Ryan Hargrave – Not enough recognition?

[BulldogBelle]

Ryan Hargrave -

He is one of those reliable type players that goes about his business and gets the job done week in and week out - as Bulldog supporters we know what he is worth to the team and what he does. He doesn’t get much media exposure apart from that right hand punch he inflicted on Heath Black from St Kilda a few years back. (2003).

Although, nowadays when I discuss him with opposition supporter friends about him they say Ryan who?

Do you guys think that Ryan Hargrave deserves more recognition from the 'outside the Kennel' football world?

[Mantis]

Very solid player.

With the introduction of a couple of taller players into our back 6 over the past 2 seasons Shaggy has been able to play against more even matched opponents in terms of height & weight. In this role he has been a much improved performer.

Lesson learnt is that we don't play him on big guys and then he will beat his man and give us some run and carry going our way. His use of the ball is very good and along with Gilbs he is one player who I like to see streaming out of defence with ball in hand.

And who cares what others think of him... We know that he does his job on a weekly basis, as do the the coaching staff.

[GVGjr]

3 years ago the main criticism of him was that he gave away too many free kicks and whilst there was some merit to that argument, the fact was that he was often fighting against vastly bigger players.
In the last 2 seasons he has more often been matched against smaller or similar sized opponents and his form and effectiveness improved.
He has terrific speed and is a long kick who occasionally sneaks up forward and creates a goal. He is also a very tough player.
His 2008 season was very good and I hope he backs it up with another this year.

Definitely a player I enjoy watching.

[dog town]

Not even close to having enough recognition. IMO for the last 3 quarters of our season he was our most reliable stopping player and that includes Dale Morris. Couple that with the fact that he is extremely damaging with the ball in his hand and it makes him a valuable player. If he has another year along the lines of last year then he will be pushing AA selection. Hopefully he can keep those types of performances up.

[LostDoggy]

I think he gets a lot from Bulldog supporters, but not a lot from other people.

I love our back line, and i think it's the one area where we are solid.

[alwaysadog]

Terrific clubman and very courageous, forced to punch above his weight for far too long.

Under appreciated in that role but getting more credit now he is facing more evenly matched opponents.

Doesn't complain either way just goes about his business.

If he had a PR machine as some players do we'd read a lot more about him, but it wouldn't make him a worse or a better player.

A couple of years ago the coaching staff made special mention of the fact that he had played the whole season with an injury that would have finished most others. That said enough about him for mine.

Should he get more wraps? I don't know, it depends on the reason. Does he deserve them then a strong yes, does he need them, probably not. He has his coaches confidence and respect and that probably is all he wants.

[bold-dogg]

I'm an admirer of Hargrave.
With Lake, Williams, Morris, Callan, Addison, Tiller, now Everitt working his way in, as well as Gilbee and Hargrave in the backline, how does that work? Tactically, I mean.
Does someone push up to the wing? A poster said Hargrave's got the speed.

[LostDoggy]

Addison is ear-marked to play in the centres as a hard nut in-and-under type.

Lake, Hargrave, Morris, Gilbee and a fit Williams are walk-up starts in the back 6. Callan takes the small forward, Everitt rotates off the bench.

Tiller is a utility that can come in to play either side of the ground (forward or back) in case of injury. At this point he's there for depth and will get his chance over the course of the year with fatigued and hurt players. At this point he and Everitt serve as covers-of-sorts for Williams.

[bold-dogg]

Thanks. Good to hear about Addison. I've heard he's a scary guy when he's on the field.

[1eyedog]

Solid contributor, makes some silly mistakes but is just so versatile. Every team needs a Ryan Hargrave, a taller mid-sized backman in the mould of Darren Milburn and Brett Thornton etc....

[1eyedog]

Terrific clubman and very courageous, forced to punch above his weight for far too long.

Under appreciated in that role but getting more credit now he is facing more evenly matched opponents.

Doesn't complain either way just goes about his business.

If he had a PR machine as some players do we'd read a lot more about him, but it wouldn't make him a worse or a better player.

A couple of years ago the coaching staff made special mention of the fact that he had played the whole season with an injury that would have finished most others. That said enough about him for mine.

Should he get more wraps? I don't know, it depends on the reason. Does he deserve them then a strong yes, does he need them, probably not. He has his coaches confidence and respect and that probably is all he wants.

I wouldn't be complaining at 300,000+K either:D

[Dazza]

Must admit I questioned his talent in his first couple of seasons. Is a solid performer now though.

[craigsahibee]

I wouldn't be complaining at 300,000+K either:D

If that's what he is getting he has earned it. This comment from alwaysadog is spot on "forced to punch above his weight for far too long."

Great attitude and has an ability to kick goals when he pushes forward.

