Rhyan Grant

Rhyan Bert Grant (born 26 February 1991) is an Australian professional football player who plays for A-League Men club Sydney FC and the Australia national team.

For other people with similar names, see Ryan Grant.

Rhyan Grant
Grant playing for Sydney FC in 2012
Personal information
Full name Rhyan Bert Grant[1]
Date of birth (1991-02-26) 26 February 1991
Place of birth Canowindra, New South Wales, Australia
Height 1.76 m (5 ft 9 in)[2]
Position(s) Right back
Team information
Current team
 Sydney FC
Number 23
Youth career
Canowindra Juniors
Bathurst '75
2007–2008 NSWIS
2008 AIS
2008-2009 Sydney FC Youth
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 AIS 13 (1)
2008– Sydney FC 257 (13)
International career‡
2009–2011 Australia U20 23 (0)
2011–2012 Australia U23 3 (0)
2018– Australia 21 (1)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 20 May 2023
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 2 February 2022

Born in Canowindra, New South Wales, Grant played youth football at the Australian Institute of Sport before making his professional debut for Sydney FC in 2008. Grant started his career playing in the Midfield before becoming an attacking Right Back known for his supporting play down the wing. He is one of the few players in the A-League to have only played for the one club, is Sydney FC's longest serving player and is in an exclusive club of few to have 300 appearances in all competitions.

Club career

Youth career
Rhyan Grant playing for the Sydney FC Youth team, November 2008.

In June 2008, Grant received an invitation to take up a scholarship at the AIS in Canberra where he was selected despite not fitting into the age criteria for the 2008 scholarship program. After impressing during his three months in the nation's capital, he was signed as a member of Sydney FC's inaugural National Youth League squad in September 2008.[3]

This team finished as champions for the 2008–09 season. He made 15 appearances for the National Youth League team during the season, scoring one goal.[4] After Sydney FC Youth had clinched the National Youth League minor premiership by winning 13 and drawing two of their 18 regular season games,[5] they progressed to the Grand Final where they met Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide on 21 February 2009. Grant played the full 90 minutes as Sydney FC triumphed 2–0.[6]

Sydney FC

During the National Youth League season, Grant also managed to earn a call-up to the senior team. On 21 December 2008, Grant made his senior debut for Sydney FC against Perth Glory at the Sydney Football Stadium, appearing as a 78th-minute substitute for Antony Golec. The game was won 4–1 by Perth Glory.[7] He was an unused substitute as Sydney FC lost 3–2 to Melbourne Victory at the Telstra Dome on 27 December 2008.[8] Grant then appeared as a 71st-minute substitute for Shannon Cole as Sydney FC lost 2–0 to Adelaide United at the Adelaide Oval on 3 January 2009.[9] On 11 January 2009, Rhyan Grant made his starting debut against Wellington Phoenix at the Sydney Football Stadium, and played the full 90 minutes as Sydney FC won 1–0.[10]

He also played a full game in Sydney FC's 3–1 defeat by Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium on 17 January 2009, and provided the cross from which Kofi Danning scored in the 25th minute.[11] Rhyan Grant also started Sydney FC's final game of the A-League season, a 4–0 win over the Newcastle Jets at the Sydney Football Stadium on 25 January 2009. He was replaced in the 86th minute by Terry McFlynn.[12]

Grant finished the 2008–09 A-League season with five senior appearances. He wore shirt number 34 in these five matches.[13] He was then given shirt number 23 for the 2009–10 A-League season as he earned a full senior contract.[14]

After a successful start to his senior career, Grant looked to cement a permanent first team spot in the 2009–10 season after impressing early in Sydney's undefeated run of pre-season trials.[15] He ended up playing 9 games, starting 3, and winning his first Premiership.

He signed a new two-year contract with Sydney FC on 27 August 2010.[16]

Grant scored his first senior goal for Sydney FC against the Central Coast Mariners in a 1–1 draw during the 2010–11 A-League season.[17]

At the end of the 2012–13 season, Grant was selected to play for the A-League All Star team against Manchester United in Sydney on 20 July 2013. Grant was substituted onto the field for Michael McGlinchey in the match.

