Garry Lyon admits he may have underestimated Western Bulldogs defender Ryan Gardner.
To many footy critics, one of the Dogs’ major weaknesses in recent times has been the apparent lack of key defensive options.
Alex Keath is considered the club’s main tall in the backline with support from Zaine Cordy, who has also been tried forward, as well as Gardner, who has played 24 games since he was picked up in the 2019 mid-season draft.
At times Gardner has been harshly judged by outsiders looking in, but he has also mixed his form which resulted in his omission from last year’s Grand Final side after playing the Elimination, Semi and Preliminary Finals.
In the much-needed Round 3 win over Sydney this year, the 24-year-old delivered one of his best performances in Dogs colours which prompted an apology of sorts from Garry Lyon.
Speaking on SEN Breakfast, co-host Tim Watson alluded to the regretful acknowledgement of error.
Watson said: “You said to me this morning that you had an apology to make to somebody.
“Do you want to go ahead with it?”
Lyon replied: “I did, absolutely I did.
“It was to Ryan Gardner, the backman for the Bulldogs.
“He played a super game on Buddy Franklin and because the game was last Thursday, I never got to talk about it Friday. I meant to get to it on Monday and Tuesday and kept forgetting.
“I didn’t think he was capable of playing as well as he did.
“In the past I didn’t think he was the answer to their defence or didn’t think he was part of their best defensive setup. So, I apologise.”
Gardner, who was formally with Geelong without playing a senior game, has this year played in all three Dogs fixtures to date and will be next in action against Richmond at the MCG this Saturday night.
He leads the way at the Bulldogs in one percenters and is equal 10th in the league for spoils.