Ryan Lester

Ryan Lester (born 26 August 1992) is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Early life Ryan attended Glen Waverley Secondary College in Melbourne's Eastern suburbs.

AFL career

Lester was selected with the 28th pick in the 2010 AFL draft. He made his debut in Round 1 of the 2011 AFL season against the Fremantle Dockers. Lester injured his lisfranc ligament, which is the ligament that stabilises the first and second metatarsal bones, against the Melbourne Demons in round 3. Lester did not play again for that season.

In his 2nd season with the Lions, Lester was named in the squad 18 times throughout the season. In round 6, 2012, Lester finished with a career high 27 disposals in Brisbane's 115–55 loss against the Swans.

In 2014, Lester signed a two-year extension to stay with the Lions.

In 2017, under the clubs first season with Chris Fagan as head coach, Lester played all 22 games for the first and only time in his career

Lester was offered ongoing 1-year contracts from 2019 until 2022. However, Fagan brought the defender back in the 2022 rookie draft, and made him captain of the Lions VFL team.

Lester was not given a game in the Lions squad until round 7, when an injury to teammate Darcy Gardiner gave the defender an opportunity back in the squad. Lester was again dropped in round 11, but would later return to the Lions best 22 in round 14. After his return to the squad, Lester had a career best year. Midway through the 2023 season, Lester signed a one-year contract with Brisbane, keeping him at the Lions until the end of the 2024 season. Lester played in the Lions 2023 Grand Final loss to the Magpies.

Lester was part of the Brisbane Lions 2024 premiership-winning team, a 60-point victory over the Sydney Swans.

Personal life Ryan is married to Emi Lester (née Zorko), sister of teammate and former Lions captain Dayne Zorko. The couple married on 13 October 2018. Together they have two children: a son named Romeo, born on 8 August 2020, and a daughter named Georgie, born on 21 May 2022.

Lester completed a Bachelor of Business, majoring in Finance through Swinburne.

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