Grant's 2013–14 campaign ended prematurely in Round 3 at home to the Western Sydney Wanderers. Grant was contesting a tackle, when his foot was caught in the pitch causing him to rupture his anterior cruciate ligament. The injury required surgery and kept him out for the rest of the season.[18][19]

The following year, Grant's long-awaited return from injury came on 22 November 2014 when he was selected on the bench against the newly re-branded Melbourne City FC in Round 7. Grant was substituted onto the field for Ali Abbas in the 68th minute.[20] For the rest of the season, Grant was consistently a part of the match-day squads, but mainly used of the bench, starting only a handful of games. The new Sydney FC coach, Graham Arnold, cited the reason for this was largely due to Grant missing a lot of tactical sessions during pre-season as he was returning from injury.[21] Grant scored his first goal since coming back from injury in the Round 18 clash of the 2014–15 A-League season against Central Coast Mariners at Allianz Stadium with a 25-yard screamer in which Sydney FC would go on to win 4–2.[22] Days later, Grant was rewarded for his form after returning from injury with a 2-year contract extension, along with teammate Sebastian Ryall.[23] Prior to Grant's injury in 2013, he was mainly deployed as a utility player at the club but Arnold believed he would excel at right fullback and had agreed with Grant to concentrate on these qualities in the 2015 off-season.[21]

Grant began his transformation as specialized fullback during the 2015–16 A-League season, starting in all matches up until Round 26 as either a right or left back, missing only one game through suspension.[24]

The 2016–17 season was another breakout season for Grant. He played every minute of every match in all competitions of the season, scoring 2 and assisting 5 while mainly playing in the right-back position. He would continue his success by scoring in the 69th minute of the grand final against Melbourne Victory to make it 1–1, where Sydney would eventually win 4–2 on penalties to lift the double. His form throughout the season earned him a call-up to Australian national soccer team 30-man train-on squad for the 2017 Confederations Cup. However, on 30 May 2017, it was announced that he did not make the final 23-man squad.[25] Grant was also rewarded for his fantastic season by being selected for the 2016–17 PFA Team of the Season.[26]

Grant suffered another anterior cruciate ligament injury in July 2017, keeping him out of the game for several months.[27] The injury was sustained to his left knee this time, whereas the injury in 2013 was his right knee.[28] Grant was able to return to training by the end of the season and had made himself available for selection for the final game of the regular season.[29] However, ultimately Grant did not appear in either of Sydney FC's remaining two games of the season.

On Saturday, 10 November 2018 Grant went on to play his 150th appearance in the A-League against Newcastle Jets.[30] One month later on 21 December 2018, he became the first player in Sydney FC history to reach ten years as player at the club. The occasion was marked two days later when he played against Perth Glory, the same team he played in his league debut ten years earlier.[31] He became only the third player to achieve this in A-League history, after Leigh Broxham at Melbourne Victory and Andrew Durante at Wellington Phoenix.[32] Grant's early season form was rewarded with a call-up to the national team for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in January. This resulted in him missing seven games for the Sky Blues during a busy January period for the club before returning for the Round 17 match against Melbourne City. Grant started in all remaining league games and by season's end found himself again selected in the PFA A-League Team of the Season. A minor hamstring concern in the final round of the season against Newcastle Jets could not stop the 28-year-old from participating in the A-League final series, starting in the home semi-final against arch rivals, Melbourne Victory. With Sydney leading the game 5–0, Grant was substituted off in the 71st minute to save him for the Grand Final. The following weekend, Grant played in the Grand Final decider against Perth Glory at Optus Stadium. Throughout the game, Grant had a growing duel with former Socceroo, Jason Davidson which eventually lead to Grant receiving a yellow card in the 88th minute. Prior to and after this, the crowd of close to 60,000 had rung out a chorus of boos every time Grant had touched the ball. The effect of the constant taunting resulted in Grant putting his hand up to take a penalty in the shootout when the match ended nil-all after extra time. He was the third Sydney player to convert his penalty on the way to the club winning the shoot-out 4–1.[33]

He scored the winning goal in the 2020 A-League Grand Final, off the chest from inside the six-yard box, in the 100th minute, winning his third Championship as well as his third Premiership as Sydney FC finished top of the table that season also. He won the Joe Marston Medal as man of the match.

