Ryley Sanders

Ryley Sanders
Personal information
Full name Ryley Sanders
Date of birth (2005-01-21) 21 January 2005 (age 19)
Original team(s) North Launceston(TSL) /Sandringham Dragons(Talent League)/Melbourne Grammar(APS)
Draft No. 6, 2023 AFL draft
Height 186 cm (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s) Midfielder, Forward
Club information
Current club Western Bulldogs
Number 9
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2024– Western Bulldogs 14 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 23, 2024.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Ryley Sanders is a professional Australian rules footballer who was selected by Western Bulldogs as the number six pick in the 2023 AFL draft.[1]

Career

[edit]

Sanders a Tasmanian native, played his junior football at North Launceston Bombers and school football for St Patrick’s College before playing for the Tasmania Devils in the NAB League for the 2021 season. He would relocate to Victoria, boarding at Melbourne Grammar School for 2022 and 2023 and switched to the Sandringham Dragons. His efforts in the U18 league, where he didn't tally less than 25 disposals a game, led to his selection in the championship winning Allies team for the AFL Under-19 Championships. Winning the Larke Medal for best player of the tournament.

Due to his Indigenous background, he was linked with the North Melbourne Next Generation Academy (NGA), during his final year in the Under 18 competition, although due to AFL rules around NGA’s, his draft rights could only be matched by North Melbourne if he was selected after Pick 40. He would instead be drafted by the Western Bulldogs with Pick 6, after North Melbourne used Pick 2 and 4 on Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma.[2]

Sanders made his AFL debut in the Bulldog's Round 1 match against Melbourne in a 45-point loss.[3]

Statistics

[edit]
Statistics are correct to Round 2 of 2024 season.
Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2024 Western Bulldogs 9 3 0 1 28 29 57 12 13 0 0.3 9.3 9.6 19.0 4.0 4.3 0
Career 3 0 1 28 29 57 12 13 0 0.3 9.3 9.6 19.0 4.0 4.3 0

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Siracusa, Claire; Ward, Roy; McGowan, Marc (2023-11-22). "Every pick from the 2023 AFL's national, pre-season and rookie drafts". The Age. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  2. ^ "Why this young Bulldog DM'd one of the AFL's toughest mids". 5 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Melbourne v Western Bulldogs". 17 March 2024.
[edit]