‘Junkyard Dog’ Tim Ryan opens up on chats with Wallabies’ Joe Schmidt

There might not be a better nickname in Australian rugby than ‘The Junkyard Dog.’ Winger Tim Ryan had a phenomenal rookie season with the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby Pacific, and it seems that international honours with the Wallabies are not too far off.

At the Rugby Australia Awards at Sydney’s Randwick Racecourse this week, Ryan was recognised with two prestigious accolades after a breakout year. The 21-year-old was called onto the stage twice to collect the Rookie of the Year and Try of the Year awards.

Ryan played four matches for the Australia U20 side at the World Rugby U20 Championship in South Africa last year, but the speedster expected to be back in Queensland Premier Rugby with Brothers who would go on to win the competition in 2024.

That’s not how it played out. Ryan debuted at Super Rugby level off the bench in a famous home win over the Chiefs in Brisbane, before later getting a maiden start against eventual champions the Blues at Suncorp Stadium on April 27.

With All Black Mark Tele’a lining up opposite him, the challenge seemed immense for Ryan, but the youngster didn’t shy away from the task at hand. The Reds’ No. 11 ended up stealing the show with a hat-trick – that third try winning him Try of the Year on Wednesday evening.

Having scored nine tries in nine matches, which included two hat-tricks in five matches, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to see Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt select the young winger. While Ryan hasn’t had that chance yet, it appears to be on the cards for the future.

“I’ve had a few conversations with Joe, actually, a few meetings and he’s been very clear with my progress and stuff. I’m coming off an injury so this year, to the end of this year, our main focus… is just aim for that Reds pre-season,” Ryan told reporters at the Rugby Australia Awards.

“You never know what happens next year.

“I’m pretty sure I made a bet with one of my mates that I’d just be in Brothers this year – he had more confidence than me. Then going from that and then having conversations with the Wallabies coach, it’s pretty crazy. A little bit of a blur.”

Ryan rose to cult hero status within an 80-window after starring in that match against the Blues.

The Queenslander scored three against the Blues and backed that up the following week with a double against the Crusaders in Christchurch. Then, Ryan scored one try in a home win over the Rebels before being held scoreless in an away loss to the Fijian Drua.

But then normality resumed.

Ryan was back in business against the Western Force at Suncorp Stadium, with the flyer crossing for another hat-trick. It was history in the making, with rugby fans across the nation left in awe of what the speedy outside back was able to achieve.

But, as the hype surrounding Ryan continued to grow, the man himself felt the most pressure from his mates who jokingly said that hat tricks were “the norm now.” But Ryan just took everything one match at a time, and that’s worked so far.

“I wasn’t expecting it at all, actually,” Ryan said with the two awards in his hands.

“To hear my name getting called is pretty surreal.

“I had a lot of family and friends in the crowd that night and that is one of my main memories if I had to put that on.

“A lot of that credit has to go to the fellas inside me because I get a lot of recognition for these tries but you probably don’t see all the work that happens inside and I’m just the guy on the outside that puts the ball down.

“It’s pretty special to reflect on by myself… I came in, my first pre-season with the Reds, and I was prepared very well with the playing squad, with the coaching staff. They prepared me very well for the season, my rookie season.”