Bill Ryan

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C

Crock

All Australian
Veteran
Oct 22, 2001
657
929
Melbourne
AFL Club
Hawthorn
Apologies for intruding with a bit of unimportant trivia
Was channel hopping on the radio about midday today and happened to hear Dennis Walter interviewing Bill Ryan who played for you guys from 63 to 72.
Apparently now retired on the gold coast.
Didn’t see it live but the photo of his mark taken in the 1st Semi 1968 against St. Kilda is (in my opinion) the best mark I’ve ever seen!

604382-best-marks-of-all-time.jpg


Shame that the big marks and areal duels don’t seem to occur as much as they used to!
 
Crock said:
Apologies for intruding with a bit of unimportant trivia
Was channel hopping on the radio about midday today and happened to hear Dennis Walter interviewing Bill Ryan who played for you guys from 63 to 72.
Apparently now retired on the gold coast.
Didn’t see it live but the photo of his mark taken in the 1st Semi 1968 against St. Kilda is (in my opinion) the best mark I’ve ever seen!

604382-best-marks-of-all-time.jpg


Shame that the big marks and areal duels don’t seem to occur as much as they used to!
Click to expand...

you're not wrong, was watching a mid-80's game on youtube recently (around the time I started watching footy), blokes were plucking contested marks left, right and centre.
always loved that Bill Ryan pic, what a beauty.
 
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I heard Peter Knights say years ago - that the hardest opponent ( not the best ) he played on was Bill Ryan - he said the day he played on Ryan - that Ryan took about 15 marks- and that he played him from in front - behind - the side- to no affect

That was Bill Ryan to a tee - when he had sticky fingers - they stuck

Can also remember him getting dropped for the odd reserves game
 

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Crock said:
Apologies for intruding with a bit of unimportant trivia
Was channel hopping on the radio about midday today and happened to hear Dennis Walter interviewing Bill Ryan who played for you guys from 63 to 72.
Apparently now retired on the gold coast.
Didn’t see it live but the photo of his mark taken in the 1st Semi 1968 against St. Kilda is (in my opinion) the best mark I’ve ever seen!

604382-best-marks-of-all-time.jpg


Shame that the big marks and areal duels don’t seem to occur as much as they used to!
Click to expand...


Thanks mate, bloody great photo!
 
I vaguely remember another one where he literally stood on Rex Hunt's head. One of my childhood heroes, still have his autograph from 1971.
 
Bill Ryan…a total gentleman.

My first game in QAFL was against Cooparoo and Bill Ryan was (I think) Captain/coach…and in the team line up guess who was on me? Or rather I was on him…..

Thankfully he pulled out injured and didn't play again that season, but I did get to meet him. As a childhood hero I was (at 19) a little overawed. I recall him saying I wouldn't have had much trouble with him as he had knee issues and had no mobility. But he had buckets for hands, and being the man he was, full of humility, I have little doubt I would have been handed a football lesson.

That mark shown above I am sure adorns the GFC clubrooms and is one of the great marks of all time. There is a video somewhere of that mark…

He had an awful kicking action, but there have been very few footballers who could take a grab like Billy Ryan. Tom Hawkins wears his number….so I hope he can emulate Billy with a few big grabs tonight.
 
Crock said:
Apologies for intruding with a bit of unimportant trivia
Was channel hopping on the radio about midday today and happened to hear Dennis Walter interviewing Bill Ryan who played for you guys from 63 to 72.
Apparently now retired on the gold coast.
Didn’t see it live but the photo of his mark taken in the 1st Semi 1968 against St. Kilda is (in my opinion) the best mark I’ve ever seen!

604382-best-marks-of-all-time.jpg


Shame that the big marks and areal duels don’t seem to occur as much as they used to!
Click to expand...
My father had this on his wall for many years and now my brother has it. What a mark. Go Billy.
 

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Crock said:
Apologies for intruding with a bit of unimportant trivia
Was channel hopping on the radio about midday today and happened to hear Dennis Walter interviewing Bill Ryan who played for you guys from 63 to 72.
Apparently now retired on the gold coast.
Didn’t see it live but the photo of his mark taken in the 1st Semi 1968 against St. Kilda is (in my opinion) the best mark I’ve ever seen!


Shame that the big marks and areal duels don’t seem to occur as much as they used to!
Click to expand...
Thanks for the pic! Haven't seen that for a while.

Yeah, such a shame about the big marks not being around so much- it's a bit hard for some blokes to carry their own weight, as well as that of the opposition player hanging off him, upward and onward, unfortunately.
 
Teriyakicat said:
Thanks for the pic! Haven't seen that for a while.

Yeah, such a shame about the big marks not being around so much- it's a bit hard for some blokes to carry their own weight, as well as that of the opposition player hanging off him, upward and onward, unfortunately.
Click to expand...

Unfortunately, indeed!

I guess modern coaches prefer a spoil, or bringing the ball to ground than a somewhat hit-or-miss attempt at a speccy. Mores the pity.
 
Geelong_Sicko said:
Remember Derek 'The Flying Skull' Hall? He had fantastically sticky fingers, as I recall. And to our two recent finals, young Joshy Walker might have a similar talent for pack marking...
Click to expand...


We can only hope mate.

Got to say though, Derek Hall's marking wasn't in the same ball park as Bill Ryan.
 
Geelong_Sicko said:
Can't remember Bill Ryan at all. What'd he do that made you cry?
Click to expand...


He left Geelong for South Port.
He was my favourite player.
But I'm over it now.

Bastard!!!
 
Geelong_Sicko said:
Can't remember Bill Ryan at all. What'd he do that made you cry?
Click to expand...

He missed a goal from the goal square - which was quite possible with his kicking technique

Actually i can remember Bill Ryan and Peter Walker did a comedy skit on TV - playing on the Ryan and Walker combination - which put the fear of god into everyone at a particular time in the 1960s
 
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