Paddy Ryder said family fears drove his move from Essendon

Paddy Ryder wanted to leave Essendon during the 2014 AFL trade period. The ruckman said his decision was not about money: the club’s supplements saga had left him and his partner, Jess McDonald, frightened for their son, and he had lost trust and faith in Essendon. He sought a move to Port Adelaide for his family’s happiness.

In its account of Ryder’s interview with the Herald Sun, AFL Media reported that he had been told during an ASADA interview that the supplements program could potentially cause serious complications for his unborn son, Harlan. That was the fear Ryder described, not an established injury. “I can’t really put into words the amount of worrying and stress that we were both under, hoping that our son, Harlan, was going to be OK,” he said.

Ryder described worry that consumed him during the day and persisted despite reassurance from Essendon’s doctor. “We’ve had discussions with (Essendon doctor) Doc Reid. He says everything is clear. But going through all that uncertainty, it doesn’t just clear up with someone saying, ‘It’s all good now’.” Ryder said McDonald still worried. The published account attributed those experiences to Ryder; it did not quote McDonald independently.

Ryder said he would have happily played out his contract if the saga had ended within six months, as players had been told it would. Instead, he described a 20-month ordeal. “What has panned out over a long period of time is that we felt badly let down by the club and lost trust and faith.” By the trade period, Ryder had made his intention to leave clear. Getting the clubs to agree was another matter.

Negotiations stretched across almost two weeks and required mediation the day before the deal. Ryder’s manager, Paul Connors, said there had been genuine fears on the final evening before the deadline that the trade would not happen. Ryder had gone to Port Douglas with his fiancée ahead of their wedding, still unsure whether he would get his move. “We were adamant we weren’t going to change at the last minute and go to another club,” Connors said.

Port Adelaide added draft pick 37 to the pick 17 it had already offered. On October 16, 2014, with only hours left in the trade window, Essendon accepted both picks and Ryder became a Port Adelaide player. Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro said the club had wanted more, but this was the best deal available for Ryder’s preferred destination. “At the end of the day we just felt the right thing to do was to do the deal today given all the circumstances.”

For Port, the move filled a football need: coach Ken Hinkley said Ryder could share the ruck duties with Matthew Lobbe and contribute up forward. For Ryder, Connors said, it was a needed change of environment. Hinkley’s welcome extended beyond the recruit: “We wish Paddy and his family all the best with the move and we are sure the extended Port Adelaide family will make them feel welcome in Adelaide straight away.”