Corowa football’s 2008 Morris Medallist Jake Ryan is being remembered as charismatic, a larger than life character loved by all who came in contact with him.
In a freak accident, on Tuesday October 13, 39-year-old Jake died after being hit by a train while holidaying at Avola in Noto, Italy.
A Bali bombing survivor in 2002 and overcoming a cancer scare in 2012, the fitness fanatic was out running at about 10.00am and believed to be wearing headphones.
“It’s very sad,” his football coach at Corowa Peter Tossol told The Free Press. “When you’re coach you have a relationship with players and he was a real personality.
“He had a real energy about him and ability. He was very confident – that’s not a criticism of him – he was an outgoing gregarious sort of bloke.”
Tossol, who coached the Roos to premierships in 2000 and 2003, returned to coaching the Roos the year Ryan won the highest individual Ovens and Murray Football award, the Morris Medal.
“Jake was a really good player at Corowa,” Tossol said. “(President) Brad Campbell recruited him, I inherited him. He played a lot of exceptional games for us.
“In our rooms before the game he had an awe about him. I always found him a real good bloke.
Mr Campbell described Ryan as “a great player, very hard at it (the football) and a nice bloke”.
“Jake was genuine, who you’d love to be around. He was a very hard worker and was one of the best preparers for the game, particularly keen on his fitness and easy to get along with.”
The Campbell family, especially Rod’s sons, had a football connection with Jake at Subiaco which ultimately led to the Roos president snaring the prized recruit.
In his second lot of coaching Corowa, Peter Tossol took over from Rod’s son Brad. Jake played three and a half seasons with the Roos, leaving for Melbourne during 2009.
A much travelled footballer whose beloved home club was Surfers Paradise Football Club, Jake was held in such high esteem in all states.
In his first interview before leaving the Gabba football oval in Brisbane last Saturday night after beating Brisbane in the AFL second preliminary final, victorious AFL Geelong captain Joel Selwood paid tribute to Jake.
“It’s been a tragic week with the loss of Jake Ryan and Ron Best,” Selwood said. Ron Best kicked 1624 goals in the Bendigo Football League, averaging six goals a match. He died of pancreatic cancer on October 14, aged 71-years.
Corowa Football Netball Club issued the following statement: “The Corowa Football Netball community is deeply saddened by the passing of our former player and Morris Medallist, Jake Ryan.
“Jake was so charismatic and generous with his time for all.
”We would like to express our sincere condolences to Jake’s family at this extremely difficult time. RIP Jake, you will be sadly missed but not forgotten.”
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been providing consular assistance to Jake’s family, parents Danny and Leanne, and brothers Mitch and Will.