Kevin James Ryan (born 26 August 1934) is an Australian former state parliamentarian and local mayor, barrister and advocate.

In the 1950s and 1960s he was an Australian dual-code rugby international representative and had previously been a Queensland amateur boxing champion in 1958 and 1959, who trialled for the 1960 Olympics.

Raised in the Somerset Region in Linville, Queensland[2] to Irish-Australian Roman Catholic parents, May Helena Ryan and her husband Matthew a bushman and horseman, he learnt the rudiments of boxing as a young boy.

He made his international representative debut in the 3rd Test match of the tour, that against England national rugby union team at Twickenham on 1 February 1958.

[2] During his footballing career Ryan was nicknamed 'Kandos' after the New South Wales cement producing town due to his on-field toughness.

[4] Ryan left St George at the end of the 1966 season unable to come to terms in negotiations and wanting to coach.

He led Canterbury to the 1967 Grand Final against South Sydney and was captain-coach at the club through to the middle of the 1969 season when he retired due to injury.

He was elected as the Labor Party member for Hurstville in the New South Wales Legislative Assembly in 1976, defeating four-term Liberal MP Tom Mead,[5] and serving until 1984.