Bill Ryan

Crock

All Australian
Oct 22, 2001
653
919
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!
 
Sep 15, 2005
13,075
20,637
AFL Club
Geelong
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!

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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Goggin Our Best

Norm Smith Medallist
May 23, 2011
7,523
11,742
sydney
AFL Club
Geelong
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
 
Jun 2, 2006
11,141
12,456
Point Cook
AFL Club
Geelong
Other Teams
Supersonics, Greenbay
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!


Thanks mate, bloody great photo!
 

steady2

Club Legend
Jun 25, 2013
2,705
4,473
Melbourne
AFL Club
Geelong
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.
 

romeoh

Norm Smith Medallist
Oct 23, 2011
6,199
4,083
AFL Club
Geelong
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!
My father had this on his wall for many years and now my brother has it. What a mark. Go Billy.
 
Mar 6, 2014
41,562
39,805
AFL Club
Geelong
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!
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.
 

Moggy

Premiership Player
Sep 7, 2012
3,523
5,886
Oslo
AFL Club
Geelong
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.

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.
 
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...


We can only hope mate.

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


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

Bastard!!!
 

Goggin Our Best

Norm Smith Medallist
May 23, 2011
7,523
11,742
sydney
AFL Club
Geelong
Can't remember Bill Ryan at all. What'd he do that made you cry?

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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