Canterbury great Andrew Ryan to play for Bulldogs in NRL Nines
Canterbury coach Dean Pay is ready to take a basketful of Bulldogs pups to Perth for the upcoming Nines – plus former skipper Andrew “Bobcat” Ryan making a surprise comeback.
Bulldogs
Don't miss out on the headlines from Bulldogs. Followed categories will be added to My News.
There’s a Bobcat heading to Perth.
Nine years after he last pulled on the Canterbury jersey, Andrew “Bobcat” Ryan is set to make his rugby league comeback for the club.
Ryan, 41, will pull the boots back on for his beloved Bulldogs as a surprise inclusion in coach Dean Pay’s playing squad for the upcoming NRL Perth Nines.
Ryan, who retired from the NRL in 2011 after captaining the Dogs to the 2004 premiership and 218 appearances in total for the blue and whites, will also play a key role as mentor for the February 14-15 tournament in WA.
LIVE stream Indigenous All-Stars v Maori Kiwis in the 2020 Harvey Norman NRL All Stars match on KAYO. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >
Pay is set to name a youthful Bulldogs squad for the short-form competition, which is why the possibility of Ryan’s return was first raised.
The former Test and NSW Origin forward’s experience will also aid the leadership of Corey Harawira-Naera, who will take over from Josh Jackson as captain for the Nines.
Jackson has been ruled unavailable after minor surgery for a broken nose.
Harawira-Naera’s elevation to the captaincy is a story within itself and evidence of his respect within the Belmore inner-sanctum after only arriving at the club from Penrith last season.
“Having someone of Bobcat’s experience with the squad for the tournament will be fantastic for our young guys,’’ Pay said.
“He was one of the great Bulldogs and just having him around the group and for the guys to be able to learn from him and chat to him about the game will be of great benefit to them.
“It’s really important that we keep that connection to our past and help our young players learn from their experiences.”
Ryan’s comeback continues a common trend of previous Nines tournaments which has seen retirees Brad Fittler, Jason Croker, Ken Nagas and Steve Menzies all pull on the colours of their former club.
Supporting Ryan in Perth as a fellow-retiree will be the Gold Coast Titans Michael Gordon.
Gordon will be named in the Titans squad despite retiring from the NRL at the end of the last season.
Meanwhile, the Roosters side will also feature the rugby league debut of former AFL star and Sydney Swans gun Nick Davis.
Ryan, who played for New South Wales in 12 State of Origin matches, in addition to representing Australia on eleven occasions, recently performed well for the Bulldogs team in the Legends of League tournament held in Newcastle last November.
He will play at some stage during the Bulldogs two matches against the Parramatta Eels and Cronulla Sharks.
The Bulldogs will name their full squad for the Tournament next week.
MORE NEWS
How Liverpool can really sink boot into Pep’s pretenders
Perry: Aussies will be ‘humming’ when it counts
2020 NRL NINES POOLS
Pool 1: Panthers, Warriors, Roosters, Knights
Pool 2: Bulldogs, Dragons, Eels, Sharks
Pool 3: Raiders, Wests Tigers, Titans, Rabbitohs
Pool 4: Cowboys, Storm, Broncos, Sea Eagles
2020 NRL NINES SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 14
4.05pm: Warriors (W) v Roosters (W)
4.30pm: Panthers v Roosters
4.55pm: Warriors v Knights
5.20pm: Bulldogs v Eels
5.45pm: Dragons v Sharks
6.10pm: Raiders v Titans
6.35pm: Wests Tigers v Rabbitohs
7pm: Cowboys v Broncos
7.25pm: Storm v Sea Eagles
8.05pm: Broncos (W) v Dragons (W)
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 15
10.20am: Roosters (W) v Broncos (W)
10.45am: Warriors (W) v Dragons (W)
11.10am: Knights v Panthers
11.35am: Roosters v Warriors
12pm: Sharks v Bulldogs
12.25pm: Eels v Dragons
12.55pm: Rabbitohs v Raiders
1.20pm: Titans v Wests Tigers
1.45pm: Sea Eagles v Cowboys
2.10pm: Broncos v Storm
2.40pm: Quarter Final 1 – 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B
3.05pm: Quarter Final 2 -1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A
3.30pm: Quarter Final 3 -1st Pool C v 2nd Pool D
3.55pm: Quarter Final 4 -1st Pool D v 2nd Pool C
4.20pm: Broncos (W) v Warriors (W)
4.45pm: Dragons (W) v Roosters (W)
5.20pm: Semi Final 1 – Winner Quarter Final 1 v Winner Quarter Final 2
5.45pm: Semi Final 1 – Winner Quarter Final 2 v Winner Quarter Final 4
6.25pm: Women’s Final
7pm: Men’s Final