Ryan Houlihan
| Ryan Houlihan | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Ryan Houlihan | ||
| Nickname(s) | (Houla) Hoops | ||
| Date of birth | 21 January 1982 | ||
| Place of birth | Wahgunyah, Victoria | ||
| Original team(s) | Murray Bushrangers (TAC Cup) | ||
| Draft | No. 73, 1999 National Draft, Carlton | ||
| Height | 187 cm (6 ft 2 in) | ||
| Weight | 85 kg (187 lb) | ||
| Position(s) | Forward/ Defender/ Utility | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 2000–2011 | Carlton | 201 (127) | |
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1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2011.
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| Career highlights | |||
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| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Ryan Houlihan (born 21 January 1982) is an Australian rules footballer who played 12 seasons and 201 games for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League from 2000 to 2011.
Ryan is the third of four brothers who were all drafted to AFL clubs: Damian Houlihan, Adam Houlihan and Josh Houlihan, from Wahgunyah on the Murray River, in northern Victoria. He has been by far the most successful of the four. An uncle, Paul O'Donoghue also played for North Melbourne in 1976. Prior to being recruited by Carlton, at pick No. 73 in the 1999 AFL Draft, Houlihan played as a junior for Corowa-Rutherglen and for the Murray Bushrangers under 18 team. He was named All Australian Under 16 in 1998 and represented Australia in the 1999 youth series against Ireland. Houlihan was named in the Murray Bushrangers' best team of all time (1993–2012).
Houlihan made his debut for the Carlton Football Club around the middle of the 2000 season. The Carlton team of 2000 was a particularly strong one, with many great names such as Craig Bradley, Stephen Silvagni and Anthony Koutoufides and finished second at the end of the home and away season. Houlihan quickly had an impact for Carlton as a classy, skilful, running forward, with an uncanny ability to kick goals. For a skinny 18-year-old, pick No. 73, then weighing just 71 kg to break into that side and play every game from Round 17, including all three finals was an excellent accomplishment, exceeding expectations. Houlihan ended up played 13 games in his debut season and was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award after a 20 possession game in the Round 20 blockbuster against Essendon before over 90,000 people. Houlihan also received the Carlton Past Players Encouragement Award for his debut season.
Houlihan continued on from his impressive debut season with an even better year in 2001, continuing as a forward. He played 23 of 24 games (missing one with injury) and kicked 28 goals. He played an important part, kicking three goals, when an undermanned Carlton had a surprise victory over reigning premiers Essendon in Round 3 and again in the Round 20 win over St Kilda. He also had a number of two-goal games that year.
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