Warren Ryan

Last updated

Warren Ryan
Personal information
Full nameWarren Redman Ryan
Born (1941-10-27) 27 October 1941 (age 82)
Playing information
Position Centre, Lock
Club
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1965 St George 10000
1967–68 Cronulla-Sutherland 221003
Total231003
Representative
YearsTeamPldTGFGP
1971–72 Country NSW 20000
Coaching information
Club
YearsTeamGmsWDLW%
197982 Newtown Jets 964654548
198487 Canterbury-Bankstown 1067033366
198890 Balmain Tigers 765012566
199194 Western Suburbs 843744344
199900 Newcastle Knights 533022157
Total4152331516756

Warren Redman Ryan (born 27 October 1941) is an Australian former professional rugby league football coach and player. He is considered one of the most influential rugby league coaches of the 20th century. [1] Ryan also played in the NSWRFL Premiership for the St George Dragons and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Contents

He was formerly employed as a color commentator by ABC Radio 702 for its Rugby League coverage . Ryan also formerly contributed opinion articles to the Brisbane Courier-Mail and Newcastle Herald . [2]

Athletics

Ryan was also an elite track and field athlete, representing Australia in the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games in the shot put coming seventh in a field of sixteen with a throw of 51'8" (15.75m). [3] Ryan accredits his famous attention to detail in his coaching to his Czech-born track coach of this time.

Rugby league

Playing career

Warren Ryan was a St. George Dragons lower grade player. He played in the Dragons 1965 reserve grade grand final, [4] and appeared in first grade on a number of occasions as a replacement during 1966.

In 1967, he switched to the Cronulla Sharks in their debut season [5] and became a regular in first grade, and was club Captain at different times during 1967–68.

In 1969 he moved to Wollongong Wests and had four seasons there, the final two as captain-coach. He captained N.S.W. Country in 1972. [6]

Broadcaster and journalist

Warren Ryan wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald for many years as a sports journalist. He is also a former member of the ABC Grandstand rugby league commentary team; where, rather than calling the match play itself, he supplied special comments throughout the broadcast.

Ryan used the term "old darky" during the call of an NRL match between the Roosters and Bulldogs. He claimed he was quoting a scene from Gone with the Wind . After listeners' complaints, he was stood down from the ABC with his colleague David Morrow pending an investigation. The scene he claimed to refer to is the 'quittin' time' scene in which a slave calls quittin' time, presuming the role of the foreman. Having asserted his rights, the foreman immediately calls 'quittin' time!' The incident involving Ryan made headlines, while notable indigenous leaders called for an investigation. While the investigation continued, Warren Ryan resigned. He had intended to retire at the end of the 2014 season, but brought it forward rather than face the results. Refusing to address the use of a racist term, Ryan said, "The word used to describe the character was a direct quote from the film. There was no offence intended, so I won't be apologising. It would be insincere. Furthermore, there is no appeasing those who are determined to be offended. So that's it. I've had a long run and, for the most part, it's been very enjoyable." [7]

He proposed his own finals system, an alternative to McIntyre Final Eight and AFL, but it was not accepted. [8]

Personal life

In addition to his rugby league career, Ryan was also a long-time physical education teacher at Belmore Boys High School in Sydney's southwest.

In April 2006, Ryan's son Matthew died of heart failure at age 24 following an overdose of the party drug, gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB). [9]

On 11 November 2016, Ryan was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm after an altercation at Pagewood Hotel. Ryan had allegedly assaulted the 75-year-old man over an argument regarding the outcome of the 2016 United States presidential election. [10] [11] On 23 October 2017, Ryan was found guilty of common assault at Waverley Local Court and was put on a 12-month good behavior bond. [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks</span> Australian rugby league football club

The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks are an Australian professional rugby league club based in Cronulla, in the Sutherland Shire, Southern Sydney, New South Wales. The Cronulla Sharks compete in the National Rugby League (NRL), Australasia's premier rugby league competition. The Sharks, as they are commonly known, were admitted to the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, predecessor of the Australian Rugby League and the current National Rugby League competition, in January 1967. The club competed in every premiership season since then and, during the Super League war, joined the rebel competition before continuing on in the re-united NRL Premiership. The Sharks have been in competition for 56 years, appearing in four grand finals, winning their first premiership in 2016 after defeating the Melbourne Storm at Stadium Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Benji Marshall</span> New Zealand rugby league and rugby union footballer

Benjamin Quentin Marshall is a New Zealand professional rugby league coach and former player who is the head coach of the Wests Tigers in the NRL.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Greg Bird (rugby league)</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Greg Bird is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played as a stand-off, second-row or lock for Australia at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Hilder</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Matt Hilder is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. He played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Gold Coast and Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League. He primarily played at lock, hooker and five-eighth. Throughout his playing career he was known by two nicknames: Trouble, and Waltzing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Beau Scott</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Beau Scott is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s in the National Rugby League (NRL). An Australia international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-row, he could also play centre and lock. He played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, St. George Illawarra Dragons, the Newcastle Knights and the Parramatta Eels.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Pomeroy</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Ben Pomeroy is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Saint-Esteve XIII Catalan in the Elite One Championship. Telegraph poles for arms, he has played for Cambridge Park RLFC in the Penrith district then went on to play in the National Rugby League for Australian clubs, the Penrith Panthers and the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, and in the Super League for the Catalans Dragons and Lézignan Sangliers in the Elite One Championship. His usual position was centre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Heighington</span> England international rugby league footballer

Christopher Heighington is a former professional rugby league footballer. An English international, Country New South Wales and NRL All Stars representative, his positions were lock, second-row and prop. He played for the Wests Tigers and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, winning a premiership with each, before finishing his career with the Newcastle Knights.

