Liam Ryan (footballer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Liam Ryan |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
Ryan playing for West Coast in July 2019
|
|||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Liam Ryan | ||
| Nickname(s) | Flyin' Ryan | ||
| Date of birth | 2 October 1996 | ||
| Original team | (WAFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 26, 2017 national draft | ||
| Debut | Round 1, 2018, West Coast v. Sydney, at Optus Stadium |
||
| Position(s) | Forward | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | West Coast | ||
| Number | 1 | ||
| Career highlights | |||
|
|||
Liam Ryan (born 2 October 1996) is a professional Australian rules football player. He plays for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). Liam is a small forward. He is well-known for his amazing vertical leap and his ability to take high marks.
Contents
Early Life and Junior Football
Liam Ryan grew up in Geraldton, Western Australia. In 2016, he moved to Perth. There, he joined the Subiaco Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL).
He started playing in the reserves team. After just four games, he moved up to the senior team. In his first senior season, he kicked 40 goals in 16 games. In the 2017 WAFL season, Ryan was the top goal-kicker. He won the Bernie Naylor Medal for kicking 73 goals in 23 games.
AFL Career Highlights
Starting in the AFL: 2018-2019
2018: First Season and Premiership Win
After his great performance in the WAFL, Liam Ryan was chosen in the 2017 national draft. The West Coast Eagles picked him as their third choice, 26th overall. He continued to play well in his first preseason with the club.
Ryan made his AFL debut in Round 1 of the 2018 season. This was against the Sydney Swans at Optus Stadium. In his first game, he kicked his first AFL goal. He also had nine disposals.
He played the next week and kicked six goals in his next two matches. Then, he hurt his ankle in Round 3 against Geelong. This injury kept him out of the game for about 12 weeks.
When he returned in Round 13, Ryan found it hard to get back his early form. He only kicked two goals in his first three games back. Later, he had a brief break from the team. He then played in the WAFL for a few weeks.
Ryan returned to the senior AFL team for Round 20. This was for the Western Derby against Fremantle. He kicked three goals in this game. He kept his spot in the team for the 2018 Finals Series.
Ryan kicked three goals in the first two finals games. This helped him keep his place for the 2018 Grand Final. The Grand Final was against Collingwood.
In the Grand Final, Ryan had some important moments. He took a strong mark with two minutes left in the game. He then kicked the ball inside 50 to Dom Sheed. Sheed kicked the winning goal for the Eagles. This helped Liam Ryan win an AFL premiership in his first season.
2019: Becoming More Consistent and Mark of the Year
Ryan had a good preseason before the 2019 season. He played in the Round 1 game against Brisbane. He had 8 disposals, 6 tackles, and kicked a goal. After this game, Ryan received some negative comments online. The club strongly spoke out against these comments.
Ryan started to play very consistently in 2019. He kicked seven goals in the first ten rounds. He also averaged 11.0 disposals and 3.0 tackles per game. This was an improvement from his 2018 tackling average.
In Round 9 against Melbourne, Ryan took an amazing mark. He jumped high over Demons ruckman Max Gawn in the goal square. This incredible mark was voted the AFL Mark of the Year for the 2019 AFL season.
Recent Seasons: 2020-2025
Liam Ryan has continued to be a key player for the West Coast Eagles. He was named in the 2020 All-Australian team for his excellent performance. This is a special team made up of the best players in the league. He also earned a spot in the 22 Under 22 team in 2019. This team features the best young players in the AFL.
Ryan has played over 100 games for the West Coast Eagles. He has kicked more than 150 goals. He is known for his exciting style of play. He continues to be a fan favorite.
Personal Life
Liam Ryan and his partner Evana have one daughter. They also have two twin boys.
Statistics
- Statistics are correct to the end of round 17, 2025
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Averages (per game) | Votes | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | |||||
| 2018# | West Coast | 1 | 13 | 20 | 15 | 113 | 37 | 150 | 37 | 25 | 1.5 | 1.2 | 8.7 | 2.8 | 11.5 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 0 |
| 2019 | West Coast | 1 | 24 | 30 | 19 | 211 | 70 | 281 | 72 | 51 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 8.8 | 2.9 | 11.7 | 3.0 | 2.1 | 0 |
| 2020 | West Coast | 1 | 18 | 26 | 16 | 140 | 54 | 194 | 66 | 32 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 7.8 | 3.0 | 10.8 | 3.7 | 1.8 | 1 |
| 2021 | West Coast | 1 | 14 | 24 | 10 | 116 | 28 | 144 | 55 | 21 | 1.7 | 0.7 | 8.3 | 2.0 | 10.3 | 3.9 | 1.5 | 2 |
| 2022 | West Coast | 1 | 7 | 11 | 6 | 59 | 10 | 69 | 26 | 13 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 8.4 | 1.4 | 9.9 | 3.7 | 1.9 | TBA |
| 2023 | West Coast | 1 | 15 | 20 | 12 | 105 | 35 | 140 | 48 | 28 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 7.0 | 2.3 | 9.3 | 3.2 | 1.9 | 0 |
| 2024 | West Coast | 1 | 16 | 22 | 14 | 120 | 40 | 160 | 55 | 30 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 7.5 | 2.5 | 10.0 | 3.4 | 1.9 | 0 |
| 2025 | West Coast | 1 | 12 | 18 | 9 | 90 | 25 | 115 | 40 | 20 | 1.5 | 0.8 | 7.5 | 2.1 | 9.6 | 3.3 | 1.7 | 0 |
| Career | 119 | 151 | 93 | 954 | 303 | 1257 | 399 | 215 | 1.3 | 0.8 | 8.0 | 2.5 | 10.6 | 3.4 | 1.8 | 3 | ||
Notes
