Ryan Houlihan

An uncle, Paul O'Donoghue also played for North Melbourne in 1976.

Ryan Houlihan (born 21 January 1982) is a former Australian rules footballer who played 12 seasons and 201 games for the Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 2000 to 2011.

Ryan is the third of four brothers who were all drafted to AFL clubs: Damian Houlihan, Adam Houlihan and Josh Houlihan, from Wahgunyah on the Murray River, in northern Victoria.

He has been by far the most successful of the four.

Houlihan was named in the Murray Bushrangers' best team of all time (1993–2012).

He was named All Australian Under 16 in 1998 and represented Australia in the 1999 youth series against Ireland.

Prior to being recruited by Carlton, at pick No. 73 in the 1999 AFL Draft, Houlihan played as a junior for Corowa-Rutherglen and for the Murray Bushrangers under 18 team.

Houlihan made his debut for the Carlton around the middle of the 2000 season.

The Carlton team of 2000 was a particularly strong one, with many great names such as Craig Bradley, Stephen Silvagni and Anthony Koutoufides and finished second at the end of the home and away season.

Houlihan quickly had an impact for Carlton as a classy, skilful, running forward, with an uncanny ability to kick goals.

For a skinny 18-year-old, pick No. 73, then weighing just 71 kg to break into that side and play every game from Round 17, including all three finals was an excellent accomplishment, exceeding expectations.

Houlihan ended up played 13 games in his debut season and was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award after a 20 possession game in the Round 20 blockbuster against Essendon before over 90,000 people.

Houlihan also received the Carlton Past Players Encouragement Award for his debut season.

Houlihan continued on from his impressive debut season with an even better year in 2001, continuing as a forward.

He played 23 of 24 games (missing one with injury) and kicked 28 goals.

He played an important part, kicking three goals, when an undermanned Carlton had a surprise victory over reigning premiers Essendon in Round 3 and again in the Round 20 win over St Kilda.

He also had a number of two-goal games that year.

Houlihan is a highly skilled player and has been extremely versatile, able to play a variety of positions.

Early in 2002, while continuing to play as a forward, an electrifying three goals in a quarter got Carlton back into the Round 8 match against Hawthorn.

Toward the end of 2002, Houlihan began to play-off the half-back line, where his skill and run were used to set up forward thrusts.

He played an important role off half back in the Round 21 victory against the Bulldogs, with 23 possessions and set up the winning goal.

A change of coach and an improved pre-season saw Houlihan bigger and stronger and he spoke of feeling more confident under Denis Pagan and wanting to win more contested ball.

Houlihan played all 22 matches in 2003, the highlight being the Round 3 victory over Essendon, in which he would gather a then career best 28 possessions, kick two goals and receive the three Brownlow votes.

His goal in the last quarter, in driving rain, from a tight angle in the forward pocket, which would seal the win and be celebrated by a 'Chainsaw' maneuver, would be a career highlight.

He kicked three goals in the Round 5 victory over the Kangaroos.

A versatile player, able to play a variety of positions, Houlihan was moved from the forward line to defence in mid-2003, where he was played as a running half back, who was able to set up forward thrusts with precise kicking.

He would spend the next three seasons in that role.

He finished 2003 off well with a team and new career high 31-possession effort and was one of the few players to stand up in the Round 22 thrashing by the Kangaroos.

His improved consistency saw him finish in the top 10 in the Best and Fairest and in the top four for disposals and kicks for the first time.

He remained in the top 10 for average disposals and kicks every year from 2003–2010.

At the end of 2003 Houlihan received a lucrative offer to join Melbourne Football Club but stayed loyal to Carlton and continued to do so for the remainder of his AFL career.

Houlihan had another consistent year playing off halfback in 2004, managing 21 of 22 games (troubled by groin problems late in the season), again finishing in the top 10 in the Best and Fairest and in the top five for disposals, marks and kicks.

Houlihan played his 100th game in season 2005 and became the third youngest Carlton player ever to achieve that mark (after Robert Walls and Lance Whitnall).

He continued to mostly play in defence but in the absence of regular midfielders Scott Camporeale and Heath Scotland, was brought into the midfield in the drawn game against Port Adelaide in Round 4.

He shone in that game and was probably Carlton's best player, with 26 disposals and was able to set up a number of goals with precise kicking.

Houlihan worked very hard during the 2006 pre-season, becoming a lot bigger, stronger and fitter, so he could play in the midfield.

He played all 22 games in 2006, improving to become second at the club for kicks and disposals, highlighted by a career best 35 disposals in Round 4.

In the second half of the year Houlihan was given run with roles on some of the best players in the AFL, such as Jason Akermanis, who he kept to just 9 possessions, Darren Milburn to 2 kicks and Nathan Eagleton to 11 possessions.

A vigorous bump which left West Coast Eagle Matt Rosa with concussion almost earned Houlihan his first and only suspension but it was deemed fair by the AFL tribunal.

Overall, Houlihan increased his average possessions to 21 per game- statistically the best season of his career, ranking in the top few not only in uncontested possessions and handball-receives but also in hardball-gets and contested possessions, highlighting that he can win the ball as an inside or outside player.