Rhyan Grant

Rhyan Bert Grant (born 26 February 1991) is an Australian professional football player who plays for A-League club Sydney FC.

Rhyan Grant
Grant playing for Sydney FC
Personal information
Full name Rhyan Bert Grant
Date of birth (1991-02-26) 26 February 1991
Place of birth Canowindra, Australia
Height 176 cm (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s) Right back
Club information
Current team
 Sydney FC
Number 23
Youth career
2007–2008 NSWIS
2008 AIS
2008–2009 Sydney FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2008 AIS 13 (1)
2008– Sydney FC 190 (9)
National team‡
2009–2011 Australia U-20 23 (0)
2011–2012 Australia U-23 3 (0)
2018– Australia 12 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of 12:12, 30 August 2020 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals correct as of 14 November 2019

Born in Canowindra, New South Wales, Grant played youth football at the Australian Institute of Sport before making his professional debut for Sydney FC in 2008.

Club career

In June 2008, Grant received an invitation to take up a scholarship at the AIS in Canberra where he was selected despite not fitting into the age criteria for the 2008 scholarship program. After impressing during his three months in the nation's capital, he was signed as a member of Sydney FC's inaugural National Youth League squad in September 2008.[2]

This team finished as champions for the 2008–09 season. He made 15 appearances for the National Youth League team during the season, scoring one goal.[3] After Sydney FC Youth had clinched the National Youth League minor premiership by winning 13 and drawing two of their 18 regular season games,[4] they progressed to the Grand Final where they met Adelaide United at Hindmarsh Stadium in Adelaide on 21 February 2009. Grant played the full 90 minutes as Sydney FC triumphed 2–0.[5]

During the National Youth League season, Grant also managed to earn a call-up to the senior team. On 21 December 2008, Grant made his senior debut for Sydney FC against Perth Glory at the Sydney Football Stadium, appearing as a 78th-minute substitute for Antony Golec. The game was won 4–1 by Perth Glory.[6] He was an unused substitute as Sydney FC lost 3–2 to Melbourne Victory at the Telstra Dome on 27 December 2008.[7] Grant then appeared as a 71st-minute substitute for Shannon Cole as Sydney FC lost 2–0 to Adelaide United at the Adelaide Oval on 3 January 2009.[8] On 11 January 2009, Rhyan Grant made his starting debut against Wellington Phoenix at the Sydney Football Stadium, and played the full 90 minutes as Sydney FC won 1–0.[9]

He also played a full game in Sydney FC's 3–1 defeat by Queensland Roar at Suncorp Stadium on 17 January 2009, and provided the cross from which Kofi Danning scored in the 25th minute.[10] Rhyan Grant also started Sydney FC's final game of the A-League season, a 4–0 win over the Newcastle Jets at the Sydney Football Stadium on 25 January 2009. He was replaced in the 86th minute by Terry McFlynn.[11]

Grant finished the 2008–09 A-League season with five senior appearances. He wore shirt number 34 in these five matches.[12] He was then given shirt number 23 for the 2009–10 A-League season as he earned a full senior contract.[13]

After a successful start to his senior career, Grant looked to cement a permanent first team spot in the 2009–10 season after impressing early in Sydney's undefeated run of pre-season trials.[14]

He ended up playing 9 games, starting 3, and winning his first Premiership.

He signed a new two-year contract with Sydney FC on 27 August 2010.[15]

Grant scored his first senior goal for Sydney FC against the Central Coast Mariners in a 1–1 draw during the 2010–11 A-League season.[16]

At the end of the 2012–13 season, Grant was selected to play for the A-League All Star team against Manchester United in Sydney on 20 July 2013. Grant was substituted onto the field for Michael McGlinchey in the match.

Grant's 2013–14 campaign ended prematurely in Round 3 at home to the Western Sydney Wanderers. Grant was contesting a tackle, when his foot was caught in the pitch causing him to rupture his anterior cruciate ligament. The injury required surgery and kept him out for the rest of the season.[17][18]

The following year, Grant's long-awaited return from injury came on 22 November 2014 when he was selected on the bench against the newly re-branded Melbourne City FC in Round 7. Grant was substituted onto the field for Ali Abbas in the 68th minute.[19] For the rest of the season, Grant was consistently a part of the match-day squads, but mainly used of the bench, starting only a handful of games. The new Sydney FC coach, Graham Arnold, cited the reason for this was largely due to Grant missing a lot of tactical sessions during pre-season as he was returning from injury.[20] Grant scored his first goal since coming back from injury in the Round 18 clash of the 2014–15 A-League season against Central Coast Mariners at Allianz Stadium with a 25-yard screamer in which Sydney FC would go on to win 4–2.[21] Days later, Grant was rewarded for his form after returning from injury with a 2-year contract extension, along with teammate Sebastian Ryall.[22] Prior to Grant's injury in 2013, he was mainly deployed as a utility player at the club but Arnold believed he would excel at right fullback and had agreed with Grant to concentrate on these qualities in the 2015 off-season.[20]

