Ryan James (rugby league) facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Ryan James | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 20 July 1991 Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Height | 193 cm (6 ft 4 in) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 111 kg (17 st 7 lb) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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| Position | Prop, Second-row | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 12 February 2023
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Ryan James (born 20 July 1991) is an Australian former rugby league player. He played as a forward, which means he was one of the strong players in the middle of the field. Ryan played for teams like the Gold Coast Titans, Brisbane Broncos, Canberra Raiders, and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League (NRL). He also represented the Indigenous All Stars and Country Origin.
Contents
About Ryan James
Ryan James was born in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia. He comes from an Indigenous Australian family, specifically the Bundjalung community.
Ryan's Early Rugby League Days
Ryan started playing junior rugby league for the Bilambil Jets. He went to Tweed River High School and later Palm Beach Currumbin High School. In 2008, his school team won the ARL Schoolboy Cup. Ryan was named the player of the year, winning the Peter Sterling Medal. He also played for the Queensland Schoolboys and then the Australian Schoolboys team.
Ryan's Professional Career
Playing for the Gold Coast Titans
Ryan James made his first big professional game in the NRL in 2010. He played for the Gold Coast Titans at Robina Stadium. In his first game, the Gold Coast team won against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. Ryan played well, even against more experienced players.
In his first year, 2010, he played four games. He was also chosen for the National Youth Competition team of the year. In 2011, Ryan played for the Indigenous All Stars team. He played 14 games for the Gold Coast Titans that year.
In 2016, Ryan had an amazing season. He scored 13 tries, which broke a 76-year-old record for a front rower! He was a very important player for the team.
Leadership and Challenges at Gold Coast
During the 2017 NRL season, Ryan became a co-captain for the Titans alongside Kevin Proctor. He signed a new contract to stay with the team until 2020. The team faced some tough times, but Ryan always stood up for his teammates and coach.
In the 2018 NRL season, Ryan played 23 games for the Gold Coast. The team finished 14th that year. The 2019 NRL season was difficult for the Titans, and they finished last. Ryan played 6 games that season.
A Special Moment and Injury
In October 2019, Ryan was invited to give the Welcome to Country speech before the 2019 NRL Grand Final. This is a special ceremony to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land. After a small moment of confusion during the speech, a sponsor initially said they would stop supporting the Titans. However, they quickly changed their mind and apologized to Ryan, continuing their support.
In January 2020, Ryan unfortunately got a serious knee injury (an ACL injury) during training. This meant he couldn't play for a long time. Everyone at the club felt sad for him because he worked so hard.
Moving to Canberra and Other Teams
After his time at the Gold Coast Titans, Ryan joined the Canberra Raiders for the 2021 NRL season. He made his debut for Canberra in the first game of the season and even scored a try!
Later in 2021, Ryan had a short loan period with the Canterbury Bulldogs. He played two games for them. In September 2021, Ryan signed a contract to play for the Brisbane Broncos. He played 10 games for the Broncos in the 2022 NRL season.
Career Statistics
| Season | Team | Pld | T | G | FG | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 |  Gold Coast Titans |
4 | - | - | - | - |
| 2011 | 14 | - | - | - | - | |
| 2012 | 3 | - | - | - | - | |
| 2013 | 22 | 3 | - | - | 12 | |
| 2014 | 4 | 1 | - | - | 4 | |
| 2015 | 21 | 5 | - | - | 20 | |
| 2016 | 25 | 12 | - | - | 48 | |
| 2017 | 22 | 3 | - | - | 12 | |
| 2018 | 23 | 6 | - | - | 24 | |
| 2019 | 6 | - | - | - | - | |
| 2021 |  Canberra Raiders |
12 | 2 | - | - | 8 |
| 2021 |  Canterbury Bulldogs |
2 | 1 | - | - | 4 |
| 2022 |  Brisbane Broncos |
10 | - | - | - | - |
| Totals | 152 | 33 | - | - | 132 |
