Ryan Griffen
Encyclopedia
Ryan Griffen is an Australian rules football
er who plays for the Western Bulldogs
in the Australian Football League
. His explosive run-and-carry and long kicking make him one of the most important members of the team.
Griffen was born in Goolwa, a South Australia
n port town at the mouth of the Murray River
and began his football career with South Adelaide
. The Western Bulldogs chose Griffen in the 2004 National AFL Draft at number 3 as a priority pick. He managed 17 games in his debut season, perhaps the best debut season for a Bulldogs players since Nathan Brown
in 1997 and came second in the AFL Rising Star Medal count.
The 2006 Record describes Griffen as a "defender, both in a man-marking role and as a launching pad for attacking moves". Griffen has already displayed a good deal of the latter at the midway point of the 2006 season and most football critics anticipate that he will have a long career.
He is an explosive but inconsistent midfielder but has time to stamp himself as one of the elite players of the game.
He suffered a jarring knee injury in Round 11 2007, where he dislocated his kneecap in the win over the Brisbane Lions
. The extent of the injury, in itself, was not season threatening although he did suffer complications from a twisted bowel, which hampered his recovery and ruled him out for the rest of the season.
In 2008, Griffen played 24 games spending more time in the midfield, averaging career highs in disposals, contested and uncontested possessions, inside 50s and clearances. He covered plenty of territory and ranked number one at the Bulldogs in inside 50s and rebound 50s combined. He also ranked third in the AFL for running bounces and equal fourth at the Bulldogs for score assists during the H&A rounds. The speedy midfielder broke open a number of games in 2008, earning maximum Brownlow votes in consecutive matches against St Kilda and Essendon in rounds three and four. Finished second in the AFL for bounces and top 10 in the Bulldogs’ best and fairest. The South Australian is at the stage of his career where he could become an elite-level player.
In 2009, Griffen played well at times, winning three Brownlow Medal
votes on multiple occasions, but many believe he hadn't reached his full potential.
Although quiet by nature, Griffen was one of the players who spoke out regarding Jason Akermanis
' controversial sacking midway through 2010 season
. In the Round 14 match against Hawthorn
, Griffen failed to make an effort to take a mark against Xavier Ellis
30 metres out late in the final quarter as the Hawks came from behind to win by 3 points, and he was widely criticized. Griffen made up for his mistake the following week when he was named among the Bulldogs' best in a 68-point thrashing of Carlton
. On the eve of the finals, Griffen was shifted from his customary position on the wing into the midfield to replace injured teammate Adam Cooney
. Although the Bulldogs were again bundled out in the Preliminary Final, Griffen was one of the stand-outs, averaging 28 possessions across the three games. At the end of the season he was proclaimed the winner of the 2010 Charlie Sutton Medal
.
In 2011 Ryan Griffen has maintained his excellent form from 2010 and is a frontrunner to win another Charlie Sutton Medal
along with Matthew Boyd
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 plays for the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
in the 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...
. His explosive run-and-carry and long kicking make him one of the most important members of the team.
Griffen was born in Goolwa, a South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
n port town at the mouth of the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
and began his football career with South Adelaide
South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club competes in the South Australian National Football League . Known as the Panthers, their home ground is Hickinbotham Oval , located in Noarlunga Downs in the southern suburbs of Adelaide....
. The Western Bulldogs chose Griffen in the 2004 National AFL Draft at number 3 as a priority pick. He managed 17 games in his debut season, perhaps the best debut season for a Bulldogs players since Nathan Brown
Nathan G. Brown
Nathan Gordon Brown is a former Australian rules footballer for the Richmond and the Western Bulldogs in the AFL...
in 1997 and came second in the AFL Rising Star Medal count.
The 2006 Record describes Griffen as a "defender, both in a man-marking role and as a launching pad for attacking moves". Griffen has already displayed a good deal of the latter at the midway point of the 2006 season and most football critics anticipate that he will have a long career.
He is an explosive but inconsistent midfielder but has time to stamp himself as one of the elite players of the game.
He suffered a jarring knee injury in Round 11 2007, where he dislocated his kneecap in the win over the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
. The extent of the injury, in itself, was not season threatening although he did suffer complications from a twisted bowel, which hampered his recovery and ruled him out for the rest of the season.
In 2008, Griffen played 24 games spending more time in the midfield, averaging career highs in disposals, contested and uncontested possessions, inside 50s and clearances. He covered plenty of territory and ranked number one at the Bulldogs in inside 50s and rebound 50s combined. He also ranked third in the AFL for running bounces and equal fourth at the Bulldogs for score assists during the H&A rounds. The speedy midfielder broke open a number of games in 2008, earning maximum Brownlow votes in consecutive matches against St Kilda and Essendon in rounds three and four. Finished second in the AFL for bounces and top 10 in the Bulldogs’ best and fairest. The South Australian is at the stage of his career where he could become an elite-level player.
