Rate Ryan Byrnes’ game!

[saintsRrising]

The most impressive I have ever seem him play. He also seems to have found some extra pace.

Prior to to tonight he seemed to me to mainly be struggling, and I thought that he would not make it.

If he keeps that up , he may have a long career.

[aussie sainter]

Honestly didn’t know what he brought to the table today until today. Very happy to be proven wrong! Hope it’s not a one off

[aussie sainter]

Honestly didn’t know what he brought to the table today until today. Very happy to be proven wrong! Hope it’s not a one off

[meher baba]

I didn't have him in my five best because there was so much competition. But he played what was easily his best game for us so far. So much drive and energy to get the ball forward: like NWM, quite a few of his kicks went astray, but he didn't let that bother him and just kept going.

He looks like he's worked hard on his fitness over the off-season. He now looks like he's becoming the sort of outside, running midfielder that he was billed as being when drafted.

[silverhalo]

Tries his guts out but his kicking is a real worry, 2023 version of Clint Jones?

Clint Jones is a great comparison!

I was pushing for Byrnes to be delisted at the end of last year but on yesterday's showing I've got that completely wrong, he was enormous and played a big part in our win. Hopefully he can keep that consistency going and get to work with his kicking - big plus for us yesterday and I was very pleasantly surprised

[The Fireman]

A really good step in the right direction, still needs to tidy up his foot skills but he at least executed energy, intensity and attack on the ball to win it and then speed from the contest and drive the ball forward, not sure what his meters gained were but he'd be up there.

Funny, I thought you said he would be delisted come season's end. Must have been mistaken.

dont worry there will be many more garbage predictions to be revealed

[B.M]

Close to BOG

[B.M]

Those surprised

Haven’t watched a lot of VFL

always been able to run hard and find the ball

He and Bytel both dominate and are above VFL standard

But have been behind a few in the AFL team

[Teflon]

Lowered his eyes into 50 which impressed- unlike Gresham
Didn’t hit every target but wasn’t alone
Useful runner with pace
IF he can DMac his disposal he stays
IF he Dunstans it he goes

[Bernard Shakey]

BOG for me and The Age.

[Sanctorum]

The thing that excites me is that if the 2Bs do in fact fire this year this will all of a sudden give St Kilda a much stronger midfield. The best stat out of yesterday's game was that despite Freo winning hit-outs 45-19, Saints onballers won clearances 74-56, and on paper Freo had a much higher rated midfield.

Like many I had Byrnes on my list of doubtfuls, but he was exceptionally good yesterday and his finishing was nowhere near as bad as it has been.

[mad saint guy]

As many others have said it was his best game by far. Great run and endeavour. Some bad clangers but the good outweighed the bad. He's never played with that kind of purpose and drive which seems like a product of Lyon's clear game plan along with his willingness to forgive skill errors as long as the effort is there. Reminded me a bit of Jack Steven - the energiser bunny who was prone to a handful of bad shanks per game.

Needs to back it up and hopefully clean up his skills but very promising signs from Byrnes which I did not expect to see.

[B.M]

When a guy gets 27 possessions

Do we expect them to got at 100% efficiency?

Look at the kicking of all AFL mids and they sometimes turn it over - they are not generally kicking it to an uncontested mark in the back half

Watching Byrnes at training he is a neat kick, no great penetration but is by no means a butcher. He’s not Darren ajar man either - few are… but he’s not bad

Wanganeen Milera’s kicking was far worse yesterday

[evertonfc]

That was a massive game from Byrnes. He was asked to step up; he had to step up. He did step up.

Will he make it? A long way to go yet. But that's easily his best game and he didn't look out of place against a really good midfield.

For better or worse, we need either he or Bytel to make it. They're cheap, they offer great back-up. Geelong couldn't get Sam Menegola into their GF team - that's the depth required to win flags, folks.

[The_Dud]

When a guy gets 27 possessions

Do we expect them to got at 100% efficiency?

Look at the kicking of all AFL mids and they sometimes turn it over - they are not generally kicking it to an uncontested mark in the back half

Watching Byrnes at training he is a neat kick, no great penetration but is by no means a butcher. He’s not Darren ajar man either - few are… but he’s not bad

Wanganeen Milera’s kicking was far worse yesterday

Yeah but 59% is a long way from 100%!

I really like Byrnes, but Dunstan was (unfairly) hung out to dry due to 'poor disposal', and from what I've seen so far is a better kick than Byrnes.

The difference between Byrnes and NWM is that Byrnes has a skill issue, while NWM is an elite kick who made some poor decisions, which is a much easier hurdle to overcome, especially with experience.

[Vortex]

that's the depth required to win flags, folks.

Yep,

[B.M]

Dunstan unfairly maligned?

He was a butcher - horrible technique - kicked scrubbers

Byrnes

Easily a better kick, does kick running at high speed a bit. Not that easy.

[shanegrambeau]

I loved how he presented!!
How he ran and jumped like a jumping jack and dug like a ferret.
His atrocious kick into forward 50 (second quarter?) when he had done the extras to get it, underscored the criticism that he is definitely wanting in the kicking dept.
Overall, pretty good game and excellent effort.

