Shaun Ryan

About Shaun Ryan

Barrister and AFL Grand Final Umpire Shaun Ryan was born in Warrnambool in1975. He has a twin brother, Patrick and six other siblings. He attended Our Lady Help of Christians Primary School before starting at Emmanuel College. Graduating in the Class of 1993, Shaun was the College Vice Captain and the recipient of the All Rounder Award for sporting and academic excellence.

Shaun graduated from Deakin University with a Bachelor of Law (with Honours) and a Bachelor of Arts.

After completing articles in 1999 with Kenyons Lawyers, Shaun was admitted as a Solicitor. In 2003, at age 27 he became a Partner of Kenyons Lawyers, and was believed to be one of the youngest in Melbourne at the time.

In 2005 Shaun decided to become a Barrister and after completing the Victorian Bar Course, signed the Bar Roll to become a member of the Victorian Bar in May 2005. Shaun has been a Barrister since then, with his main area of practice being civil litigation.

Shaun's family grew up in a racing family with his father Pat being a leading jockey in the western district during the 60's and uncle (Pat Hyland) winning the Melbourne Cup in 1985 as a jockey.
Apart from racing, football was Shaun's main interest and he played with South Warrnambool Juniors from age 12 to 16.

When Shaun was 16 he began competing in triathlons and he needed a part time job so began umpiring with the Warrnambool Umpires in around 1991 to earn some pocket money.

At 17 years Shaun umpired his first Hampden League Senior game - one of the youngest umpires to do so at that time.

Moving to Geelong in 1994 for University, Shaun continued to umpire with the Geelong umpires. He umpired the 1994 Geelong and District Grand Final, 1995 Bellarine Grand Final and 1996 Geelong Football League Grand Final.

Shaun was invited to join the VFL development squad in 1997. In 1998 he umpired the VFL Reserves Grand Final, in 2001 the Under 18 Grand Final and in 2002 he umpired the VFL Senior Grand Final.

In 2003 was invited to trial for an AFL Senior position and was successful.

AFL Career
1st Game round 1, 2003 -
St.Kilda v Kangaroos

Total Games to date (until this
weekend 23/9/11) 215

24 Finals Games

5 Grand Finals (2008, 2009, 2010 and 2010 Replay, 2011)

3 Pre-Season Grand Finals

5 Anzac Day games

Ian Coates Medal Winner for Best First or Second Year AFL Umpire (twice) - 2003 and 2004

Bishop Shield Winner (AFL Umpires Association award for outstanding performance on field and contribution to Association) - 2005

All Australian Umpire (best field umpire for the year - judged by umpire coaches) 2010

Member of the AFL umpires leadership group
from 2006 until 2011.

Quickest Field Umpire in history to get to 100 and 200 games.