View source for Ryan Griffen

{{short description|Australian rules footballer}}
{{Distinguish|text = two American footballers named [[Ryan Griffin (disambiguation)|Ryan Griffin]]}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox AFL biography
| name = Ryan Griffen
| image = Ryan Griffen 2018.1.jpg
| caption = Griffen playing for Greater Western Sydney in June 2017
| fullname = Ryan Leigh Griffen
| nickname = Gaz
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1986|7|27|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Goolwa, South Australia]]
| originalteam = [[South Adelaide Football Club|South Adelaide]] ([[South Australian National Football League|SANFL]])
| draftpick = No. 3 <small>([[Priority draft pick|PP]])</small>, [[2004 AFL draft|2004 national draft]]
| height = 192 cm
| weight = 88 kg
| position = [[Australian rules football positions|Midfielder]]
| years1 = 2005–2014
| club1 = {{AFL WB}}
| games_goals1 = 202 (130)
| years2 = 2015–2018
| club2 = {{AFL GWS}}
| games_goals2 = {{0}}55 {{0}}(32)
| games_goalstotal = 257 (162)
| statsend = 2018
| sooyears1 = 2008
| sooteam1 = [[Dream Team Australian rules football team|Dream Team]]
| soogames_goals1 = 1 (0)
| careerhighlights = *[[All-Australian team]]: 2013
*2× [[Charles Sutton Medal]]: 2010, 2013
*[[List of Western Bulldogs captains|Western Bulldogs captain]]: 2014
*[[List of individual match awards in the Australian Football League|Bob Rose–Charlie Sutton Medal]] : 2014
*[[AFL Rising Star]] nominee: [[2005 AFL Rising Star|2005]]
}}

'''Ryan Leigh Griffen''' (born 27 July 1986) is a former [[Australian rules football]]er who played for the [[Western Bulldogs]] and the [[Greater Western Sydney Giants]] in the [[Australian Football League]] (AFL).

Griffen was born in [[Goolwa, South Australia|Goolwa]], a [[South Australia]]n port town near the mouth of the [[Murray River]] and began his football career with [[South Adelaide Football Club|South Adelaide]]. The Western Bulldogs chose Griffen in the [[2004 AFL draft#2004 national draft|2004 AFL national draft]] at number 3 as a priority pick. He managed 17 games in his debut season and came second in the [[AFL Rising Star]] Medal count.

==AFL career==

===Western Bulldogs (2005–2014) ===
Touted among the best players on offer in the [[2004 AFL draft]], the [[Western Bulldogs]] selected Griffen third overall as a priority pick. He had represented South Australia in the [[2004 AFL Under 18 Championships]] and played senior football for [[SANFL]] club [[South Adelaide Football Club|South Adelaide]] in his draft year.

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. He played 17 games in his first season as a Bulldog.

The ''2006 Record'' describes Griffen as a "defender, both in a man-marking role and as a launching pad for attacking moves". 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.

He suffered a jarring knee injury in Round 11 2007, where he dislocated his kneecap in the win over the [[Brisbane Lions]]. The extent of the injury, in itself, was not season threatening although he did suffer complications from a twisted bowel, which hampered his recovery and ruled him out for the rest of the season.

In 2008, Griffen played 24 games spending more time in the midfield, averaging career highs in disposals, contested and uncontested possessions, inside 50s and clearances. He covered plenty of territory and ranked number one at the Bulldogs in inside 50s and rebound 50s combined. He also ranked third in the AFL for running bounces and equal fourth at the Bulldogs for score assists during the H&A rounds. The speedy midfielder broke open a number of games in 2008, earning maximum Brownlow votes in consecutive matches against St Kilda and Essendon in rounds three and four. Finished second in the AFL for bounces and top 10 in the Bulldogs’ best and fairest.
In 2009, Griffen played well at times, winning three [[Brownlow Medal]] votes on multiple occasions, but many believe he hadn't reached his full potential.

