Warren Ryan
Encyclopedia
Warren Ryan is former rugby league football coach and player from Sydney, Australia. He is considered as one of the most influential coaches in recent times. Ryan also played 1st Grade Rugby League for the St George Dragons and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
He is now employed as a colour commentator
by ABC
Radio 702 for its Rugby League coverage. Ryan also regularly contributes opinion articles to the Brisbane Courier-Mail and Newcastle Herald.
in the Shot Put
coming seventh in a field of sixteen with a throw of 51'8" (15.75m).
Ryan accredits his famous attention to detail in his coaching to his Czech-born track coach of this time.
.
Ryan's abilities soon came to the attention of Sydney clubs, always on the lookout for new coaching talent. Ryan was appointed U/23s coach of the Western Suburbs Magpies
in 1978. After a slow start, Ryan soon turned around the structure of the team and became the first coach to reach a NSWRFL Premiership's Grand Final (in any grade) from 5th position, eventually losing the Grand Final.
Ryan was soon poached by John Singleton
to mentor the listless Newtown Jets
club. The club were perennial losers and with the club spiralling towards oblivion, Ryan would perform a veritable miracle in 1981, leading a rag-tag team to the Grand Final. Leading 11-7 deep into the second half, Ryan's Jets were eventually overrun 20-11 by a Parramatta Eels
team that featured some of the 1980s greatest players. Ryan left Newtown at the end of the 1982 season.
While cooling his heels during the 1983 season, Ryan was approached by Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs administrator Peter Moore
to take over from Ted Glossop
for the 1984 season. After a series of clandestine carpark meetings near Belmore Boys High, Ryan agreed to take over the coaching of the Dogs.
Ryan immediately set about adding some 'starch' to the Bulldogs squad. Signing renowned hardmen Peter Kelly
from the now defunct Newtown club and Peter Tunks
from South Sydney, this front row pairing would provide the basis for three Bulldogs' premiership victories.
The Bulldogs set the pace from the outset of the 1984 season. Their team was based around a relentless defence and an uncompromising forward pack. Ryan theorized that to beat the skilful Parramatta Eels team, with their peerless backline, his team would need to outmuscle them. After winning the minor premiership, Ryan's Bulldogs claimed the 1984 premiership with a narrow 6-4 victory, denying the Eels a fourth straight premiership.
Ryan's 'Dogs of War' would repeat the dose in 1985 with a hard fought 7-6 victory over the St George Dragons in the decider. Ryan's tactics in this game of constantly bombing the St George fullback, Glenn Burgess, earned his team a number of repeat sets. So effective was this tactic, the NSWRL were compelled to change the rules of the game regarding catches on the full in the in-goal area.
This premiership victory was particularly sweet for Ryan, having overcome Roy Masters, his long time coaching adversary.
It was in 1985 that Ryan's fractious coaching style came to light, with Rugby League Week
detailing the feud between himself and team captain, Steve Mortimer
. Effectively, the players were split into two camps: Ryan's outsiders and the family club's disciples.
The Bulldogs made their third consecutive Grand Final in 1986. They were desperately unlucky to lose 4-2 in the code's only ever tryless Grand Final. Ryan remained for the 1987 season, coaching the Bulldogs to 6th place, narrowly missing the finals series for the first time. Ryan soon thereafter departed the Bulldogs, signing on to coach the Balmain Tigers
for the 1988 season. Under Ryan's coaching, Balmain made consecutive grand finals in 1988 against the Bulldogs and in 1989 against Canberra. But both would result in losses for the Tigers. Ryan stepped aside after the 1990 season.
He coached the Canterbury Bulldogs
to three Grand Final appearances in four seasons between 1984 and 1987. He also coached the Newtown Jets
, Balmain Tigers
, Western Suburbs Magpies
and the Newcastle Knights
after an earlier career where he played for the St. George Dragons
, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and represented Country NSW Origin.
With his record of two premierships and seven grand finals with three different teams in the 1980s Ryan is regarded as one of the great coaches of that era. His teams were known as excellent defenders and Ryan has been credited as the creator of the "umbrella" or "up and in" defensive style.
Many notable current and former first grade coaches including Phil Gould
, David Waite
, Tommy Raudonikis
, Chris Anderson, Steve Folkes
, Andrew Farrar
, Wayne Pearce
, Graham Murray
, Paul Langmack
, Terry Lamb
, Michael Hagan
and Peter Mulholland
played in or coached under Ryan's 1st Grade sides.
Most current NRL 1st Grade coaches can trace their coaching pedigree to either Warren Ryan or Brian Smith
. Collectively, coaches of the 'Ryan lineage' account for eight premierships and fifteen grand final appearances since 1981, as well as seven State of Origin
series victories and a Rugby League World Cup
victory.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Ryan was named coach of the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.
throughout the broadcast.