[Higgo2Coon2Grif]

I liked him from day one. I admired his tenacity and determination. It got frustrating for a few years when he was matched up against power forward like Lloyd kicking eleven on him in 2003.

When you look at a premiership team on paper, you're not going to blink when you read Hargrave's name. Three years ago you might have thought so, but that's only because he was being played out of position.

The inclusion of Williams makes Hargrave a more attacking player, which is terrific.

[LostDoggy]

Unfortunately not his biggest fan and believe his level of recognition is about right. There are other 140 gamers around who no one knows either. If we are looking for unsung heroes then Morris fits the bill better.

Shaggy makes a lot of errors and gives away free kicks. Not great qualities in a defender. When I do like him is when he goes forward -- would like to see him on a wing or half-forward at some point in his career.

[dog town]

He was almost unbeaten on small forwards last season. Cant ask for much more than that from a defender.

[The Coon Dog]

If we are looking for unsung heroes then Morris fits the bill better.


Given his All Australian selection last season, I don't know how you could say he's unsung.

[Drunken Bum]

Given his All Australian selection last season, I don't know how you could say he's unsung.


Not just that either, i think he is universally accepted as one of the best defenders in the comp by opposition supporters as well, it always surprises me when i hear people say he is underrated, maybe 2 years ago i can understand but now i believe it is only because of the style he plays and the fact he came from the rookie list that people continue to say he is underrated.

[LostDoggy]

Not just that either, i think he is universally accepted as one of the best defenders in the comp by opposition supporters as well, it always surprises me when i hear people say he is underrated, maybe 2 years ago i can understand but now i believe it is only because of the style he plays and the fact he came from the rookie list that people continue to say he is underrated.

Yeah true Morris is highly rated as under rated, making him rated;) Hargrave is the barometer of our team. If he's getting a lot of the ball it means that our backline is functioning well which means we're winning. Between round 10-15 last year he hit a purple patch and we won all 6 games.

[LostDoggy]

Not just that either, i think he is universally accepted as one of the best defenders in the comp by opposition supporters as well, it always surprises me when i hear people say he is underrated, maybe 2 years ago i can understand but now i believe it is only because of the style he plays and the fact he came from the rookie list that people continue to say he is underrated.

I'm a bit lost with this. But might agree if you are saying all defenders are unsung because of where they play. That I could maybe come at.

TCD - we will have to disagree on the level of sungness. Did the oracle Mike Sheahan have him in his top 50 players? No. And yes, I don't think much of MS either, but to be sung you have to make the top 50.

[always right]

I'm a bit lost with this. But might agree if you are saying all defenders are unsung because of where they play. That I could maybe come at.

TCD - we will have to disagree on the level of sungness. Did the oracle Mike Sheahan have him in his top 50 players? No. And yes, I don't think much of MS either, but to be sung you have to make the top 50.

Errr.....yes he did have Morris in his top 50..in the top 35 I think.

As for Shaggy, your mild criticism of him seems to be based on the part of his career when he was playing out of his weight division. His season last year was outstanding. Barely recall him being beaten and he became another attacking option with good footskills...a poor man's Gilbee if you will.

[Drunken Bum]

I'm a bit lost with this. But might agree if you are saying all defenders are unsung because of where they play. That I could maybe come at.

That's not the case at all, there are plenty of defenders who get raved about, but they play a different style of football to what Morris does. Morris is purely a lock down defender and as such doesn't get talked up as much as the more attacking defenders who set up play, that doesn't mean he isn't recognised by most as one of the better defenders in the game. I don't feel he is underrated at all just that he isn't spoken about a lot because he is an old fashioned defender who goes out and does his job each week and stops his man with nothing real fancy to talk about.

[LostDoggy]

Morris is the kind of player that doesn't get score a lot of Supercoach or DT points, so rarely gets picked in dream teams etc. and so is less recognised by your average punter.

However, coaches know their worth. All-Australian etc etc. Invaluable.

Supercoach and DT should have points for spoils and shepherding so that defensive skills come into the equation.

[Go_Dogs]

Morris is the kind of player that doesn't get score a lot of Supercoach or DT points, so rarely gets picked in dream teams etc. and so is less recognised by your average punter.

However, coaches know their worth. All-Australian etc etc. Invaluable.

Supercoach and DT should have points for spoils and shepherding so that defensive skills come into the equation.

That would be a good idea. You'd want to receive about 20 points for an effective spoil too, given the new rules, and stricter interpretations this year.

[wimberga]

Yeah true Morris is highly rated as under rated, making him rated;) Hargrave is the barometer of our team. If he's getting a lot of the ball it means that our backline is functioning well which means we're winning. Between round 10-15 last year he hit a purple patch and we won all 6 games.

I actually think Gia is our Barometer. When he is getting alot of the ball and creating the play, we are normally getting beaten within the game. When you can barely see him with a posession, we are normally dominating