Paddy Ryder

Paddy Ryder
Personal information
Full name	Patrick Ryder
Date of birth	14 March 1988 (1988-03-14)
Original team	East Fremantle
Draft	#7, 2005 National Draft, Essendon
Height/Weight	196cm / 92kg
Position(s)	Ruckman/Forward
Club information
Current club	Essendon
Number	30
Playing career1
Years	Club	Games (Goals)
2006–	Essendon	117 (70)
Representative team honours
Years	Team	Games (Goals)
2007	Indigenous All-Stars	1 (0)
1 Playing statistics to end of 2011 season .
Career highlights
2009 AFL Anzac Medal

Patrick "Paddy" Ryder (born 14 March 1988) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for Essendon in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early career

Ryder was part of the AFL U18 All-Australian team, and he represented Australia in the U18 International Rules over in Ireland. He had a successful career in the WAFL as a young player, playing for the East Fremantle Football Club. Ryder is one of the top young prospects going around the AFL at the moment. He has 'freak' speed, agility and leap for someone his size and it is these attributes that has him compared to retired Indigenous Australian rules football star Graham "Polly" Farmer.

Essendon career

Essendon secured Ryder with its first selection in the 2005 AFL Draft, which was the seventh pick in the League.

Ryder debuted in Round 1, 2006 and plays mostly ruck or key forward. In his 10th AFL match, Ryder was awarded a NAB Rising Star nomination for his efforts in Round 1, 2007.

He won the ANZAC Medal in 2009 after teammate David Hille was injured in the opening minutes of the game, resulting in Ryder rucking unassisted for the entire game.

External links

• Profile on www.essendonfc.com.au
• Paddy Ryder's statistics from AFL Tables