Matthew Ryan (Australian rules footballer)
Encyclopedia
Matthew Ryan is a former Australian rules football
er who played with Collingwood
, the Sydney Swans
and the Brisbane Bears
in the Victorian/Australian Football League
(AFL).
Ryan, who was originally from Eltham
, played just five games in his first two seasons but then had his best year in 1987. A rover, he amassed a club high 478 disposals, at just under 24 a game and was Collingwood's second best goal-kicker behind Brian Taylor with 28 goals. He also finished runner-up in the Copeland Trophy
and was his club's best performer at the Brownlow Medal
, securing nine votes. The following season he was again a regular fixture in the team, playing 18 games, including a semi final.
Collingwood traded Ryan to the Sydney Swans at the end of the 1989 season, in return for draft picks 22 and 82, which were used on Mathew Hanrahan and Troy Lehmann
. His Sydney debut in 1990 was against his former club and he performed well with 25 disposals and three goals. After just one year in Sydney he again changed clubs, this time to the Brisbane Bears through the pre-season draft. He also averaged 21 disposals a game in 1991 but struggled to hold a place in the side the next year.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
and the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
in the Victorian/Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL).
Ryan, who was originally from Eltham
Eltham Football Club
Eltham Football Club is an Australian rules football club in Eltham, Victoria, currently competing in the Northern Football League.-History:A football team from Eltham began playing social matches at nearby Kangaroo Ground from 1900....
, played just five games in his first two seasons but then had his best year in 1987. A rover, he amassed a club high 478 disposals, at just under 24 a game and was Collingwood's second best goal-kicker behind Brian Taylor with 28 goals. He also finished runner-up in the Copeland Trophy
Copeland Trophy
The E.W. Copeland Trophy is an Australian rules football award given by the Collingwood Football Club to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for Collingwood during the year....
and was his club's best performer at the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
, securing nine votes. The following season he was again a regular fixture in the team, playing 18 games, including a semi final.
Collingwood traded Ryan to the Sydney Swans at the end of the 1989 season, in return for draft picks 22 and 82, which were used on Mathew Hanrahan and Troy Lehmann
Troy Lehmann
Troy Lehmann is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Collingwood and the Brisbane Bears in the Australian Football League during the early 1990s....
. His Sydney debut in 1990 was against his former club and he performed well with 25 disposals and three goals. After just one year in Sydney he again changed clubs, this time to the Brisbane Bears through the pre-season draft. He also averaged 21 disposals a game in 1991 but struggled to hold a place in the side the next year.