20 Facts About Ryan Neates

Ryan Neates was born on 21 June 1991 and is an Australian rules footballer currently listed with the Claremont Football Club in the West Australian Football League, having previously played with the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League.

From Perth, Western Australia, Neates represented his state at the 2009 National Under-18 Championships, and debuted for Claremont at the senior level the following season, before being drafted with the fifth pick in the 2010 AFL Pre-season draft.

Ryan Neates was delisted by West Coast at the end of the 2012 season, but continues to play WAFL matches for Claremont.

Ryan Neates grew up in Carine, a northern suburb of Perth, Western Australia.

Ryan Neates played junior football for the Carine Junior Football Club, and attended Sacred Heart College, where he played in the school team that won the Belt Up Cup, a knockout competition for schools, in 2008, along with future West Coast teammate Jack Darling and other notable alumni such as Jonathon Wilson.

Ryan Neates had earlier been chosen for state under-15 and under-16 representative teams, but was restricted to playing only for his school in 2008 after tearing his hamstring off the bone the previous season.

Ryan Neates represented Western Australia at the 2009 National Under-18 Championships, playing four games and averaging 15 disposals.

At the time of his drafting, Ryan Neates was the second-shortest player in the AFL, behind Lewis Broome, was drafted by West Coast at the 2010 Rookie draft.

Ryan Neates began the 2010 season playing reserves matches for Claremont, but missed much of the early part of the season due to shoulder and finger injuries.

Ryan Neates made his senior debut for Claremont against East Perth in round 14 of the 2010 season, kicking two goals and recording 21 disposals.

Ryan Neates played in every one of the club's games for the rest of the season, mainly as an inside midfielder or half-forward flanker, including the loss to Swan Districts in the 2010 Grand Final.

Ryan Neates played his first games for West Coast in the 2011 NAB Cup, the pre-season competition prior to the start of the 2011 season.

Ryan Neates pulled up sore after West Coast's semi-final loss to Collingwood, and the decision was later made to operate on a hernia, causing him to miss the first eleven weeks of the season.

Ryan Neates returned via the Claremont reserves, but dislocated an elbow the following week at training, causing him to miss the remainder of the season.

Ryan Neates returned to Claremont in round one of the WAFL season, recording 24 disposals against East Perth.

Ryan Neates was named as an emergency for the club's game against Greater Western Sydney in round three, but did not play, and was named in West Coast's squad to play against Essendon in round seven, after Ashton Hams was suspended for two matches.

Ryan Neates made his debut for West Coast against Essendon as a substitute, recording five disposals after replacing Matt Priddis on the field.

Ryan Neates did not retain his place in West Coast's side the following week, and was delisted at the end of the season.

Ryan Neates usually plays as either a small forward or across the half-forward flank.

Ryan Neates's height was considered a factor in him being drafted in the Pre-season Draft, rather than in the National Draft.