THE COUSIN of a Richmond player native to Queensland, plying his trade in the Sydney Swans Academy via Port Macquarie. Tom Ryan is one of the more intriguing over-age prospects in this year’s pool and will don the red and white after noted interest from St Kilda before last year’s AFL Draft. We chatted to the key forward for a preseason Q&A.

>> MORE Q&As: Noah Chamberlain | Kaiden McNamara

PRESEASON Q&A

Q: Tom, can you give an insight into your footballing journey?

TR: I’m from Port Macquarie, back on the North Coast. I’ve moved down [for] uni this year in Sydney, but played my whole junior career with the Magpies players up there. I’ve been in the Academy for two years now. I used to be as a junior and then I got dropped out of it at Under 16s level, then came back in.

Q: What was the process like being dropped and working your way back in?

TR: I probably developed a bit later than everyone else and came… it was actually only one year off, and I’d grown a lot more. My skills had probably developed a lot more as well. The North Coast coach from back home and the Swans [got me] to come down and try out, then it just came from there.

Q: How much interest did you have heading into the draft last year?

TR: I had another club, S Kilda, they were pretty interested. I did some similar testing to [the combine] down there with them. That was about it.

Q: Coming back as an over-ager, what sort of things have you been adding to your game?

TR: I think for the leadership group this year as Under 19s, we’ve got to step it up and drive the standard, especially as the Under 17 boys come into the group, just to make that group whole. That’s something I’m working on with the boys, and from an on-field perspective, I’ve worked over a lot of speed during the offseason. I’m trying to work on that and my agility.

Q: Will you still be playing mainly as a key forward?

TR: In the match-sim stuff I’ve been working in the forwardline, so that’s hopefully the focus this year. Maybe a bit of change into the ruck if I need to, but mainly the forwardline.

Q: What are some of your strengths?

TR: I’d say my biggest strength is definitely contested marking, whether that’s around the ground or it’s in the forward 50 deep. Then obviously a pretty good goal set shot routine that works well for me. I think this year I really want to have my hands a lot better and break into the game that way as well.

Q: Do you watch a lot of football?

TR: Yeah, I watch a lot. Pretty well most games on the weekend… I go for the Tigers actually, my cousin Samson plays for them and most of my family goes for them as well.

Q: Do you keep in touch and ask for advice from Samson?

TR: I usually talk to him a fair bit and he gives me good insight and tells me about what it’s like down with the Tigers and stuff… we usually see them each year and we’re pretty close.

Q: Are there any players you look up to or mould your game on?

TR: I like Sam Reid from the Swans. Now he’s [retired], but he’s just got that really nice contested mark, gets up the ground. He’s a real hard-working player, you see him cutting up through the ground. I like to base my game off that sort of thing.

Q: Which teammate do you think we should look out for to have a big season?

TR: I think Max King is in for a really big year. He was a bit injured last year, but if he can stay fit I think he’s really in for a big one and I can’t wait to see what he can do.

>> AFL DRAFT: Northern Academy prospects pick their breakout contenders

Q: What are your goals for the year?

TR: Personally I just want to play some really good footy and get to myself put forward to any selection I can, into whatever squad I can make and just see where I can go.