Gun defender Luke Ryan will join the centurion club on Sunday when Fremantle take on Port Adelaide at Optus Stadium as he plays his 100th AFL game.
Making his debut in round 11 2017 against Collingwood, Ryan quickly established himself as one of the games best intercepting defenders, earning All Australian honours in 2020 playing mostly as an undersized key defender.
Here are some of the numbers that show that Ryan is already proving to be an all-time great defender at the Club.
1
Luke Ryan ranks no.1 in a number of categories for players in their first 99 games at the Club, including Kicks, Rebound 50s Intercepts and Intercept Marks.
|
|
Kicks |
|
RB50 |
|
Intercepts |
|
Int Marks |
|
L.Ryan |
1452 |
L.Ryan |
572 |
L.Ryan |
683 |
L.Ryan |
212 |
|
P.Bell |
1424 |
N.Wilson (72 games) |
374 |
L.Spurr |
506 |
L.McPharlin |
199 |
|
D.Pearce |
1329 |
P.Duffield |
359 |
L.McPharlin |
473 |
J.Hamling (64 games) |
146 |
|
N.Fyfe |
1276 |
L.Spurr |
278 |
Z.Dawson |
454 |
L.Spurr |
146 |
2
Ryan also ranks second for metres gained and marks.
|
|
Marks |
|
MG (average) |
|
L.McPharlin |
625 |
D.Pearce |
444 |
|
L.Ryan |
612 |
L.Ryan |
408 |
|
L.Spurr |
571 |
N.Fyfe |
394 |
|
M.Carr |
542 |
P.Duffield |
356 |
6
Ryan is the 11th player on Fremantle’s list to reach the milestone and just the sixth to do so playing exclusively for Fremantle.
9
Ryan set a record in his debut season at Fremantle, taking nine intercept marks against Gold Coast. The game saw Ryan nominated for the NAB AFL Rising Star.
|
Player |
Date |
Opponent |
Venue |
Intercept Marks |
|
L.Ryan |
5/8/17 |
Gold Coast |
Subiaco |
9 |
|
L.McPharlin |
13/7/02 |
North |
Manuka Oval |
8 |
|
L.McPharlin |
27/3/04 |
Carlton |
Subiaco |
8 |
|
L.McPharlin |
16/5/04 |
Hawthorn |
York Park |
8 |
|
A.McPhee |
10/7/10 |
Richmond |
Docklands |
8 |
|
T.Mzungu |
10/5/14 |
Port |
Adelaide Oval |
8 |
10
Defenders aren’t known for being significant ball winners but Ryan sits 10th all time at Fremantle for disposals for players after 99 games.
|
|
Disposals |
|
M.Barlow |
2541 |
|
L.Neale |
2496 |
|
P.Bell |
2472 |
|
N.Fyfe |
2393 |
|
P.Hasleby |
2219 |
|
D.Pearce |
2002 |
|
A.Brayshaw (90 games) |
1981 |
|
T.Cook |
1972 |
|
H.Black |
1925 |
|
L.Ryan |
1921 |
When it comes to effective disposals, Ryan sits fifth.
|
|
Effective Disposals |
|
P.Bell |
2042 |
|
L.Neale |
1838 |
|
P.Hasleby |
1721 |
|
M.Barlow |
1696 |
|
L.Ryan |
1601 |
15
Prior to 2020, Fremantle’s record for the most rebound 50s in a game was 11, achieved eight times in total with Ryan taking up four of those occasions - the others were Brad Wira, Joel Hamling, Matthew Pavlich and Nathan Wilson.
While Fremantle’s loss to Geleong in 2020 was a forgettable one, Luke Ryan smashed this record with 15 rebound 50s – an even more impressive feat considering games in 2020 were approximately 20% shorter with 16 minute quarters. Ryan’s equivalent stats for a full length game would have been 18 – the current AFL record for the most rebound 50s in a game.
34
Luke Ryan’s highest disposal total came when Fremantle played Adelaide in round 7, 2019. This was one of four times he’s had 30+ disposals, with 32 touches against St Kilda in 2019, St Kilda in 2022 and Brisbane in 2019.
66
Ryan was drafted in 2016 at no.66 as a part of a bumper draft crop that also included Griffin Logue, Sean Darcy and Brennan Cox.