He proposed his own finals system, an alternative to McIntyre Final Eight and AFL, but it wasn´t accepted.
He is now employed as a colour commentator
Color commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
by ABC
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly referred to as "the ABC" , is Australia's national public broadcaster...
Radio 702 for its Rugby League coverage. Ryan also regularly contributes opinion articles to the Brisbane Courier-Mail and Newcastle Herald.
Athlete
Ryan was also an elite track and field athlete, representing Australia in the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games
The 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games were held in Perth, Western Australia, Australia from 22 November-1 December 1962. Athletic events were held at Perry Lakes Stadium in the suburb of Floreat and swimming events at Beatty Park in North Perth....
in the Shot Put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
coming seventh in a field of sixteen with a throw of 51'8" (15.75m).
Ryan accredits his famous attention to detail in his coaching to his Czech-born track coach of this time.
Coach
Ryan's first coaching appointment was as Captain-coach of Wests Wollongong. Ryan would lead this club to 1972 and 1974 premierships in the Illawarra DivisionIllawarra Rugby League
The Illawarra Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Wollongong, NSW. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1911 with five clubs ....
.
Ryan's abilities soon came to the attention of Sydney clubs, always on the lookout for new coaching talent. Ryan was appointed U/23s coach of the Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
in 1978. After a slow start, Ryan soon turned around the structure of the team and became the first coach to reach a NSWRFL Premiership's Grand Final (in any grade) from 5th position, eventually losing the Grand Final.
Ryan was soon poached by John Singleton
John Singleton (Australian entrepreneur)
John Desmond Singleton AM is an Australian entrepreneur. He built his success and wealth in the advertising business in Australia in the 1970s and 1980s...
to mentor the listless Newtown Jets
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
club. The club were perennial losers and with the club spiralling towards oblivion, Ryan would perform a veritable miracle in 1981, leading a rag-tag team to the Grand Final. Leading 11-7 deep into the second half, Ryan's Jets were eventually overrun 20-11 by a Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
team that featured some of the 1980s greatest players. Ryan left Newtown at the end of the 1982 season.
While cooling his heels during the 1983 season, Ryan was approached by Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs administrator Peter Moore
Peter Bullfrog Moore
Peter "Bullfrog" Moore OAM was an Australian rugby league administrator, particularly associated with the Canterbury Bulldogs, where he was Chief Executive from 1969-1995, serving a record 26 years at the helm...
to take over from Ted Glossop
Ted Glossop
Ted Glossop was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the St. George Dragons then went on to become a first-grade coach with Cronulla-Sutherland, Canterbury-Bankstown and St. George....
for the 1984 season. After a series of clandestine carpark meetings near Belmore Boys High, Ryan agreed to take over the coaching of the Dogs.
Ryan immediately set about adding some 'starch' to the Bulldogs squad. Signing renowned hardmen Peter Kelly
Peter Kelly
Peter Kelly may refer to:*Peter Kelly , Irish Fianna Fáil politician and TD for Longford-Roscommon*Peter J. Kelly, current mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada...
from the now defunct Newtown club and Peter Tunks
Peter Tunks
Peter Tunks is an Australian former rugby league player for the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Penrith Panthers, New South Wales and the Australian national side...
from South Sydney, this front row pairing would provide the basis for three Bulldogs' premiership victories.
The Bulldogs set the pace from the outset of the 1984 season. Their team was based around a relentless defence and an uncompromising forward pack. Ryan theorized that to beat the skilful Parramatta Eels team, with their peerless backline, his team would need to outmuscle them. After winning the minor premiership, Ryan's Bulldogs claimed the 1984 premiership with a narrow 6-4 victory, denying the Eels a fourth straight premiership.
Ryan's 'Dogs of War' would repeat the dose in 1985 with a hard fought 7-6 victory over the St George Dragons in the decider. Ryan's tactics in this game of constantly bombing the St George fullback, Glenn Burgess, earned his team a number of repeat sets. So effective was this tactic, the NSWRL were compelled to change the rules of the game regarding catches on the full in the in-goal area.
This premiership victory was particularly sweet for Ryan, having overcome Roy Masters, his long time coaching adversary.
It was in 1985 that Ryan's fractious coaching style came to light, with Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week
Rugby League Week is the second highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, behind major competitor Big League...
detailing the feud between himself and team captain, Steve Mortimer
Steve Mortimer
Steve Mortimer OAM, , nicknamed Turvey after Turvey Park in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, where he hailed from, is an Australian former rugby league halfback. Mortimer played a Canterbury-Bankstown club record 272 first grade games between 1976–88. Mortimer's two younger brothers Peter and Chris...
. Effectively, the players were split into two camps: Ryan's outsiders and the family club's disciples.