Grant began his transformation as specialized fullback during the 2015–16 A-League season, starting in all matches up until Round 26 as either a right or left back, missing only one game through suspension.[23]

The 2016–17 season was another breakout season for Grant. He played every minute of every match in all competitions of the season, scoring 2 and assisting 5 while mainly playing in the right-back position. He would continue his success by scoring in the 69th minute of the grand final against Melbourne Victory to make it 1–1, where Sydney would eventually win 4–2 on penalties to lift the double. His form throughout the season earned him a call-up to Australian national soccer team 30-man train-on squad for the 2017 Confederations Cup. However, on 30 May 2017, it was announced that he did not make the final 23-man squad.[24] Grant was also rewarded for his fantastic season by being selected for the 2016–17 PFA Team of the Season.[25]

Grant suffered another anterior cruciate ligament injury in July 2017, keeping him out of the game for several months.[26] The injury was sustained to his left knee this time, whereas the injury in 2013 was his right knee.[27] Grant was able to return to training by the end of the season and had made himself available for selection for the final game of the regular season.[28] However, ultimately Grant did not appear in either of Sydney FC's remaining two games of the season.

On Saturday, 10 November 2018 Grant went on to play his 150th appearance in the A-League against Newcastle Jets.[29] One month later on 21 December 2018, he became the first player in Sydney FC history to reach ten years as player at the club. The occasion was marked two days later when he played against Perth Glory, the same team he played in his league debut ten years earlier.[30] He became only the third player to achieve this in A-League history, after Leigh Broxham at Melbourne Victory and Andrew Durante at Wellington Phoenix.[31] Grant's early season form was rewarded with a call-up to the national team for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup in January. This resulted in him missing seven games for the Sky Blues during a busy January period for the club before returning for the Round 17 match against Melbourne City. Grant started in all remaining league games and by season's end found himself again selected in the PFA A-League Team of the Season. A minor hamstring concern in the final round of the season against Newcastle Jets could not stop the 28-year-old from participating in the A-League final series, starting in the home semi-final against arch rivals, Melbourne Victory. With Sydney leading the game 5–0, Grant was substituted off in the 71st minute to save him for the Grand Final. The following weekend, Grant played in the Grand Final decider against Perth Glory at Optus Stadium. Throughout the game, Grant had a growing duel with former Socceroo, Jason Davidson which eventually lead to Grant receiving a yellow card in the 88th minute. Prior to and after this, the crowd of close to 60,000 had rung out a chorus of boos every time Grant had touched the ball. The effect of the constant taunting resulted in Grant putting his hand up to take a penalty in the shootout when the match ended nil-all after extra time. He was the third Sydney player to convert his penalty on the way to the club winning the shoot-out 4–1.[32]

He scored the winning goal in the 2020 A-League Grand Final, off the chest from inside the six-yard box, in the 100th minute, winning his third Championship as well as his third Premiership as Sydney FC finished top of the table that season also. He won the Joe Marston Medal as man of the match.

International career

He was selected for the training squad for Australia's 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup team.[33] Grant then went on to play in several competitions with the Young Socceroos in the Netherlands, one of which they won.

Grant was chosen as a train on player for Australia's friendly against South Korea in November 2018.[34] For the match against Lebanon he was selected for the squad[35] and made his debut, playing the full match.[36] In December 2018, it was announced that Grant had made the final 23-man squad for the 2019 AFC Asian Cup.[37] Grant replaced an injured Josh Risdon at half-time of the first game of the Group Stage against Jordan.[38] He would go on to play the remaining fixtures for Australia, totaling 5 appearances for the campaign, whilst wearing the number 4 jersey previously worn by Socceroo great, Tim Cahill.