In the Round 22 fixture of the 2022-23 A-League Men season, Grant would become the first Sydney FC player to reach 300 games for the club in all competitions.[34]

International career

He was selected for the training squad for Australia's 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup team.[35] Grant then went on to play in several competitions with the Young Socceroos in the Netherlands, one of which they won.

Grant was chosen as a train on player for Australia's friendly against South Korea in November 2018.[36] For the match against Lebanon he was selected for the squad[37] and made his debut, playing the full match.[38] In December 2018, it was announced that Grant had made the final 23-man squad for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.[39] Grant replaced an injured Josh Risdon at half-time of the first game of the group stage against Jordan.[40] He would go on to play the remaining fixtures for Australia, totaling 5 appearances for the campaign, whilst wearing the number 4 jersey previously worn by Socceroo great, Tim Cahill.

On September 7, 2021, Grant scored his first international goal as Socceroos beat Vietnam 1–0 away; he was earlier responsible for a potential handball on the penalty area before getting relief as no penalty was given.[41]

Personal life and philanthropy

Grant is an avid surfer.[42] In 2018, whilst surfing off Collaroy Beach he was nearly killed in a freak accident when he was dumped in heavy swell, and was trapped beneath a sewage pipe.[43] He suffered a broken arm and ribs as a result of the incident which saw him miss the first few weeks of the 2018-19 A-League season.

Grant is well known for his Mullet hairstyle, which he grew whilst recovering from his second anterior cruciate ligament injury.[44] During the 2019 Asian Cup it was revealed that Grant was required to seek special approval from the Asian Football Confederation regarding his mullet, as a result of the United Arab Emirates Football Association guidelines which prohibit 'unusual or offensive' haircuts or coloring.[45]

In 2018 Grant took part in the Chappell Foundation's 'sleep out for youth homelessness' at the Sydney Cricket Ground, raising nearly $5,000 in the process.[46]

In 2021 Grant raised over $25,000 when he participated in the 'World's Greatest Shave' for the Leukaemia Foundation in which he shaved off his famous hairstyle, following in the footsteps of fellow Sydney FC players Luke Brattan and Andrew Redmayne who had participated in the charity event the year previously.[47]

Career statistics

Club
As of 19 May 2023[48]
Club Season League[lower-alpha 1] Cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental[lower-alpha 3] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Australian Institute of Sport2008[49]Victorian Premier League 1310000131
Sydney FC 2008–09 A-League 5000-50
2009–10 9000-90
2010–11 1110050161
2011–12 22000-220
2012–13 25200-252
2013–14 3000-30
2014–15 20100-201
2015–16 2402171332
2016–17 27350-323
2017–18 0000-00
2018–19 2204040300
2019–20 2221060292
2020–21 2310000231
2021–22 21 1 3 0 5 0 29 1
2022–23 28 2 3 0 0 0 31 2
Sydney FC total 2621118127130714
Career total 2751412122129416
  1. A-League statistics include final series matches
  2. Includes the FFA Cup only
  3. All appearance(s) in AFC Champions League

International
As of 7 September 2021[50]
Australia
YearAppsGoals
201820
2019100
202121
Total141

International goals
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.7 September 2021Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam Vietnam1–01–02022 FIFA World Cup qualification