Griffen was one of the players who spoke out regarding [[Jason Akermanis]]' controversial sacking midway through [[2010 AFL season|2010 season]].<ref name=MakeStand>[http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/making-a-stand-20110408-1d7zr.html Making a stand]. ''The Age''. 9 April 2011</ref> In the Round 14 match against [[Hawthorn Football Club|Hawthorn]], Griffen failed to make an effort to take a mark against [[Xavier Ellis]] 30 metres out late in the final quarter as the Hawks came from behind to win by 3 points, and he was widely criticised. Griffen made up for his mistake the following week when he was named among the Bulldogs' best in a 68-point thrashing of [[Carlton Football Club|Carlton]].<ref>[http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/blues-v-bulldogs/story-e6frf9jf-1225890368145 Runaway Western Bulldogs stomp on Carlton]. ''Herlad Sun''. 11 July 2010</ref><ref>[http://footystats.freeservers.com/Archive/Review10-R15.html Review of Round 15, 2010] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320025520/http://footystats.freeservers.com/Archive/Review10-R15.html |date=20 March 2012 }}. Footystats.freeservers.com. Retrieved on 25 April 2017.</ref> On the eve of the finals, Griffen was shifted from his customary position on the wing into the midfield to replace injured teammate [[Adam Cooney]]. Although the Bulldogs were again bundled out in the Preliminary Final, Griffen was one of the stand-outs, averaging 28 possessions across the three games.<ref name="MakeStand"/> At the end of the season he was proclaimed the winner of the 2010 [[Charles Sutton Medal|Charlie Sutton Medal]].

====2011====
In 2011 Ryan Griffen has maintained his excellent form from 2010 and is a frontrunner to win another [[Charles Sutton Medal|Charlie Sutton Medal]] along with [[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]]

====2012====
After another stellar season in 2012, Ryan Griffen amassed a club-record 47 possessions – 22 of which were contested in the round 21 match against the Sydney Swans. The record eclipsed the previous best of 46 set by Simon Atkins. Griffen picked up 16 touches in the first quarter. His previous best was 37 possessions.

====2013: All-Australian season====
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]]. Griffen also finished 6th in the [[Leigh Matthews Trophy|AFLPA MVP Award]] with 177 votes. While averaging 29 disposals per game he also achieved [[All-Australian]] honours. Ryan Griffen was also ranked #8 best player in the AFL in [[Mike Sheahan|Mike Sheahan's]] Top 50 Players and the Official AFL Player Ratings.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/mikes-top-50-2013/10-1 |title=Mikes Top 50 2013 &#124; Herald Sun |archive-url=https://archive.today/20131011232433/http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/mikes-top-50-2013/10-1 |archive-date=11 October 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> On 3 December 2013 Griffen was awarded the captaincy of the Bulldogs, taking over from skipper of 3 years [[Matthew Boyd (Australian footballer)|Matthew Boyd]].

Griffen played 19 games in his final season at the Bulldogs in 2014 before he left the club to join [[Greater Western Sydney Giants|Greater Western Sydney]], thus handing over the captaincy to veteran [[Robert Murphy (footballer)|Robert Murphy]].

===Greater Western Sydney (2015–2018)===
At the end of the 2014 season, Griffen asked to join the GWS Giants. On 15 October a trade was successfully reached, reuniting Griffen with coach Leon Cameron, and players Dylan Addison and Callan Ward.

In round 3, 2017 Griffen suffered a syndesmosis of the left ankle, which left him unable to play for the rest of the home and away season. He made his return in a scratch match between the Giants' reserves and {{AFL Ade}}'s reserves the day after their qualifying final.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.afl.com.au/news/2017-09-11/injury-wrap-more-pain-for-cats-and-giants|title=Injury wrap: More pain for Cats and Giants|last=Di Giorgio|first=Giulio|website=AFL.com.au|publisher=Australian Football League|date=11 September 2017|access-date=11 September 2017}}</ref>

Griffen announced his retirement from AFL football following the Giants' semi-final loss to Collingwood on 15 September 2018.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/afl/calling-time-gws-veteran-ryan-griffen-retires-after-giants-loss-to-collingwood/news-story/40108a117d74e96cf50b4ab1f3e224bd|title=Ryan Griffen retires: GWS Giants veteran, former Pie calls time|date=15 September 2018|website=Fox Sports|language=en-AU|access-date=25 July 2019}}</ref>

== Post AFL ==
In November 2018, it was announced that Griffen would be returning to his home club Goolwa-Port Elliot Magpies who compete in the [[Great Southern Football League (South Australia)|Great Southern Football League]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.victorharbortimes.com.au/story/5781930/griffen-joins-magpies-for-2019-season/|title=Griffen joins Magpies for 2019 season|last=Schultz|first=Harrison|date=28 November 2018|website=The Times|language=en|access-date=25 July 2019}}</ref>

