Article published in the Moreland Leader, written by Chris Cavanagh.
COBURG defender Luke Ryan looks set to become the 11th straight winner of the VFL’s Fothergill-Round Medal to graduate to the AFL ranks as he continues to attract strong interest ahead of November’s national draft.
The 20-year-old picked up the prize for the competition’s most promising under-23 player at the VFL’s awards night on Monday despite managing just 10 matches this season.
A shoulder injury suffered in Round 18 — coming after an ankle complaint in July — cut short Ryan’s season but it was still a year in which he averaged 19 disposals and six marks.
It was the rebounding defender’s first season in the VFL after playing at Essendon District Football League side Maribyrnong Park last year where he was continually told to try his hand at a higher level.
“I’ve had a lot of people telling me to go play higher level footy,” Ryan said.
“I thought I’d give it a crack and my mum and dad said give it a crack and they said I had the ability to and I went off and played VFL footy and (I’m) loving it.”
Ryan said Lions coach Peter German has been a huge influence in taking his football to another level this season after Coburg decided to take a chance on the young gun after he was cut from Essendon’s VFL side where he had trained over pre-season.
“Germo’s been probably the biggest factor (with) the way I’ve played this year,” he said.
“He’s upfront, real easy to talk to. He’s real hard but really knows his footy and helps out me a lot.”
Ryan had shoulder surgery earlier this month, ruling him out of returning to full training until at least January.
However, he will still head to the AFL National Draft combine next month, having been the only state league player in the country invited.
Coburg has described Ryan’s AFL interest as “red hot” but Ryan said he was trying not to think about a future at the top level too much just yet.
“I’m just worried about getting my shoulder right and see what happens from there after the combine,” he said.
Ryan was also named in a back pocket in the VFL’s Team of the Year, while teammate Robbie Fox was selected on a wing and Lions forward Ahmed Saad was named at full-forward.
Former St Kilda livewire Saad also scooped the ‘Frosty’ Miller Medal as the competition’s leading goalkicker with 49 majors from 16 matches in his first year at Coburg.
Williamstown midfielder Michael Gibbons won the main award of the night — the 2016 J.J. Liston Trophy — as the competition’s best-and-fairest player.
RECENT FOTHERGILL-ROUND MEDAL WINNERS
2006 — Jason Davenport (Geelong)
2007 — Shane Valenti (Sandringham)
2008 — Robin Nahas (Port Melbourne)
2009 — Michael Barlow (Werribee)
20110 — Michael Hibberd (Frankston)
2011 — Ahmed Saad (Northern Bullants)
2012 — Dean Towers (North Ballarat)
2013 — Kane Lambert (Northern Blues)
2014 — Nic Newman (Frankston)
2015 — Adam Marcon (Williamstown)
