DAD’S ALWAYS WITH ME

I loved my time at the Giants, but I had some bad luck with injuries. Last season I played a different role and I think things went well. However, I could sense I was getting slower and these kids were getting faster. I knew it was time. 

When I was in the dressing room after that last game, I thought a lot about Dad. I think about him every day, but especially then. We had an amazing relationship. He’d leave work early, pick me up in Mount Compass and take me to training in Adelaide three or four nights a week. He always wanted the best for me. It was tough when we found out he had cancer. Really tough.

Dad passed away nine years ago, but I say it to my mum everyday – even since I’ve retired – how thankful I am that they gave me that kick up the backside. If they hadn’t given me that nudge, to have a real crack at playing footy, I’d probably still be in Goolwa and who knows what I’d be doing.

Dad didn’t get to see me play my best footy. He didn’t see the best and fairests or anything like that. But he saw me get drafted, which he was over the moon about. I’m happy I made him feel proud. I’m just so lucky that I had good people around me. People like my parents were the reason I was able to have an AFL career.

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Happy birthday to the best mother a son could ask for. I don't know where I would of Been without your support over the years. Have a ripper day! ❤️ ya mum

A post shared by Ryan Griffen (@gaz3232) on May 24, 2017 at 10:40pm PDT

BACK TO THE Land

Playing AFL for 14 years takes its toll, so I just want to have a break. Everything is so structured in footy, I want things to be easygoing for a while. We decided a while ago, Jas and I, to spend 12 months just travelling around Australia in my Landcruiser and camper trailer. Just move at our own pace. One thing we know is, when we settle down, it’ll be on our farm outside of Melbourne.

When I played footy in Melbourne I’d go to a farm near Yea, about 100 km out of town and work with a bloke I knew out there, just to get away from it all. I’d get on a four-wheeler and round up sheep, go check the cattle. It really helped me throughout my career. I decided to buy some land for when I was done playing.

We’ve been renovating it lately. We’ll probably run a few sheep. It doesn’t matter all that much. For us, it’s about the lifestyle.

We’d like to start a family and give our kids the same country upbringing I enjoyed. I want them to have plenty of space. I want them to feel as lucky as I did growing up playing footy in Goolwa.