==Statistics==
:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://afltables.com/afl/stats/players/R/Ryan_Griffen.html|title=Ryan Griffen|publisher=AFL Tables|access-date=3 August 2016}}</ref>
{{AFL player statistics legend}}
{{AFL player statistics start}}
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2005 AFL season|2005]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 17 || 7 || 7 || 126 || 97 || 223 || 55 || 39 || 0.4 || 0.4 || 7.4 || 5.7 || 13.1 || 3.2 || 2.3
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2006 AFL season|2006]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 24 || 7 || 9 || 209 || 202 || 411 || 87 || 69 || 0.3 || 0.4 || 8.7 || 8.4 || 17.1 || 3.6 || 2.9
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2007 AFL season|2007]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 10 || 2 || 4 || 78 || 65 || 143 || 31 || 29 || 0.2 || 0.4 || 7.8 || 6.5 || 14.3 || 3.1 || 2.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2008 AFL season|2008]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 24 || 18 || 9 || 295 || 183 || 478 || 103 || 63 || 0.8 || 0.4 || 12.3 || 7.6 || 19.9 || 4.3 || 2.6
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2009 AFL season|2009]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 22 || 17 || 9 || 270 || 213 || 483 || 70 || 80 || 0.8 || 0.4 || 12.3 || 9.7 || 22.0 || 3.2 || 3.6
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2010 AFL season|2010]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 24 || 23 || 12 || 358 || 216 || 574 || 80 || 78 || 1.0 || 0.5 || 14.9 || 9.0 || 23.9 || 3.3 || 3.2
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2011 AFL season|2011]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 22 || 24 || 17 || 341 || 187 || 528 || 75 || 102 || 1.1 || 0.8 || 15.5 || 8.5 || 24.0 || 3.4 || 4.6
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2012 AFL season|2012]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 20 || 8 || 11 || 287 || 252 || 539 || 66 || 86 || 0.4 || 0.6 || 14.4 || 12.6 || 27.0 || 3.3 || 4.3
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2013 AFL season|2013]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 20 || 14 || 10 || 304 || 275 || 579 || 63 || 98 || 0.7 || 0.5 || 15.2 || 13.8 || 29.0 || 3.2 || 4.9
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2014 AFL season|2014]]
| {{AFL WB}} || 16 || 19 || 10 || 10 || 219 || 217 || 436 || 35 || 99 || 0.5 || 0.5 || 11.5 || 11.4 || 23.0 || 1.8 || 5.2
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2015 AFL season|2015]]
| {{AFL GWS}} || 32 || 21 || 7 || 3 || 198 || 235 || 433 || 85 || 80 || 0.3 || 0.1 || 9.4 || 11.2 || 20.6 || 4.0 || 3.8
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2016 AFL season|2016]]
| {{AFL GWS}} || 32 || 15 || 9 || 13 || 137 || 179 || 316 || 41 || 79 || 0.6 || 0.9 || 9.1 || 11.9 || 21.1 || 2.7 || 5.3
|- style="background:#eaeaea;"
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2017 AFL season|2017]]
| {{AFL GWS}} || 32 || 3 || 0 || 2 || 20 || 26 || 46 || 5 || 9 || 0.0 || 0.7 || 6.7 || 8.7 || 15.3 || 1.7 || 3.0
|-
! scope="row" style="text-align:center" | [[2018 AFL season|2018]]
| {{AFL GWS}} || 32 || 16 || 16 || 11 || 136 || 104 || 240 || 47 || 35 || 1.0 || 0.7 || 8.5 || 6.5 || 15.0 || 2.9 || 2.2
|- class="sortbottom"
! colspan=3| Career
! 257
! 162
! 127
! 2978
! 2451
! 5429
! 843
! 946
! 0.6
! 0.5
! 11.6
! 9.5
! 21.1
! 3.3
! 3.7
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* ''AFL Record 2006 Season Preview'', ed.  Michael Lovett, AFL Publishing.

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
*{{GWSplayer}}
*{{AFL Tables|R/Ryan_Griffen}}

{{Western Bulldogs captains}}
{{Charles Sutton Medal}}
{{2013 All-Australian team}}
{{AFLCA best young player of the year}}
{{2005 AFL Rising Star nominees}}
{{2008 Dream Team players}}
{{2004 AFL national draft}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Griffen, Ryan}}
[[Category:Greater Western Sydney Giants players]]
[[Category:Western Bulldogs players]]
[[Category:1986 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Australian rules footballers from South Australia]]
[[Category:South Adelaide Football Club players]]
[[Category:Charles Sutton Medal winners]]
[[Category:All-Australians (AFL)]]
[[Category:People from Goolwa, South Australia]]