Meet Bodie Ryan, the draft prospect that stopped expected No. 1 pick Harley Reid

Harley Reid was flying. Three goals in the opening term for the likely No. 1 pick, surely nobody could stop him? Enter Bodie Ryan.

There’s a photo Bodie Ryan would like to replicate on the big stage.

It was taken some time ago, of him and cousin Jakob in their Brighton Bombers gear as kids.

Bodie posted it when Jakob was drafted by Collingwood last year as the Ryan family celebrated one of their own making it to the AFL.

This week it could be Bodie’s turn.

“It would be sick to get a photo of us playing against each other one day (in the AFL) cause yeah we played against each other back here (at Brighton) in the younger days anyway so it would be bloody awesome,” he said.

“He was in the older grade and I would come up and play because there were so many teams back in the juniors so we would end up playing each other.”

To say the cousins are close is probably an understatement.

Bodie Ryan at Brighton Bombers Football Club. Picture: Kelly Barnes

“We actually had a driveway and there were these two houses on the same one (where they lived) so we have been close our whole lives,” Bodie said.

“He has been a bit of a Google for me this year.

“If I have any questions about interviews and what clubs are saying and even just like programs and running he has been really good.”

Jakob made waves for his eye catching mullet in the lead-up to him getting picked up by Collingwood last year.

Bodie also rocks the mullet, and revealed that he was the trendsetter in the Ryan family. A lot of people think I copied him but “I actually had the mullet first back when I was in Year 9 and he just grew his hair out and started growing a mullet because he never really had long hair,” he said.

“People think I’m copying him but he just has a way more filthy one than me.”

Bodie and Jakob Ryan as kids at Brighton Bombers.

Solid defensively, with a love of intercepting the footy, Ryan has spoken to 15 clubs in the lead-up to this week’s draft.

He isn’t expected to have his name called out on Monday’s opening night, with Ryan himself thinking he is “50/50”.

But the Glenelg product does have one big feather in his cap.

He stopped soon to be No. 1 pick Harley Reid when playing for South Australia against Vic Country earlier this year.

“I didn’t have too many expectations coming into the year, I just wanted to play good consistent footy and make the state team but I was overall happy with how I went,” he said.

“One of my goals was if I made the state team I wanted to match up on Harley one game.

“He ended up kicking the first three goals in the first quarter and then they did the position change and put me on him and it worked out well for me (Reid failed to kick another goal for the match).

“It was definitely a bit scary, there was actually like a crowd and a lot of kids calling out his name and I was just there like this kid is actually famous, he is already famous it was good.

“I’m pretty relaxed to be honest, I don’t talk a lot of s**t or anything to my teammate I just don’t like to lose one-on-ones.

Harley Reid is expected to go No. 1 in the draft. Picture: Getty Images

“Once I’ve crossed that white line I’m not losing this game, I care so much.”

With some uncertainty, at least in his eyes, about if he gets picked up Ryan has been trying to keep his mind clear.

He went with some mates down to Schoolies in Victor Harbor but returned early with a potentially massive week in front of him.

“It is definitely nerve racking, it is a nervous time, it is pretty cruel but I’m just trying to hang out with all my mates and my family,” he said.

“You never know, I’m 50/50 to get picked up so it’s a bit of a waiting game.

“I’ve got to look after myself, it will be good to hang around with my mates for the last couple of days if all things go well on Tuesday, which is the likely day for me if it does happen.”