Edward Ryan nicknamed "Mo" was an Australian

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

footballer who played in the 1920s. He played for

University A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) competition.

Playing career

Ryan made his first grade debut for University against Newtown in Round 2 1922 at the

Sydney Cricket Ground The Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) is a sports stadium in Sydney, Australia. It is used for Test cricket, Test, One Day International and Twenty20 cricket, as well as, Australian rules football and occasionally for rugby league, rugby union and as ...

with University winning 11–8. Ryan went on to play 10 games as University finished second last on the table. In 1923 and 1924, University finished last on the table claiming the wooden spoon. Ryan finished as top point scorer for the club in 1924. In 1926, University surprised everyone in the competition by going from easy beats to being grand finalists. University finished 4th on the table and qualified for the first finals campaign. The Students went on to defeat Glebe to reach the grand final with Ryan scoring 2 tries in the game. In the grand final, The Students opponents were South Sydney who boasted the likes of George Treweek,

Eddie Root Eddie Root (1902–1986) was an Australian rugby league footballer who played in the 1920s and 1930s. A New South Wales state and Australia national representative forward, his club career was played in Sydney with South Sydney, Newtown an ...

and

Alf Blair Alfred Lewis "Smacker" Blair (23 January 1896 – 28 September 1944) was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach whose playing career ran from 1917 to 1930 with South Sydney. A skilled , he made a single appearance for the Australian ...

. Souths raced out to an 11–0 lead at halftime before University scored a converted try to make the score 11–5. After University scored this try they were unable to score any further points and lost the final at the Royal Agricultural Society Grounds in front of 20,000 spectators. Ryan finished the 1926 as the club's top try scorer and top point scorer. Ryan played one last season in 1927 as University finished last on the table claiming another wooden spoon after winning only three games all year. Ryan is University's record try scorer with 25 tries in all competitions.

References

Sydney University rugby league team players Australian rugby league players Rugby league locks Rugby league hookers Rugby league second-rows Rugby league wingers Rugby league centres Year of birth missing Year of death missing Place of birth missing Place of death missing {{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-stub