Born:Â June 9, 1915
- Died January 7, 2014
Recruited:Â Xavier College, Kew CYMS
Played:Â 1941- 1947
Debut Order:Â 284
First game:Â Round 1 1941
Final game:Â Round 4, 1946
Guernsey:Â (1941) 38, (1942 - 1944) 14, (1945) 13, (1946 - 1947)
Games:Â 52
Goals:Â 26
Best Team Player:Â 1942
President:Â 1968-1979
Premierships:Â 1971, 1976, 1978
Vice-President / Committee:Â 1948 - 1952
Club Selector (including Role of Chairman):Â 1948 - 1952
Club Treasurer:Â 1953 - 1967
Life Member:Â 1951
Hall of Fame Inductee:Â 2003
VFL / AFL Honours
VFL Delegate
VFL Vice President
VFL Player Payment Commissioner:Â 1980
VFL/AFL Life Member:Â 1974
Order of Australia (Community & Sport):Â 1991
Â
Phil Ryan gave 38 years’ continuous service to the Club, firstly as a 2nd 18 Player from 1941, until he retired as Club President in 1979. As a player he was a handy forward-cum-ruckman, but he would be best remembered for his role as a Club official. The Annual Report of 1979 reports that, ‘Ryan has set a standard as President in his period of office that is without parallel in the history of our great Club; 3 Premierships, 1971, 76, 78 and a consolidation of our financial resources’. He remained a respected voice behind the scenes.
Phil Ryan