The Bulldogs made their third consecutive Grand Final in 1986. They were desperately unlucky to lose 4-2 in the code's only ever tryless Grand Final. Ryan remained for the 1987 season, coaching the Bulldogs to 6th place, narrowly missing the finals series for the first time. Ryan soon thereafter departed the Bulldogs, signing on to coach the Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
for the 1988 season. Under Ryan's coaching, Balmain made consecutive grand finals in 1988 against the Bulldogs and in 1989 against Canberra. But both would result in losses for the Tigers. Ryan stepped aside after the 1990 season.
He coached the Canterbury Bulldogs
Canterbury Bulldogs
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
to three Grand Final appearances in four seasons between 1984 and 1987. He also coached the Newtown Jets
Newtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
, Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
, Western Suburbs Magpies
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
and the Newcastle Knights
Newcastle Knights
The Newcastle Knights are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Newcastle, New South Wales. They compete in Australasia's premier rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
after an earlier career where he played for the St. George Dragons
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and represented Country NSW Origin.
With his record of two premierships and seven grand finals with three different teams in the 1980s Ryan is regarded as one of the great coaches of that era. His teams were known as excellent defenders and Ryan has been credited as the creator of the "umbrella" or "up and in" defensive style.
Many notable current and former first grade coaches including Phil Gould
Phil Gould
Phil Gould is an Australian rugby league broadcaster, journalist, administrator and former player and coach. Since the 1990s he has had a prominent role in Channel 9's coverage of rugby league, as a commentator on their match-day coverage, and appears on The Sunday Footy Show and The Sunday Roast...
, David Waite
David Waite
David Waite is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He has also coached Great Britain in the Rugby League Tri-Nations.Waite holds a British passport, courtesy of his father being born in Leicester....
, Tommy Raudonikis
Tommy Raudonikis
Tommy Raudonikis OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played over twenty-nine Tests and World Cup games as Australia representative halfback and captained his country in two Tests of the 1973 Kangarooo tour.-Early life and club playing career:Raudonikis is the son of a...
, Chris Anderson, Steve Folkes
Steve Folkes
Steve Folkes is a former Australian rugby league test footballer and former coach of the Bulldogs in the National Rugby League...
, Andrew Farrar
Andrew Farrar
Andrew Farrar is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the Canterbury Bulldogs, Western Suburbs Magpies, Wigan Warriors and Illawarra Steelers. Farrar also played for New South Wales in the State of Origin on several occasions and played for Australia in the 1988...
, Wayne Pearce
Wayne Pearce
Wayne John Pearce OAM is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. An athletic Lock Forward for the Balmain Tigers, he was affectionately known as 'Junior'...
, Graham Murray
Graham Murray
Graham Murray is an Australian rugby league player and coach. Murray is currently the High Performance Unit Director of Coaching at the Newcastle Knights.-Playing career:...
, Paul Langmack
Paul Langmack
Paul Langmack is an Australian former rugby league coach and representative and premiership-winning player.-Playing Career:While attending Fairfield Patrician Brothers, Langmack played for the Australian Schoolboys team in 1982....
, Terry Lamb
Terry Lamb
Terry Lamb OAM, is an Australian retired professional rugby league footballer and coach. He played 349 games , with Wests , and Canterbury . Lamb was known for his support of the ball-carrier - his ability to be in the right place at the right time netted him 164 tries. This earned him the moniker...
, Michael Hagan
Michael Hagan
Michael Hagan is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player. He currently works as assistant coach under Mal Meninga for the record-breaking Queensland rugby league team...
and Peter Mulholland
Peter Mulholland
Peter Mulholland is an Australian former rugby league football coach and current recruitment manager of the NRL's Bulldogs RLFC. He coached ARL premiership expansion club Western Reds in their first two seasons before moving to France to take up the coaching position of Super League expansion team,...
played in or coached under Ryan's 1st Grade sides.
Most current NRL 1st Grade coaches can trace their coaching pedigree to either Warren Ryan or Brian Smith
Brian Smith (rugby league)
Brian Smith is an Australian coach and former player of rugby league football. He is the current head coach at the Sydney Roosters of the NRL. Smith played for St. George and South Sydney Rabbitohs , appearing in a total of 31 first grade games...
. Collectively, coaches of the 'Ryan lineage' account for eight premierships and fifteen grand final appearances since 1981, as well as seven State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
series victories and a Rugby League World Cup
Rugby League World Cup
The Rugby League World Cup is an international rugby league competition contested by members of the Rugby League International Federation . It has been held nearly once every 4 years on average since its inaugural tournament in France in 1954...
victory.
In 2008, the centenary year of rugby league in Australia, Ryan was named coach of the Newtown Jets 18-man team of the century.
Broadcaster and journalist
Ryan is currently a member of the ABC Grandstand rugby league commentary team; and, rather than calling the match play itself, he supplies special commentsColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
throughout the broadcast.
He proposed his own finals system, an alternative to McIntyre Final Eight and AFL, but it wasn´t accepted.