Ryley Sanders (Photo: AFL)
Any young midfielder will find it tough to crack into the best 22 at any team in their first season but Tasmanian Ryley Sanders will have it tougher than most. With the Western Bulldogs boasting a riches of midfield stock, he is just happy to learn from the best.
Selected with the Western Bulldogs’ first pick and the sixth pick overall, midfielder Ryley Sanders became the newest pup at the kennel. The first thing on his mind though was the plethora of midfield talent including Tom Liberatore, Adam Treloar and Marcus Bontempelli, he will have access to as a young player finding his feet.
“[I’m] just super stoked to be at the Dogs, [it’s a] dream come true,” Sanders told the media on Monday night.
“[The Bulldogs] have so many amazing midfielders that I’m keen to learn off but [I was] definitely really nervous before the draft.”
Sanders elaborated on his desire to learn and get better as well as his willingness to be played where needed in Luke Beveridge’s side.
“I’m excited [to play alongside] all of [the midfielders],” he said.
“As I was saying, they’ve got so many a-grade midfielders so I think it’s so exciting for me to learn off them and hopefully be as good a player as them.
“I’m going to make sure I work as hard as I can, it’s going to be a tough midfield to crack into so might have to start in other positions but more than happy to do that.”
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In one of the worst-kept draft secrets, the Western Bulldogs were eager to take Sanders from a fair-way out from the draft. He explained his recount of their interest and the moment he learnt he would likely land at the Dogs.
“It was a bit of a weird one, I spoke to them for about 10 minutes twice at the start of the year for the Allies in the National Academy and then didn’t speak to them until the week of the combine,” Sanders said.
“After they traded up, I got [inclinations] from my manager that they were interested in getting a midfielder, so [I] spoke to them on the Monday of the combine and then at the combine again.
“[Eventually] then word got around that I was probably going to go there so when I found that out I was super excited.”
When asked what player Sanders wanted to be like, his answer epitomised someone who skipped his school formal to attend training at Sandringham.
“I just think [I want to be] someone who prides themselves on being the best version of himself,” he said.
“I think I’ve done a good job this year of just being really professional and getting the absolute best out of myself.
“I’m so keen because I know I can take that to the next level when I can just focus on footy, that’s all I really want out of myself is just to know I’m going to get the best out of myself and I know that hopefully good footy comes from that.”
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