Honours

Club
Sydney FC

Individual

References
  1. "FIFA U-20 World Cup Egypt 2009™: List of Players: Australia" (PDF). FIFA. 6 October 2009. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 October 2009.
  2. "Rhyan Grant". sydneyfc.com. Sydney FC. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  3. Stars in his eyes
  4. Sydney FC Youth Stats Archived 1 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  5. 2008–09 National Youth League final ladder Archived 1 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  6. Junior Sky Blues take Youth League title Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. No Glory for Sydney in luckless clash with Perth Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Dramatic Melbourne fight-back denies Sydney victory Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Desperate Sydney repelled by Reds Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Sydney scores vital win in SFS clash with Wellington Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Van Dijk triple bursts Sydney’s finals bubble Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Sydney finishes in style by shooting down the Jets Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  13. Rhyan Grant Soccernet profile
  14. Sydney FC Profile Archived 20 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  15. Sydney Maintain Unbeaten Run
  16. "Grant signs two-year deal with Sydney FC". Sydney Morning Herald. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  17. Sygall, David (29 August 2010). "Reddy off as penalty rocks Sydney". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  18. AAP (28 October 2013). "Sydney FC's Rhyan Grant Out For Season With Torn ACL". abc.net.au. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  19. Orr, Michael (28 October 2013). "Rhyan Grant will miss this season with ACL injury". sbnation.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  20. "Melbourne City V Sydney FC". football-lineups.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  21. Hassett, Sebastian (9 April 2015). "Mickael Tavares ruled out for Sydney FC but Graham Arnold backs Rhyan Grant to shine". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  22. Smithies, Tom (22 February 2014). "Sydney FC v Mariners: Sky Blues come from behind to defeat Central Coast 4–2 at Allianz Stadium". Fox Sports (via Daily Telegraph). Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  23. Smithies, Tom (24 February 2014). "Sydney FC re-sign Seb Ryall and Rhyan Grant, switch focus to securing Shane Smeltz's future". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  24. "Grant 2015-16 analysis". football-lineups.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  25. Smithies, Tom (30 May 2017). "Sydney FC defender Rhyan Grant out as Ange Postecoglou trims Socceroos squad for crucial games". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  26. "A League team of the season 2016-17 PFA choice for seasons best". Fox Sports. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
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  28. Adno, Carly (20 July 2017). "Jordy Buijs says Sydney FC rallying behind Rhyan Grant after knee injury threatens A-League season". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  29. "Rhyan Grants long road to recovery and how Graham Arnold changed his career". goal.com. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  30. "Rhyan Grant reflects on 150 games". sydneyfc.com. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  31. "Rhyan Grant to become first player to mark 10 years at Sydney FC". Western Advocate. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  32. Bossi, Dominic (19 December 2018). "Grant facing familiar foes to celebrate 10 years with Sydney FC". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  33. Bossi, Dominic (20 May 2019). "Perth Glory boo boys motivated me to take a penalty: Rhyan Grant". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  34. Monteverde, Marco. "Rhyan Grant to become the first player to make 300 appearances for Sydney FC". news.com.au. Retrieved 4 April 2023.
  35. Young Socceroos 25-man Squad Named
  36. Rosengarten, Jake (8 November 2018). "Socceroos squad v South Korea: James Jeggo included, A-League stars named as 'train-on' players". Fox Sports.
  37. "Socceroos call-ups for Rhyan Grant and Craig Goodwin for Lebanon match". The Australian. 19 November 2018.
  38. "Something special is coming, says Socceroos boss Arnold". The World Game. SBS. 20 November 2018.
  39. "Caltex Socceroos Squad AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 finalised". Football Federation Australia. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  40. Kemp, Emma (8 January 2019). "Asian Cup 2019 injury crisis deepens for Socceroos". The Australian. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  41. "Socceroos beat Vietnam 1-0 in World Cup Qualifier as Australia's winning streak reaches 10 games - ABC News".
  42. "Rhyan Grant: The man behind the mullet". Fox Sports Australia. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  43. Francis, Kieran. "'I stopped fighting' - Rhyan Grant reveals his close brush with death". Goal.com.au. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  44. Rugari, Vince. "Why a Socceroos star feared shaving his mullet could impact his career". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 6 April 2023.
  45. Thomas, Josh. "Grant's mullet needed AFC approval". Goal.com.au. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  46. "Sydney FC star opens up on sleepout for youth homelessness". Keep Up. Retrieved 7 April 2023.
  47. Curulli, Chris. "https://www.socceroos.com.au/news/rhyan-grant-completes-worlds-greatest-shave". MyFootball. Retrieved 7 April 2023. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  48. "Rhyan Grant". ALeagueStats.com. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  49. "2008 Victorian Premier League Results". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
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  52. Harrington, Anna (20 May 2022). "ALM young guns get shot against Barcelona". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 20 May 2022.
  53. "PFA reveals LUCRF Super A-League Team of the Season". 23 June 2021. Retrieved 23 June 2021.
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