Former St Kilda, Port Adelaide and Essendon player Paddy Ryder has impressed upon his return to Mornington Peninsula team Devon Meadows, booting ten goals in the club's 52-point win over Rye.
Ryder, who retired in 2022 after 281 AFL games, hasn't featured for Devon Meadows since Round 1 after stepping away with a calf concern and personal issues, not looking out of place in his return.
The 35-year-old signed with the club in late 2022 after retiring from the AFL, kicking two goals in his debut for the club in April.
Devon Meadows coach Ryan Hendy said he believed Ryder "could have kicked 15" in Saturday's performance, having taken him from the ground in the last term as a precaution.
โOh mate, it was the easiest I've ever seen a footballer do it yesterday,โ Hendy told News Corp.
โThat's no exaggeration. It was like a man playing against junior kids.
โHe could have kicked 15. He passed probably three or four off, missed a couple of easy ones and I took him off halfway during the last.โ
Ryder played at full forward in the win as he eases himself back in, but will spend more time in the ruck as the season progresses.
โHe's been on a really strong diet and got himself fit,โ Hendy said.
โHe was just gliding along the ground yesterday. He wanted to go into the ruck but we had to hold him back.
โHe'll probably just play forward for the next couple of weeks, get some match time up and then in the back end of the year we will have the luxury of hopefully playing him in both positions, forward and ruck.โ
Devon Meadows currently sit ninth on the ladder with a 2-3 record, set to play 11th-placed Seaford next weekend on Saturday, June 3 at Glover Reserve.
