Paddy Ryder facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Paddy Ryder |
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Ryder playing for Port Adelaide in June 2017
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Patrick Ryder | ||
| Date of birth | 14 March 1988 | ||
| Original team | East Fremantle (WAFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 7, 2005 national draft | ||
| Debut | 1 April 2006, Essendon v. Sydney, at Docklands Stadium |
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| Position(s) | Ruckman | ||
| Club information | |||
| Current club | St Kilda | ||
| Number | 18 | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Patrick Ryder (born 14 March 1988) is a former professional Australian rules footballer. He played for the Essendon, Port Adelaide, and St Kilda Football Clubs in the Australian Football League (AFL). Ryder was known for his amazing speed, quickness, and jumping ability, especially for someone his size. His first AFL coach, Kevin Sheedy, even compared him to the famous Indigenous Australian rules football star Graham "Polly" Farmer. Patrick's father, Revis Ryder, also played football for East Fremantle.
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Early Life and Football Beginnings
Before he joined the AFL, Patrick Ryder was already a talented player. He was part of the AFL under-18 All-Australian team. This means he was one of the best young players in the country. He also represented Australia in the under-18 international rules games held in Ireland. Before being drafted into the AFL, he played for the East Fremantle Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL).
Paddy Ryder's AFL Journey
Playing for Essendon (2006–2014)
Essendon Football Club chose Ryder as their first pick in the 2005 AFL Draft. He was the seventh player chosen overall in the league.
Ryder played his first AFL game in 2006 against Sydney. He played as a ruckman. In this memorable first game, Essendon won by 27 points against the 2005 champions. This was Essendon's only win in the first 16 rounds that year.
In 2007, Ryder was nominated for the NAB Rising Star award. This award celebrates young players who show great potential. In 2009, he won the Anzac Medal. This happened after his teammate David Hille got injured early in the game. Ryder had to play as the only ruckman for the rest of the match.
Ryder played his 100th AFL game in 2011. In that game, Essendon had a huge win against the Gold Coast Suns, beating them by 139 points.
In 2013, Ryder's performance improved a lot. He helped Essendon reach the finals. He mostly played as a ruckman, helping his team get the ball. He also played in attack and defence.
Ryder continued to be a key player for Essendon in 2014. He was a strong ruckman and also a good option when moving forward. His speed and ability to take high marks were very useful.
Moving to Port Adelaide (2015–2019)
At the end of the 2014 season, Ryder decided to leave Essendon. This was due to a difficult time for the club. Ryder and his wife were worried about their unborn child's health. This was because of information they received about a club program. Ryder felt the club had let him down and he lost trust. He chose Port Adelaide as the club he wanted to join next.
Essendon was not keen to trade Ryder at first. However, Ryder's manager said he might even retire if the trade was blocked. Finally, in October 2014, he was traded to Port Adelaide.
In 2015, Ryder joined Port Adelaide as a big new player. He couldn't play in the pre-season games. He was only cleared to play a few days before the first game of the season. He played 18 games for Port Adelaide. He kicked three goals in two important games against rivals. He also kicked four goals against his old club, Essendon.
In January 2016, Ryder, along with many other past and present Essendon players, faced a suspension. This was because of a club program from 2012. He was suspended for two years, but with time already served, it meant he missed the entire 2016 AFL season.
After his suspension, Ryder returned in the 2017 season. He became one of the best ruckmen in the league. He played his 200th AFL game in June 2017. In that game, Port Adelaide beat Collingwood. That year, he was named an All-Australian ruckman. He also won the John Cahill Medal, which is given to Port Adelaide's best and fairest player.
Joining St Kilda (2020–2022)
After the 2019 AFL season, Ryder asked to be traded to St Kilda. The trade was completed in October. Ryder moved to St Kilda along with another Port Adelaide player, Dougal Howard. St Kilda gave up some draft picks in return. Ryder chose St Kilda over rejoining his former club, Essendon. He felt he would have more chances to play as a ruckman at St Kilda.
Ryder explained that Port Adelaide had brought in a great ruckman, Scott Lycett. They also had young players who needed a chance to develop. Ryder felt he still had a lot to offer. He said he didn't get a "really, really good feeling" about going back to Essendon. But when he visited St Kilda, he felt "excitement."
In the 2020 season, Ryder played 14 games for St Kilda. He played a big part in their win against Western Bulldogs in the finals. However, an injury in that game ended his season early.
In March 2021, it was announced that Ryder would take a break from the club. He wanted to spend time with his family and elders. The club fully supported his decision. Ryder returned in April and played his first game of 2021 in round seven. He had a strong performance with many tackles, clearances, and hitouts. Ryder continued to play well, especially in rounds 10-12. He also had a good game against champion ruckman Brodie Grundy in round 16. Ryder's last game in 2021 was in July. He then had an Achilles injury and missed the rest of the season. After playing 12 games and averaging over 30 hitouts, Ryder signed on for another season with St Kilda.
After another season with injuries in 2022, Ryder announced his retirement on August 20. He ended his career having played 281 games across three different clubs.
Life After Playing Football
After retiring as a player, Ryder announced he would return to Essendon Football Club. This was his first time back since leaving in 2014. Ryder will now work as the club's Indigenous Player Development Manager. In this role, he will help young Indigenous players. Some of the players he will work with are the sons of his former teammate, Alwyn Davey.
