Ryley Sanders is a professional Australian rules footballer who was selected by Western Bulldogs as the number six pick in the 2023 AFL draft.
[1] Sanders a Tasmanian native, played his junior football at North Launceston Bombers and school football for St Patrick’s College before playing for the Tasmania Devils in the NAB League for the 2021 season.
He would relocate to Victoria, boarding at Melbourne Grammar School for 2022 and 2023 and switched to the Sandringham Dragons.
Due to his Indigenous background, he was linked with the North Melbourne Next Generation Academy (NGA), during his final year in the Under 18 competition, although due to AFL rules around NGA’s, his draft rights could only be matched by North Melbourne if he was selected after Pick 40.
[2] Sanders made his AFL debut in the Bulldog's Round 1 match against Melbourne in a 45-point loss.