Move from Bunbury paying off for Cody Ryan

Cody Ryan hopes that the biggest year of his life will end in a fairytale having already made the move to Perth from Bunbury in 2024 and now preparing to play in Sunday's WAFL Colts Grand Final at Optus Stadium against Claremont.

Ryan had already played nine matches in the colts at Swan Districts the past two years but that was while still living in Bunbury where he was finishing high school, and training during the week at the local Bunbury Football Club.

However, he made the move to Perth this year after finishing school and has been able to play a full season in the colts, play a key role in the team now reaching the Grand Final and he can't help but be tremendously excited thinking ahead to Sunday.

Grand Final at Optus Stadium

For so many reasons there's a lot to be excited about for Ryan and his Swan Districts colts teammates now that they've reached the Grand Final and now not only get to play on Sunday afternoon at Optus Stadium, but will have their talents shown live on Channel 7.

"Obviously it's good that we get to play before the league match as well so there'll be plenty of people rolling through towards the end of our game so the atmosphere will be a pretty cool experience to be part of," Ryan said.

"Definitely all the boys are up and about, and obviously it's at Optus Stadium so it's a big game.

"We want to enjoy the moment really and not many people get the chance to play in a Grand Final and let alone for it to be at Optus Stadium.

"So we are all just enjoying the moment this week and want to cherish the experience forever really."

Taking on Claremont in Grand Final

Swan Districts have made a stirring run into the Grand Final with three thrilling victories in the finals so far against Perth, West Perth and Subiaco.

That means Swans have eliminated all three of the other teams who made finals ahead of now taking on a Tigers team who have been dominant all season on the back of winning last year's premiership.

Claremont finished clear on top once again in 2024, then thrashed Subiaco in a second semi-final and now regain co-captains Hamish Davis and Austin Van Der Struyf for the Grand Final.

Ryan is fully aware of how tough the challenge the Tigers present, but he can't wait to take them on Sunday with the confidence from the past three weeks.

"We'll definitely come in as the underdogs I guess, but we just have to trust the process, have a big week this week at training and see what happens," he said.

"We will just have to trust what we've been doing and hope we can get the result in one more game."

Feeling of winning into Grand Final

Just getting to play in a preliminary final on Sunday at Steel Blue Oval was an experience that Ryan knew he would always treasure, but to end up winning and to now be into a Grand Final is something he's still struggling to find the words for.

"It was pretty unbelievable and we've come a long way to be honest from last year when we only won three games. To now we made the finals and to make a prelim was just unbelievable, and then to win it was just the best feeling. It was crazy," Ryan said.

"It did make it even more special getting to play at home and obviously the league boys helped us out by giving us the chance to play a home final which made it good for us. It was extra special but to be honest it would have felt good wherever we played if we got the result."

Remarkable first three finals

The first three finals for Swan Districts have been remarkable with them kicking the last goal of the game to beat Perth by two points in the elimination final first up.

Tom Cathcart was then the late hero in a five-point win against West Perth in the first semi-final before kicking five goals to two in the last quarter to come from behind in the preliminary final and beat Subiaco.

Ryan has no doubt that finding away to win three heart stopping games with their season on the line in each of them will give them great confidence going into the Grand Final.

"We just seem to find a way somehow and we've done that over these last three games where they've come down to less than a kick basically. It's unbelievable how we find a way to hold on, it's pretty special to be part of a team that can do that," Ryan said.

"In each of those three games we've been down at three quarter-time as well but we just have a belief that if we keep running and going that we'll still be a chance. Obviously we've gone on to win all three so we just want to keep going with that I guess."

Own season in 2024

Ryan has found that being able to be a full-time part of the Swan Districts colts program has helped his football development enormously in 2024.

He has ended up playing 17 matches with Swans now this season to end up averaging 12.8 possessions a game and kick six goals, and he couldn’t be happier with how the move has gone.

"It's been a big year having moved up from Bunbury and the people around me, and all the coaches especially John Armstrong, have been a massive help. I feel like I've then been able to have a pretty good year on the field on the back of that," Ryan said.

"I found last year that with training at Bunbury and travelling up for the weekend it was tough so it's definitely helped my football being up here full-time and being able to train with the boys, and getting to know them better."

Making the move from Bunbury

While Ryan had got a taste of playing colts football with Swans over the past two years while living in Bunbury, it has only been this year after moving to Perth where he's really felt fully part of the team getting to train during the week and get to know his teammates better.

He has also enjoyed the chance to begin adulthood away from home too and find a career path he might want to stick with.

"It's been a massive change I guess, but the people around me and all the support staff, like Hayden Cobley especially, have helped me make the move and also a few of the other boys who have moved up from Bunbury as well," Ryan said.

"I'm used to it now, which is good, and I'm feeling pretty settled up here. I'm working at Hawkeye Services, who are a surveying company, and they are also a sponsor at Swan Districts.

"I didn’t really know what to do myself but have found a full-time job there to earn some money which has been good."

Ryan is already thinking about what 2025 might look like too and having now spent this year working in surveying, he will look to study that potentially and move into the senior football program at Swan Districts.

"Next year I reckon I'll probably go to TAFE and look a bit more into the surveying industry, and hopefully play some senior footy and to be able to combine all of that."