The 2004 NRL season was the 97th season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and the seventh run by the National Rugby League. Fifteen clubs competed during the regular season before the top eight finishing teams contested the finals series. The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs defeated the Sydney Roosters in the 2004 NRL grand final and in doing so claimed their eighth premiership.

Norman Douglas Somerville Provan was an Australian professional rugby league footballer and coach. Also nicknamed "Sticks", he was a second-row forward with the St George Dragons during the first ten of their eleven consecutive premiership-winning years, from 1956 to 1966. Named among the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century, he was a representative in the Australia national team from 1954 to 1960, winning 14 Tests and two World Cups. In 2018, he was inducted as the 13th Immortal of Australian rugby league.

Paul McGregor is an Australian professional rugby league coach who was until August 2020, the head coach of the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, and a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a centre in the 1990s and 2000s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Graham (rugby league)</span> GB & England international Rugby League Player

James Graham is an English former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop for St Helens in the Super League, and at international level for England and Great Britain.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Maloney (rugby league)</span> Australia international rugby league footballer

James Maloney is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and current assistant coach for the North Queensland Cowboys.

The 1988 NSWRL season was the 81st season of professional rugby league football in Australia, and saw the first expansion of the New South Wales Rugby League Premiership outside the borders of New South Wales, and another expansion outside of Sydney, with the addition of three new teams: the Brisbane Broncos, Newcastle Knights and Gold Coast-Tweed Giants. The largest NSWRL premiership yet, sixteen clubs competed during the 1988 season, with the J J Giltinan Shield for minor premiers going to Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks. The finals culminated in a grand final for the Winfield Cup between the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Balmain Tigers. This season NSWRL teams also competed for the 1988 Panasonic Cup.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Barba</span> Australian former rugby league footballer

Benjamin Barba is an Australian former professional dual code rugby league & rugby union footballer who last played for St Helens in the Super League. He primarily played as a fullback or five-eighth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ben Hunt (rugby league)</span> Australia international rugby league footballer

Benjamin Hunt is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains and plays as a halfback for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League (NRL) and hooker for Australia at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Josh Dugan</span> Australia international rugby league footballer

Joshua Dugan is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who last played as a fullback and centre for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL and Australia at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blake Ferguson (rugby league)</span> Australia international rugby league footballer

Blake Ferguson is a professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs in the Newcastle Rugby League.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Shane Flanagan</span> Australian RL coach and former rugby league footballer

Shane Flanagan is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and commentator, and is the head coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League. He was the head coach of the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks and was appointed assistant coach of the Sharks in 2006 and was subsequently appointed to the top position when former coach Ricky Stuart resigned on 20 July 2010. Flanagan was previously the assistant coach at the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and Coaching Director of the PNG Kumuls. He is the father of Dragons player Kyle Flanagan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nene Macdonald</span> PNG international rugby league footballer

Nene Macdonald is a Papua New Guinean professional rugby league footballer who plays as a winger or centre for the Salford Red Devils in the Super League and Papua New Guinea at international level.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cameron McInnes</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Cameron McInnes is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a lock or hooker for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL.

References

  1. "40 years on: the man who changed the game" . Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. 13 May 2007. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  2. "Ryan to answer assault charge". Newcastle Herald. 1 December 2016. Retrieved 8 July 2019.
  3. "Historical Results - Warren Ryan (NSW)". Athletics Australia. Archived from the original on 12 July 2012.
  4. "Players P-Q-R". Jubilee Avenue. Archived from the original on 15 March 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  5. "Warren Ryan - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  6. "City vs Country (Firsts) 1972". Rugby League Project. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  7. Proszenko, Adrian (8 June 2014). "Ryan quits ABC job over racism row". The Border Mail . Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 3 March 2015.
  8. Prichard, Greg (14 December 2003). "Board powerbroker lends weight to Ryan's finals system" . Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 18 February 2016.
  9. Cubby, Ben (27 April 2006). "Dark time for family and friends farewelling Matthew Ryan" . Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018. Retrieved 1 December 2016.
  10. Ralston, Nick (1 December 2016). "Donald Trump row leads to former rugby league coach Warren Ryan assault charges" . Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 27 August 2018.
  11. 1 2 Rowsthorne, Sally (24 October 2017). "Warren Ryan convicted over altercation at pub". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 23 October 2017. Retrieved 24 October 2017.
Sporting positions
Preceded by
Mal Reilly
1995−1998
Coach
Newcastle colours.svg
Newcastle Knights

1999−2000
Succeeded by
Michael Hagan
2001−2006
Preceded by
John Bailey
1988-1990
Coach
Western Suburbs colours.svg
Western Suburbs Magpies

1991–1994
Succeeded by
Wayne Ellis
(caretaker)
1995
Preceded by Coach
Balmain colours.svg
Balmain Tigers

1988–1990
Succeeded by
Alan Jones
1991–1993
Preceded by
Ted Glossop
1978–1983
Coach
Canterbury colours.svg
Canterbury-Bankstown

1984–1987
Succeeded by
Phil Gould
1988–1989
Preceded by Coach
Newtown colours.svg
Newtown Jets

1979–1982
Succeeded by