Ryan Girdler

I’warra junior joined the Panthers in 1993 with the goal of cementing a first grade position as a centre. Girdler’s first two seasons were curtailed by a knee ligament injury and operations on both groins and he seriously considered returning to the I’warra local competition until new coach Royce Simmons talked him into staying with the Panthers. Girdler quickly gained a reputation as a strong attacking left centre, a confident defender and exceptionally gifted goal-kicker. His form brought him into the Super League ANZac Test where he kicked five goals in Australia’s 34-22 win. Despite missing NSW’s win in the final of the Tri-Series competition because of injury, he played an important role in Penrith’s Super League semi-final campaign. The leading point-scorer in 1997’s Super League season (197pts, which also broke clubman Greg Alexander’s point-scoring record for a season) Girdler represented Super League Australia against NZ in September before touring Great Britain. His solid form and confident goal kicking saw him play in two Tests but despite continued praise from his club coach he was not able to break into rep football in the reunified 1998 season. Girdler was at the forefront of the club’s good early form in 1999, representing NSW in three matches and making his Test debut as a reserve in Australia’s Tri-series wins over Great Britain and NZ in October. (The Penrith centre originally missed selection but was a late addition after forward Brad Thorn was ruled out). Girdler proved to be international class centre – and an ‘intercept king’ - when he crossed for a try in Australia’s 52-0 thrashing of NZ in the 2000 ANZac Test and scored tries in all three of NSW’s State of Origin wins. In the final match of the series, the 56-16 thrashing of Queensland, Girdler equalled the great Dally Messenger when he scored 32pts (3t, 10g). It was a record-breaking year for the popular Penrith Test star – he scored most points in a State of Origin series (52pts – 5t, 16g including most tries in a series and most goals in a match), eclipsed his own club point-scoring record and posted an imposing 46pts (3t, 17g) in Australia’s 110-4 win over Russia in the World Cup. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury kept Girdler out of Australia’s World Cup final team, but worse was to follow in 2001. Despite playing for NSW (2 matches in which he scored all his team’s points in the 40-14 loss in the series decider) and for Australia against NZ, Penrith’s slump to the bottom of the premiership table ultimately cost him his spot on the Kangaroo Tour (even his faultless goal-kicking deserted him, landing just 48g in 2001). Returning from a potentially life-threatening sternum injury in 2003, he took his place in Penrith’s grand final-winning team before gaining a place in the Kangaroo Tour at year’s end. However, Girdler re-injured a troublesome hamstring on the tour and did not add to his Test appearances. After another injury-ridden year in 2004 (ironically, he re-injured his hamstring in scoring an intercept try against the Bulldogs that equalled Greg Alexander’s club record of 101t), Girdler retired when the Panthers lost the preliminary final.