Dan Ryan (netball)

Dan Ryan is an Australian netball player, coach, sports journalist and broadcaster. He is currently the head coach of the West Coast Fever in the Australian Suncorp Super Netball competition.^[3]

Dan Ryan

Personal information
Full name	Dan Ryan
Born	1984 (age 40–41) Melbourne, Victoria, Australia[1][2]
University	RMIT University
Netball career
Playing position(s): GA, GS
Years	Club team(s)	Apps
2000–2016	Victorian Cyclones
2019–	Knights
Years	National team(s)	Caps
2003–2016	Australia Men
Coaching career
Years	Team(s)
2003–2006	Corio
2013	Southern Force
2015–2016	Manchester Thunder
2016–2018	Adelaide Thunderbirds
2018–2021	Northern Ireland
2019–2021	Leeds Rhinos
2022–	West Coast Fever

He was head coach of Manchester Thunder during the 2016 Netball Superleague season when they finished top of the table during the regular season and runners up in the grand final. He was subsequently head coach of Adelaide Thunderbirds for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. He was an assistant coach when Thunderbirds won the 2013 ANZ Championship and when Manchester Thunder won the 2019 Netball Superleague title. As a player, Ryan captained both the Victorian Cyclones and Australia Men. As a sports journalist and broadcaster, Ryan has worked for various organisations, including Network 10 and Sky Sports.

Early life, family and education

Ryan was raised in the Little River, Corio and Geelong areas of Victoria, Australia. He was one of four brothers. He was first inspired to play netball by his mother who played in local leagues. In 1992, at the age of 8, he began playing in Corio Netball Association competitions, initially in girls-only leagues. When he was 12 the association introduced mixed competitions.^{[4][5][6][7][8]} Between 2007 and 2011, Ryan attended RMIT University where he studied Communications and Journalism.^[9]

Playing career

At the age of 14, Ryan was selected to play for the Victorian Cyclones men's under-19 team and at 15 was playing for the senior team. In 2003, aged 18, he made his senior debut for the Australia Men. Ryan went on to captain both the senior Victorian Cyclones and Australia Men's teams.^{[4][5][6][7][8][10]} While still an active player, Ryan also began coaching. Between 2003 and 2006 he coached the senior netball team at Corio Community Sports Club^[11] While working in England, Ryan played for the Knights, a men's netball team. He made his Knights debut at the 2020 Big Showdown.^[12][13][14]

Sports Broadcaster

As a sports journalist and broadcaster, Ryan has worked for various organisations, including Network 10 and Sky Sports.

Years	Organisation	Role
2008	Geelong Advertiser[6]	Netball correspondent
2007–2008	Seven Network	Junior reporter for Seven News Melbourne
2009–2012	Network 10[1][4][5][6]	Worked as an ANZ Championship commentator. Served as a commentator and reporter at both the gymnastics and netball at the 2010 Commonwealth Games
2010	Sky Sports	Commentator at 2010 World Netball Series
2012	Fox Sports	Constellation Cup and Quad Series commentator
2012–2013	Tennis Australia	Presenter, commentator, scriptwriter. Worked on Australian Open coverage.
2014	Sky News Australia	Sports presenter/reporter
2019–	Sky Sports[15][16][17]	Netball pundit at the 2019 Netball World Cup

Source:^[9]

Coaching career

Adelaide Thunderbirds

Between 2012 and 2015, Ryan served an assistant coach at Adelaide Thunderbirds. In late 2011 he was approached by Thunderbirds head coach, Jane Woodlands-Thompson, and offered the job. He was subsequently a member of the Thunderbirds coaching staff when they won the 2013 ANZ Championship.^[7][8] In 2013, while with Thunderbirds, Ryan also served as head coach for their Australian Netball League affiliate, Southern Force.^[1][9][18] After a season away with Manchester Thunder, Ryan returned to Thunderbirds and served as head coach for the 2017 and 2018 seasons.^{[8][19][20][21]}

Manchester Thunder

In 2015 Ryan was appointed head coach of Manchester Thunder.^[1][18] During the 2016 Netball Superleague season he guided Thunder as they finished top of the table during the regular season and runners up in the grand final.^{[2][8][22][23]} He left Thunder to return to Adelaide Thunderbirds as head coach.^[19][20] Ryan re-joined Thunder for the 2019 season and served as an assistant coach to Karen Greig as Thunder won the title.^{[15][24][25][26][27]}

Northern Ireland

In November 2018 Ryan was appointed head coach of Northern Ireland.^[28][29] Ryan subsequently coached Northern Ireland at the 2019 Netball World Cup.^{[30][31][32][33]} In August 2019 it was announced that Ryan would continue to serve as Northern Ireland's head coach.^[34][35]

Ryan stepped down from the role in April 2021.^[36]

Tournaments	Place
2019 Netball World Cup[33][37][38]	10th
2019 European Netball Championship[39]

Leeds Rhinos

It August 2019 Ryan was appointed head coach of Leeds Rhinos as part of their preparations for joining the Netball Superleague in 2021.^{[14][40][41][42][43][44]}

Ryan left the Rhinos after the 2021 Netball Superleague season in which the club qualified for the finals series in fourth place, to return to Australia.^[45]

West Coast Fever

Ryan was appointed head coach of the West Coast Fever upon his return to Australia in September 2021. Ryan replaced incoming Australia Diamonds coach Stacey Marinkovich.^[3][46]

In his first season, Ryan would lead the Fever to the club's first Suncorp Super Netball premiership, with the team defeating Melbourne Vixens 70–59.^[47]

Honours

Head coach

Manchester Thunder

• Netball Superleague
  • Runners up: 2016

West Coast Fever

• Suncorp Super Netball
  • Premiers: 2022