Ryan Lester

Ryan Lester (born 26 August 1992) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Ryan Lester
Lester in April 2019
Personal information
Full name Ryan Lester
Date of birth (1992-08-26) 26 August 1992
Original team(s) Oakleigh Chargers (TAC Cup)
Draft No. 28, 2010 national draft
Debut Round 1, 2011, Brisbane Lions vs. Fremantle, at the Gabba
Height 191 cm (6 ft 3 in)
Weight 85 kg (187 lb)
Position(s) Utility
Club information
Current club Brisbane Lions
Number 35
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2011– Brisbane Lions 179 (47)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of preliminary final, 2023.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

AFL Career

Ryan attended Glen Waverley Secondary College in Melbourne's Eastern suburbs.

Lester was selected with the 28th pick in the 2010 AFL draft.

He made his debut in Round 1 of the 2011 AFL season against the Fremantle Dockers.

Ryan injured his lisfranc ligament, which is the ligament that stabilises the first and second metatarsal bones, against the Melbourne Demons in round 3.[1] Lester did not play again for that season.

In his 2nd season with the Lions, Lester was named in the squad 18 times throughout the season. In round 6, 2012, Lester finished with a career high 27 disposals in Brisbane's 115-55 loss against the Swans.[2].

In 2014, Lester signed a 2 year extension to stay with the Lions.

In 2017, under the clubs first season with Chris Fagan as head coach, Lester played all 22 games for the first and only time in his career[3]

Lester was offered ongoing 1 year contracts from 2019 until 2022[3]. At the conclusion of the 2022 season, Lester was delisted[4]. However, Fagan brought the defender back in the 2022 rookie draft, and made him captain of the Lions VFL team.

Lester was not given a game in the Lions squad until round 7, when an injury to teammate Darcy Gardiner gave the defender an opportunity back in the squad. Lester was again dropped in round 11, but would later return to the Lions best 22 in round 14. After his return to the squad, Lester had a career best year. Midway through the 2023 season, Lester signed a 1 year contract with Brisbane, keeping him at the Lions until the end of the 2024 season [5]. Lester played in the Lions 2023 Grand Final loss to the Magpies.

Personal Life

Ryan is married to Emi Lester (nee Zorko), sister of teammate and former Lions captain, Dayne Zorko[6]. The couple got married on 13th October, 2018[7]. Together they have 2 children; a son named Romeo, born on the 8th August 2020, and a daughter named Georgie, born on the 21st May, 2022[8].

Lester completed a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Finance through Swinburne[3].

Statistics

Updated to the end of round 22, 2022 [9]

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game) Votes
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2011Brisbane Lions35 3211522371110.70.35.07.312.33.70.30
2012Brisbane Lions35 193416812028877300.20.28.86.315.24.11.60
2013Brisbane Lions35 164512214726946410.30.37.69.216.82.92.60
2014Brisbane Lions35 143111614826449650.20.18.310.618.93.54.60
2015Brisbane Lions35 982606012038210.90.26.76.713.34.22.30
2016Brisbane Lions35 1911911111322463500.60.55.85.911.83.32.60
2017Brisbane Lions35 22148198159357117630.60.49.07.216.25.32.91
2018Brisbane Lions35 150213310724069400.00.18.97.116.04.62.70
2019Brisbane Lions35 900812710832300.00.09.03.012.03.63.30
2020[lower-alpha 1]Brisbane Lions35 15011077017762350.00.17.14.711.84.12.30
2021Brisbane Lions35 17101128619872320.10.06.65.111.64.21.90
2022Brisbane Lions35 30016925460.00.05.33.08.31.32.0—
Career 16146331239106823076404140.30.27.76.614.34.02.61

Notes

  1. The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

References
  1. "Polec blow for Lions". sportal.com.au.
  2. "Ryan Lester | AFL". lions.com.au. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  3. Stafford, Andrew (26 September 2023). "He was dropped 17 times, delisted, made VFL captain. Now he'll play in an AFL grand final". The Age. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  4. "Former Cat among three Lions delisted, set to get lifeline". afl.com.au. 21 October 2022. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  5. "McInerney and Lester Sign On". lions.com.au. 14 August 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  6. "Lester plays 'hardball'". lions.com.au. 18 February 2014. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  7. "Instagram". www.instagram.com. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  8. "Ryan Lester Welcomes Baby Girl". lions.com.au. 22 May 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2023.
  9. "Ryan Lester". AFL Tables. Retrieved 19 August 2022.
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