Tommy Ryan (rugby league)

Tommy Ryan (born 1930) is an Australian former rugby league footballer. A prolific try scorer, Ryan became a dual premiership winning player with the St. George Dragons and also represented Australia.

Tommy Ryan
Personal information
Full nameThomas Alfred Ryan
Born1930
Bingara, New South Wales
Playing information
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1951–53 St. George Dragons 42 29 0 0 87
1955 Rockhampton
1955–58 St. George Dragons 52 52 0 0 156
Total 94 81 0 0 243
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1952 City NSW 1 0 0 0 0
1952 Australia 4 4 0 0 12
1953 New South Wales 1 4 0 0 12
1955 Queensland 3 0 0 0 0
Source: Whiticker/Hudson

Career

Originally from Inverell, New South Wales, Ryan began his first grade career with St. George Dragons in 1951. By 1953, he represented New South Wales against the American 'All Stars' and was also picked for the Kangaroo tour. Tommy Ryan scored 24 tries in 20 matches whilst on tour with the 1952/53 Kangaroos and played in four test matches.

He is listed on the Australian Players Register as Kangaroo No. 299.[1]

Tommy Ryan made his first Grand Final appearance for the Dragons in 1953. In 1954 he played one year in Temora before moving to Rockhampton Queensland in 1955 and represented the state before returning to the Dragons for the finals in 1955.[2]

He later played in the 1956 and 1957 St. George Grand Final victories and was the NSWRFL competition's leading try scorer in 1956 (19 tries) and 1957 (26 tries, in just 19 matches);[3] the latter standing as a St. George Dragons club record that stood until 2001.[4][5]

Tommy Ryan celebrated his 90th birthday on 9th May 2020. [6]

References
  1. ARL Annual Report 2005
  2. Queensland Representative Players Archived 1 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine at QRL.com.au
  3. Tommy Ryan Archived 4 October 2011 at the Wayback Machine at yesterdayshero.com.au
  4. Alan Whiticker/Glen Hudson: Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. 1995 (ISBN 1875169571)
  5. The Inverell Times, "St George Rules For Tommy" by Steve Green. 17 March 2015 ( http://www.inverelltimes.com.au/story/2949591/st-george-rules-for-tommy/ )
  6. The LEADER: "Milestone for the man who represented NSW and Qld." by John Veage https://www.theleader.com.au/story/6746110/tommy-ryans-90th/


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