Ryan Leigh Griffen was born on 27 July 1986 and is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Western Bulldogs and the Greater Western Sydney Giants in the Australian Football League.
21 Facts About Ryan Griffen
2.
Ryan Griffen managed 17 games in his debut season and came second in the AFL Rising Star Medal count.
3.
Ryan Griffen had represented South Australia in the 2004 AFL Under 18 Championships and played senior football for SANFL club South Adelaide in his draft year.
4.
Ryan Griffen made his debut in Round 4 of the 2005 AFL season against the West Coast Eagles at Subiaco, where the Bulldogs were defeated by the Eagles by 36 points.
5.
Ryan Griffen played 17 games in his first season as a Bulldog.
6.
Ryan Griffen has already displayed a good deal of the latter at the midway point of the 2006 season and most football critics anticipate that he will have a long career.
7.
Ryan Griffen suffered a jarring knee injury in Round 11 2007, where he dislocated his kneecap in the win over the Brisbane Lions.
8.
In 2008, Ryan Griffen played 24 games spending more time in the midfield, averaging career highs in disposals, contested and uncontested possessions, inside 50s and clearances.
9.
Ryan Griffen covered plenty of territory and ranked number one at the Bulldogs in inside 50s and rebound 50s combined.
10.
In 2009, Ryan Griffen played well at times, winning three Brownlow Medal votes on multiple occasions, but many believe he hadn't reached his full potential.
11.
Ryan Griffen was one of the players who spoke out regarding Jason Akermanis' controversial sacking midway through 2010 season.
12.
Ryan Griffen made up for his mistake the following week when he was named among the Bulldogs' best in a 68-point thrashing of Carlton.
13.
In 2011 Ryan Griffen has maintained his excellent form from 2010 and is a frontrunner to win another Charlie Sutton Medal along with Matthew Boyd.
14.
Ryan Griffen produced possibly his best season in 2013, recording 30 or more possessions 11 times and taking out his second Charles Sutton Medal ahead of a fast-finishing Tom Liberatore.
15.
Ryan Griffen finished 6th in the AFLPA MVP Award with 177 votes.
16.
On 3 December 2013 Ryan Griffen was awarded the captaincy of the Bulldogs, taking over from skipper of 3 years Matthew Boyd.
17.
Ryan Griffen played 19 games in his final season at the Bulldogs in 2014 before he left the club to join Greater Western Sydney, thus handing over the captaincy to veteran Robert Murphy.
18.
In round 3,2017 Ryan Griffen suffered a syndesmosis of the left ankle, which left him unable to play for the rest of the home and away season.
19.
Ryan Griffen made his return in a scratch match between the Giants' reserves and Adelaide's reserves the day after their qualifying final.
20.
Ryan Griffen announced his retirement from AFL football following the Giants' semi-final loss to Collingwood on 15 September 2018.
21.
In November 2018, it was announced that Ryan Griffen would be returning to his home club Goolwa-Port Elliot Magpies who compete in the Great Southern Football League.