In 2009, Griffen played well at times, winning three 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...
votes on multiple occasions, but many believe he hadn't reached his full potential.
Although quiet by nature, Griffen was one of the players who spoke out regarding Jason Akermanis
Jason Akermanis
Jason Dean Akermanis is an Australian rules football player. He is a Brownlow Medallist and triple premiership player who played for the Brisbane Bears, Brisbane Lions and Western Bulldogs...
' controversial sacking midway through 2010 season
2010 AFL season
-Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22...
. In the Round 14 match against Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
, Griffen failed to make an effort to take a mark against Xavier Ellis
Xavier Ellis
Xavier Ellis is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League...
30 metres out late in the final quarter as the Hawks came from behind to win by 3 points, and he was widely criticized. Griffen made up for his mistake the following week when he was named among the Bulldogs' best in a 68-point thrashing of Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
. On the eve of the finals, Griffen was shifted from his customary position on the wing into the midfield to replace injured teammate Adam Cooney
Adam Cooney
Adam Cooney is an Australian rules footballer, playing for the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. Cooney, recruited from West Adelaide in the SANFL, won the 2008 Brownlow Medal with 24 votes becoming the 10th Footscray/Western Bulldog player to win the AFL's highest individual honor.He attended...
. Although the Bulldogs were again bundled out in the Preliminary Final, Griffen was one of the stand-outs, averaging 28 possessions across the three games. At the end of the season he was proclaimed the winner of the 2010 Charlie Sutton Medal
Charles Sutton Medal
The Charles Sutton Medal is awarded to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Western Bulldogs. Scott West holds the record at the club, winning seven medals, followed by Gary Dempsey, with six...
.
In 2011 Ryan Griffen has maintained his excellent form from 2010 and is a frontrunner to win another Charlie Sutton Medal
Charles Sutton Medal
The Charles Sutton Medal is awarded to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for the Western Bulldogs. Scott West holds the record at the club, winning seven medals, followed by Gary Dempsey, with six...
along with Matthew Boyd
Matthew Boyd
Matthew Boyd is an Australian rules football player who has come through the Western Bulldogs' rookie list, debuting in 2003. Prior to that he had played for Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup and Frankston in the VFL...
Career Statistics Summary
- Statistics are correct as of the end of 2010
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Kicks | Marks Mark (Australian football) A mark is a skill in Australian rules football where a player cleanly catches a kicked ball that has travelled more than 15 metres without anyone else touching it or the ball hitting the ground.... |
Handballs Handball (Australian rules football) Handball is a term in the sport of Australian rules football which describes a method of disposing of possession of the football by hand. It is the most frequently used alternative to kicking the ball... |
Goals | Behinds | Disposals | Brownlow Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 2005 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2005.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-National Cup:... |
WBD | 16 | 17 | 126 | 55 | 97 | 7 | 7 | 223 | 1 |
| 2006 2006 AFL season Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 2006.-National Cup: 3.10.5 defeated 1.10.15 in the 2006 NAB Cup Final... |
WBD | 16 | 24 | 209 | 87 | 202 | 7 | 9 | 411 | 5 |
| 2007 2007 AFL season The 2007 AFL Season was the 111th season of the Australian Football League, the highest-level professional Australian rules football league in Australia... |
WBD | 16 | 10 | 78 | 31 | 65 | 2 | 4 | 143 | |
| 2008 2008 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5:-Round 6 :-Round 7:-AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match:-Round 8:... |
WBD | 16 | 24 | 295 | 103 | 183 | 18 | 9 | 478 | 10 |
| 2009 2009 AFL season -Round 1 :-Round 2:-Round 3 :-Round 4:-Round 5 :-Round 6:-Round 7:-Round 8:-Round 9 :-Round 10:... |
WBD | 16 | 22 | 270 | 70 | 213 | 17 | 9 | 483 | 4 |
| 2010 2010 AFL season -Premiership season:The draw for the 2010 AFL Premiership Season is not a random selection of matches, but rather is planned by the AFL. It is intended to produce a balanced draw while also providing the fans and television networks with blockbuster games. In a competition with 16 teams and 22... |
WBD | 16 | 24 | 358 | 80 | 216 | 17 | 9 | 574 | 7 |
| Totals | 121 | 1336 | 426 | 976 | 74 | 50 | 2312 | 27 | ||