(235th Eagles player)
Excitement machine Liam Ryan was West Coast's third selection in the 2017 draft, and played in a premiership in his first season.
West Coast career[]
Originally from Geraldton, Ryan burst onto the WAFL scene in 2016 when he kicked 40 goals for Subiaco and put in several efforts for Mark of the Year. Surprisingly overlooked in the draft, he followed up with a league-leading 73 goals in 2017 while putting at ease questions about his maturity and work ethic.
Picked to debut in Round 1, Ryan quickly became a fan favourite, kicking seven goals in his first three matches before suffering an ankle injury. After an extended layoff he returned to the side briefly before an early-morning car crash that resulted in drink driving charges and a stint with East Perth. Ryan regained his senior spot late in the season and rediscovered his electrifying ways, becoming a part of the Eagles' premiership side.
Ryan started the 2019 season in strong form, playing further up the ground with his defensive efforts and tackling pressure particularly notable. He took Mark of the Year over ruckman Max Gawn late in a clash against Melbourne, with his subsequent goal putting West Coast ahead in a close contest. Ryan, who played every game for the year, added a second MotY contender late in the season, hurling himself back with the flight of the ball into an oncoming pack against Carlton, and was rewarded at the end of the year with a top-ten finish in the John Worsfold Medal count.
His rapid improvement continued in 2020, with Ryan earning All-Australian selection with a superb season in which he kicked 26 goals and was one of the league leaders in score involvements. Unfortunately, he failed to continue that momentum, ending up as one of a number of Eagles who were down on form in 2021. 2022 was not much better, although Ryan did finish in the top ten of the best and fairest despite some patchy form.
Ryan's 2023 was over almost before it began, with the high-flying forward injuring himself in a marking attempt during the chaos of the early-season Derby. Originally thought to be a knee injury, it later transpired that he had suffered tendon damage to his hamstring, and complications prevented him from returning for the rest of the season and delayed his start to 2024. On his return, Ryan seemed to struggle to find confidence in his body, although it held up and he was even able to move into the midfield on occasion.
Ryan continued to develop as an occasional midfield weapon in 2025, while also kicking 22 goals, second on the team and his highest total in four years. At the end of the season, despite being contracted for 2026, he stunned the club with a trade request, departing for St Kilda in exchange for a future pick.
Stats[]
| AFL | Gm | G | B | K | M | H | D | T | Cl | WAFL | Gm | G | B | K | M | H | D | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 13 | 20 | 15 | 113 | 37 | 37 | 150 | 25 | 6 | EP | 3 | 5 | 3 | 20 | 5 | 3 | 23 | 14 | |
| 2019 | 24 | 30 | 19 | 211 | 72 | 70 | 281 | 51 | 18 | WCE | 0 | ||||||||
| 2020 | 18 | 26 | 16 | 140 | 66 | 54 | 194 | 32 | 7 | N/A | |||||||||
| 2021 | 14 | 24 | 10 | 116 | 55 | 28 | 144 | 21 | 6 | WCE | 0 | ||||||||
| 2022 | 17 | 19 | 12 | 153 | 71 | 34 | 187 | 39 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 1 | ||
| 2023 | 3 | 4 | 1 | 30 | 15 | 9 | 39 | 11 | 1 | 0 | |||||||||
| 2024 | 16 | 13 | 11 | 143 | 68 | 57 | 200 | 27 | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 29 | 7 | 7 | 36 | 5 | ||
| 2025 | 20 | 22 | 22 | 161 | 69 | 64 | 225 | 45 | 21 | 0 | |||||||||
| Tot | 125 | 158 | 106 | 1067 | 453 | 353 | 1420 | 251 | 82 | ||||||||||
| Avg | 1.3 | 8.5 | 3.6 | 2.8 | 11.4 | 2.0 | 0.7 |
Tribunal record[]
| Year | Rd | Charge | Outcome | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 20 | Instigating a melee | Accepted $1,500 fine | |||
| 2019 | 1 | Striking D.Gardiner (BRI) | Accepted $1,500 fine | |||
| 2021 | 15 | Rough conduct against J.Johannisen (WB) | Accepted 1-week suspension | |||
| 2022 | 22 | Striking B.Walker (Fre) | Accepted $2,000 fine | |||
| 2022 | 22 | Engaging in melee | Accepted $1,000 fine |
References[]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liam_Ryan_(footballer)
https://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/L/Liam_Ryan.html
http://www.wafl.com.au/players/view/6371
| 2018 Premiership Team |
|---|
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B: Shannon Hurn (c), Tom Barrass, Will Schofield |