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Ryan Ferguson

Ryan Ferguson 2005 DOB: 29 September 1981

Debut: Round 1, 2003 against Hawthorn at MCG
Last Game: Round 22, 2007 against Carlton at MCG

From: Belgrave/Frankston, Selection #66, 2002 National Draft

Number: 35 (2003-2007)

Honours:
Best First Year Player - 2003

Games: 47
Goals: 6
Career Statistics

WinsDrawsLossesWinning %
1802938.29

A 22-year-old taken with the Demons as their last pick in the 2002 draft, Ferguson had impressed as a ruckman and defender with VFL side Frankston.

He had given up junior football at 14 to take up basketball before getting back into the sport at 17. He then played at Belgrave with his three brothers and they won a premiership in 1999. Recruited by Frankston he spent all of 2000 in the reserves before playing four senior matches in 2001. Finally achieving a permanent spot in the Dolphins side he impressed Demons recruiting staff when he played a good game on Brad Miller during a VFL match against Sandringham.

He stepped into the AFL and immediately looked at home. After first coming to the attention of fans in the first round of the pre-season tournament when he blanketed Matthew Richardson he played 17 games and won the Best First Year Player award.

The positive start to his AFL career was derailed when Ferguson missed the entire 2004 season after two operations for a shoulder injury. He bounced back with 19 games in 2005 but suffered through injuries again in 2006 and 2007. Ferguson played in the 2006 Sandringham VFL premiership side

During the 2005 trade week Ferguson rejected a move to Hawthorn which would have seen Brad Sewell traded to the Dees. The next year he was restricted to three games courtesy of broken ribs and a punctured lung after colliding with Colin Sylvia. When he returned to the seniors in Round 19 he suffered a knee injury which ended his season.

By the time Sewell won a flag with the Hawks in 2008 Ferguson had left Melbourne, delisted at the end of 2007, and joined West Adelaide in the SANFL where he later represented the league and won the Fos Williams Medal for best on ground in a representative game.

He remained with the Bloods until the end of 2013, winning three best and fairest awards before returning to Victorian football with VFL side Williamstown. He retired from playing at the end of 2014 and was appointed a part time defence coach at Richmond. He was promoted to a full time backline development coach the following year, where he remained through 2020. In 2021 he coached the Richmond AFLW team.

YearGamesGoalsBrownlow
2003 1710
2005 1931
2006 300
2007 820

Lists
SANFL
VFL

Media
Knox Leader - 10/12/2002
demons.com.au - 04/12/2003
williamstownfc.com.au - 11/11/2013

Links
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Draftguru profile
Richmond FC profile
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