and Garth is near sitting in the departure lounge.

I have said that same thing for over 5 year's.
How can sydney turn alia alia into a star defender and we can't get Chol doing the same?
Gaithwaite reminds me of johnnny Manton.
Next.
 

caesar

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Feb 9, 2015
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Astbury is out for 5 weeks..:confused:

Let's see what you've got young man.

True Garth has been doing well in scratch matches but Balta was first emergency for Saints game so who do we play?

I'll go Balta just for the greater potential upside even though Garth might be the most ready for the task.
 
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DavidSSS

Tiger Legend
Dec 11, 2017
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Height is clearly an issue.

So, Astbury out: 195cm, 6'5"

Grimes: 193cm, 6'4"
Vlastuin: 187cm, 6'2"
Broad: 192cm, 6'3.5"

Do we bring in:
Garthwaite: 192cm, 6'3.5"
Balta: 194cm, 6'4.5"

Looking at the height, there really is not much between them, under an inch. Also looking at the height, I don't think Balta is tall enough to ruck, Nank is 199cm, Soldo 204cm and Coleman Jones 200cm - rucks are plenty tall these days.

If Garthwaite's form is good then why not. Forwards are plenty tall these days too though, Lynch is 199cm and Reiwoldt 193cm.

Of course Cox is about 3m so you just have to control the delivery into the opposition's forward line with some forwards.

DS
 

zippadeee

Tiger Legend
Oct 8, 2004
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If Cathwaite can keep Boozo the clown goalless or at best at 1 or 2 goals, then we know he has improved.
But we can't see another GWS episode when he was chasing ass all day.
 
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Dyer'ere

Licensed to kazoo
Sep 21, 2004
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IMO Dave is close to career-best form this year. I've got him near the best every week. He's averaging under four spoils a game and most years is not much above that. (Cf somebody like Harris Andrews who averages close to ten.) But he's doing very well under the pump.

DTL protects space, rarely committing for a big spoil. He blocks, bullocks and only in extreme emergencies throws himself at a spoil. (More often than usual in 2020.) A kind of sweeper in the formation.

This sweeper role is very much the role that Chaplin played. Space protection and covering the out the back ball if it carries. This is a very heavily regulated team role. Get to sweeping position, hold position, block for other zoners, protect the back of the pack.

It won't be easy for Garthwaite to step into the role as he is undersized and nothing special as an athlete. Not tall and not especially heavy, fast or statically strong. Dave is reasonably quick and not bad on the quick turn around. A bigger and better athlete.

Garth is going to be giving away pace, size and mass. But he is smart, aggressive and indomitable. The bloke is in it to win and will not lie down. He will face greater challenges than the ones he deals with at VFL level but as Oldster has informed us above he is in good form there.

The question whether he is big/athletic enough to survive at AFL level is dependent on the next one - whether Garth (a ball attacker) is suited to the Richmond zoning role. That worries me at least as much.

Further to all of this I think we have to replace DTL and soon. (29yo.) I don't think that should be impossible but I don't know if we can do it this year. We have to try Garth but can't with a fit Dave. Our backline is already under pressure structurally.

The injury to Dave has forced us to try somebody else. I've written often in the past about crisis. The truth is outed in times of crisis. We haven't got time for *smile* or even fear. We have to face facts and take risks. (2016 anybody?)

Garthwaite is a risk. He'll take time. And may not even come up. But we have to face facts about injured 29yo zone backs.
 
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UKTiger

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Jul 11, 2010
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Garth has been getting good right up s from the club in these scratch matches and more importantly from our number one scribe / watcher Caesar so he must be the one knocking on the door to stand in for Dave
 
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tigerman

It's Tiger Time
Mar 17, 2003
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Got to feel for Garth, out injured, and as an intercept marker he was probably the best replacement for Vlastuin.
In years gone by when our defence wasn't so good, he would've been a 50 gamer by now.