I don’t think anyone thinks it was a pretty game of skill, so more the credit to Ross the boss for getting those structured up patterns forcing Freo to kick laterally. Each time the Freo defenders looked to a space, found nothing, kept looking, our players had a chance to catch their breath and reset.

We’ll do e Ryan.

[magnifisaint]

He showed that not many people on here know what they're talking about.

[Devilhead]

Dunstan unfairly maligned?

He was a butcher - horrible technique - kicked scrubbers

Byrnes

Easily a better kick, does kick running at high speed a bit. Not that easy.

And Byrnes has that burst from stoppage speed which Dunstan never had

[CQ SAINT]

When a guy gets 27 possessions

Do we expect them to got at 100% efficiency?

Look at the kicking of all AFL mids and they sometimes turn it over - they are not generally kicking it to an uncontested mark in the back half

Watching Byrnes at training he is a neat kick, no great penetration but is by no means a butcher. He’s not Darren ajar man either - few are… but he’s not bad

Wanganeen Milera’s kicking was far worse yesterday

Yeah but 59% is a long way from 100%!

I really like Byrnes, but Dunstan was (unfairly) hung out to dry due to 'poor disposal', and from what I've seen so far is a better kick than Byrnes.

The difference between Byrnes and NWM is that Byrnes has a skill issue, while NWM is an elite kick who made some poor decisions, which is a much easier hurdle to overcome, especially with experience.

Perhaps, a different take was that Dunstan got his possessions and struggled to follow the stoppages.
Yesterday, Byrnes gets a possession and goes to fill the next gap one kick back, runs laterally to engage and block the opposition play and creates outs at multiple stoppages along the wing. Every Freoplayer coming through there was aware of his burst
Dunstan was solid at the beginning but I get the feeling Dunstan, Newnes and Ross got found out when Steele came along and standards were questioned. Gresham and Billings hit the scene and these guys got priority from Richo as leaders.
Then Ratten identified the problem and Dunstans attitude didn't help.

Byrnes doesn't have a skill issue, he kicks both feet and runs forward, not sideways like Dunstan and Ross.
He has a balance issue when running at pace but once a real game plan kicks in, there will be more confidence and less uncertainty, which will help.
This was his only concern as a junior but I doubt there has been any inspiration in his development until this year, .

Ross Lyon identified him as the best runner in the team and yesterday he proved that, I doubt anyone covered more ground and no one gained more metres.

Isolate King and Gresham one on one in the forward 50 and get it in the 8 times a quarter, the kicking won't really matter.

Winning matters and you can't win if you f*** around going short, right, left and backwards while the oppo block up the forward line like a big turd in a Dunny bowl.

[The_Dud]

Dunstan unfairly maligned?

He was a butcher - horrible technique - kicked scrubbers

Byrnes

Easily a better kick, does kick running at high speed a bit. Not that easy.

Yep, very unfairly.

I've seen Dunstan hit King on the lead running thru the middle 50m lace out.

I haven't seen Byrnes do anything like that yet, not saying he won't in the future.

I like both players.

But I'd also like to move towards being a highly skilled team, and if that means Byrnes working on mastering the R Harvey 30m dink pass inside 50, do it.

[CQ SAINT]

Dunstan unfairly maligned?

He was a butcher - horrible technique - kicked scrubbers

Byrnes

Easily a better kick, does kick running at high speed a bit. Not that easy.

Yep, very unfairly.

I've seen Dunstan hit King on the lead running thru the middle 50m lace out.

I haven't seen Byrnes do anything like that yet, not saying he won't in the future.

I like both players.

But I'd also like to move towards being a highly skilled team, and if that means Byrnes working on mastering the R Harvey 30m dink pass inside 50, do it.

Did you see that from Dunstan while he was auditioning for Richmond? What have you seen since?

[Devilhead]

Dunstan unfairly maligned?

He was a butcher - horrible technique - kicked scrubbers

Byrnes

Easily a better kick, does kick running at high speed a bit. Not that easy.

Yep, very unfairly.

I've seen Dunstan hit King on the lead running thru the middle 50m lace out.

I haven't seen Byrnes do anything like that yet, not saying he won't in the future.

I like both players.

But I'd also like to move towards being a highly skilled team, and if that means Byrnes working on mastering the R Harvey 30m dink pass inside 50, do it.

You mean like the Byrnes 30m sizzler to Bytel for a goal in the 2nd quarter?

[CQ SAINT]

Dunstan unfairly maligned?

He was a butcher - horrible technique - kicked scrubbers

Byrnes

Easily a better kick, does kick running at high speed a bit. Not that easy.

Yep, very unfairly.

I've seen Dunstan hit King on the lead running thru the middle 50m lace out.

I haven't seen Byrnes do anything like that yet, not saying he won't in the future.

I like both players.

But I'd also like to move towards being a highly skilled team, and if that means Byrnes working on mastering the R Harvey 30m dink pass inside 50, do it.

You mean like the Byrnes 30m sizzler to Bytel for a goal in the 2nd quarter?

He didn't see that. Commentator probably called him Bytel.