Career statistics

Club
As of 4 December 2020[39]
Club Season League[lower-alpha 1] Cup[lower-alpha 2] Continental[lower-alpha 3] Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Australian Institute of Sport2008[40]Victorian Premier League 1310000131
Sydney FC 2008–09 A-League 5000-50
2009–10 9000-90
2010–11 1110050161
2011–12 22000-220
2012–13 25200-252
2013–14 3000-30
2014–15 20100-201
2015–16 2402171332
2016–17 27350-323
2017–18 0000-00
2018–19 2204040300
2019–20 2221060292
Sydney FC total 190912122122411
Career total 2031012122123712
  1. A-League statistics include final series matches
  2. Includes the FFA Cup only
  3. All appearance(s) in AFC Champions League

International
As of 14 November 2019[41]
Australia
YearAppsGoals
201820
2019100
Total120

Honours

Club
Sydney FC

Individual

References
  1. "Rhyan Grant". sydneyfc.com. Sydney FC. Retrieved 22 February 2019.
  2. Stars in his eyes
  3. Sydney FC Youth Stats Archived 1 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  4. 2008–09 National Youth League final ladder Archived 1 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine
  5. Junior Sky Blues take Youth League title Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  6. No Glory for Sydney in luckless clash with Perth Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  7. Dramatic Melbourne fight-back denies Sydney victory Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  8. Desperate Sydney repelled by Reds Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  9. Sydney scores vital win in SFS clash with Wellington Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  10. Van Dijk triple bursts Sydney’s finals bubble Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  11. Sydney finishes in style by shooting down the Jets Archived 15 September 2007 at the Wayback Machine
  12. Rhyan Grant Soccernet profile
  13. Sydney FC Profile Archived 20 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  14. Sydney Maintain Unbeaten Run
  15. "Grant signs two-year deal with Sydney FC". Sydney Morning Herald. 27 August 2010. Retrieved 27 August 2010.
  16. Sygall, David (29 August 2010). "Reddy off as penalty rocks Sydney". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 30 August 2010.
  17. AAP (28 October 2013). "Sydney FC's Rhyan Grant Out For Season With Torn ACL". abc.net.au. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  18. Orr, Michael (28 October 2013). "Rhyan Grant will miss this season with ACL injury". sbnation.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  19. "Melbourne City V Sydney FC". football-lineups.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  20. Hassett, Sebastian (9 April 2015). "Mickael Tavares ruled out for Sydney FC but Graham Arnold backs Rhyan Grant to shine". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  21. Smithies, Tom (22 February 2014). "Sydney FC v Mariners: Sky Blues come from behind to defeat Central Coast 4–2 at Allianz Stadium". Fox Sports (via Daily Telegraph). Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  22. Smithies, Tom (24 February 2014). "Sydney FC re-sign Seb Ryall and Rhyan Grant, switch focus to securing Shane Smeltz's future". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 February 2015.
  23. "Grant 2015-16 analysis". football-lineups.com. Retrieved 24 May 2019.
  24. Smithies, Tom (30 May 2017). "Sydney FC defender Rhyan Grant out as Ange Postecoglou trims Socceroos squad for crucial games". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  25. "A League team of the season 2016-17 PFA choice for seasons best". Fox Sports. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  26. Lewis, Dave (13 July 2017). "Grant set to miss entire A-League season". The World Game. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  27. Adno, Carly (20 July 2017). "Jordy Buijs says Sydney FC rallying behind Rhyan Grant after knee injury threatens A-League season". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  28. "Rhyan Grants long road to recovery and how Graham Arnold changed his career". goal.com. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  29. "Rhyan Grant reflects on 150 games". sydneyfc.com. 13 November 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  30. "Rhyan Grant to become first player to mark 10 years at Sydney FC". Western Advocate. 21 December 2018. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  31. Bossi, Dominic (19 December 2018). "Grant facing familiar foes to celebrate 10 years with Sydney FC". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  32. Bossi, Dominic (20 May 2019). "Perth Glory boo boys motivated me to take a penalty: Rhyan Grant". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  33. Young Socceroos 25-man Squad Named
  34. Rosengarten, Jake (8 November 2018). "Socceroos squad v South Korea: James Jeggo included, A-League stars named as 'train-on' players". Fox Sports.
  35. "Socceroos call-ups for Rhyan Grant and Craig Goodwin for Lebanon match". The Australian. 19 November 2018.
  36. "Something special is coming, says Socceroos boss Arnold". The World Game. SBS. 20 November 2018.
  37. "Caltex Socceroos Squad AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 finalised". Football Federation Australia. 20 December 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  38. Kemp, Emma (8 January 2019). "Asian Cup 2019 injury crisis deepens for Socceroos". The Australian. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  39. "Rhyan Grant". ALeagueStats.com. Retrieved 19 December 2018.
  40. "2008 Victorian Premier League Results". OzFootball.net. Retrieved 21 January 2017.
  41. "Rhyan Grant Internationals @National-Football-Teams". national-football-teams.com. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
  42. Jackson, Jamie (20 July 2013). "Manchester United thrash A-League All Stars to give David Moyes first win". The Guardian. Sydney. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
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