Ryley Sanders

{{Infobox AFL biography

| name = Ryley Sanders

| fullname = Ryley Sanders

| nickname = Colonel, Bernie

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2005|01|21|df=y}}

| originalteam = North Launceston(TSL) /Sandringham Dragons(Talent League)/Melbourne Grammar(APS)

| draftpick = No. 6, 2023 AFL draft

| position = Forward

| currentclub = {{AFL WB}}

| guernsey = 9

| height = 186 cm

| club1 = {{AFL WB}}

| years1 = 2024–

| games_goals1 = 30 (12)

| statsend = round 18, 2025

| careerhighlights =

Larke Medal (2023)

}}

Ryley Sanders is a professional Australian rules footballer who was selected by {{AFL WB}} as the number six pick in the 2023 AFL draft.{{Cite web |last1=Siracusa |first1=Claire |last2=Ward|first2=Roy|last3=McGowan|first3=Marc|date=2023-11-22 |title=Every pick from the 2023 AFL's national, pre-season and rookie drafts |url=https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/every-pick-from-the-2023-afl-draft-20231118-p5el0b.html |access-date=2024-03-01 |website=The Age |language=en}}

Career

Sanders a Tasmanian native, played his junior football at North Launceston Bombers and school football for [https://www.stpatricks.tas.edu.au/ St Patrick’s College] before playing for the Tasmania Devils in the NAB League for the 2021 season. He would relocate to Victoria, boarding at Melbourne Grammar School for 2022 and 2023 and switched to the Sandringham Dragons. His efforts in the U18 league, where he didn't tally less than 25 disposals a game, led to his selection in the championship winning Allies team for the AFL Under-19 Championships. Winning the Larke Medal for best player of the tournament.

Due to his Indigenous background, he was linked with the {{AFL NM}} Next Generation Academy (NGA), during his final year in the Under 18 competition, although due to AFL rules around NGA’s, his draft rights could only be matched by North Melbourne if he was selected after Pick 40. He would instead be drafted by the Western Bulldogs with Pick 6, after North Melbourne used Pick 2 and 4 on Colby McKercher and Zane Duursma.{{cite news |title=Why this young Bulldog DM'd one of the AFL's toughest mids|url=https://www.afl.com.au/news/1074740/western-bulldogs-midfielder-ryley-sanders-inspired-by-tom-green-and-harry-sheezel-in-rise-to-afl |date=5 February 2024}}

Sanders made his AFL debut in the Bulldog's Round 1 match against {{AFL MEL}} in a 45-point loss.{{cite news |title=Melbourne v Western Bulldogs |url=https://www.afl.com.au/afl/matches/5905#match-report |date=17 March 2024}}