STRENGTHS:

+ Athleticism
+ Intercept marking
+ Offensive impact

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Composure
- Strength

One who raised eyebrows with his athletic testing early in the year, Calder Cannons' Rye Penny has translated that athleticism on field with his high leaping and speed out of the defensive 50. It was hard to miss some of Penny's ridiculous highlights, in particular his high-flying grabs or attempts, where he soared above all other opponents.

More of an intercepting and rebounding threat than a lockdown defender, Penny was regularly sought after by teammates to be the one moving the ball out of the defensive half, with his ability to outrun most opponents with ease a core part of his game. He was someone who looked to take the game on, pulling down the big grab then taking off with his acceleration and evasion making him hard to contain.

Penny’s composure can sometimes let him down, with his disposal when under pressure still leaving a little to be desired given how promising his runs are, and also the fluency at which he completed them. He will also be looking to spend time in the gym over the pre-season to allow him to compete one-on-one better. Overall, Penny's consistency is the big question mark, with the talented defender only averaging 13 disposals, which for an offensive player is quite low. He will need to lift that side, or his defensive aspect in future.