Ryder was noted for his speed, agility and leap for someone of his size and it was these attributes that had his first AFL coach in Kevin Sheedy comparing him to Indigenous Australian rules football star Graham "Polly" Farmer.

He made his debut in round 1, 2006, against Sydney, playing in the ruck and receiving his first AFL career possession after he caught Swans premiership player Amon Buchanan holding the ball and won a free kick.

Ryder played his 100th AFL game in round 6, 2011, in a match where Essendon defeated the Gold Coast Suns by 139 points.

[6] Ryder's improved form in the second half of the 2013 season after struggling with poor output and low confidence saw him play a big role in Essendon’s push to the finals.

Ryder remained a vital part of the Essendon outfit, firstly as a ruckman and then as an option as he pushed forward with his pace and high-marking ability.

Ryder and his wife Jess were concerned for the health of their unborn child after he was allegedly told of the potential risks of the supplements program when interviewed by ASADA.

[10] Being Port Adelaide's big name recruit for season 2015, Ryder was unable to take part in the pre-season trial matches and was only cleared from his provisional suspension a few days prior to the round one game against Fremantle due to the ASADA drugs investigation.

He was suspended for two years which, with backdating, ended in November 2016; as a result, he served approximately 14 months of his suspension and missed the entire 2016 AFL season.

He also played a significant role in the winning elimination final against Western Bulldogs, but an injury sustained in the game ended his season.

[17] Ryder returned to the club in April and played his first game for the season in the round seven win over Hawthorn in which he gathered five tackles, three clearances and 36 hitouts (significantly above the AFL average).

[19] After another injury-interrupted year for St Kilda during the side's 2022 season, Ryder announced his retirement on 20 August, ending a career of 281 games across three clubs.