Rhyan Grant's remarkable journey in football so far

We take a glimpse at Rhyan Grant’s career so far after the Canowindra boy wrote his name into the history books when he scored Sydney FC’s winning goal in the Hyundai A-League 2020 Grand Final against Melbourne City on Sunday night.

Grant began his career in his hometown of Canowindra in Western New South Wales before his performances came to the attention of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) who snapped up the 17-year-old in 2008.

It did not take long before Grant won over more admirers and after a three-month stint at the famed AIS, he was signed by Sydney FC to become one of the first players in their inaugural National Youth League squad in September 2008.

Throughout his first season in the youth set up, the Canowindra local earned his first call up to the Sky Blues senior squad and made his debut against Perth Glory on 21 December 2008.


At the conclusion of the 2008/09 season, Grant was rewarded with his first senior contract after featuring five times throughout the campaign.

A highly successful preseason saw the then 19-year-old given a new two-year contract after a string of stand-out performances in the lead up to the 2009/10 campaign.

High on confidence after agreeing to a new deal with the Sky Blues, he scored his first senior goal a day later against Central Coast Mariners in a 1-1 draw on 28 August 2010.

The most challenging part of his career arrived in October 2013 when he suffered his first major injury – rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in round three of the 2013/14 season.

Fast forward to the Hyundai A-League 2017 Grand Final where Grant scored his side’s equaliser against Melbourne Victory before they went on to triumph in the penalty shootout.


Tragedy struck again in July 2017 after he tore his ACL for the second time which kept him out of action for the remainder of the 2017/18 campaign.

He was the player to watch for the Sky Blues upon his return the following season and it was not long until he was called up for the Socceroos by ex-Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold.

The defender’s debut came on 20 November 2018 when he played the full match against Lebanon in a friendly at ANZ Stadium.

A month later saw him mark 10 years at Sydney FC as he became just the third Hyundai A-League player to spend a decade at one club.

His form carried through into 2019 and he was on hand to score the third penalty in their Grand Final victory against Perth Glory.

Grant also had a year to remember for the Socceroos with the defender featuring in every game of international action for the green and gold.

The latest landmark in his highly successful career came on Sunday night after he popped with the winning goal in the Hyundai A-League Grand Final against Melbourne City.

The 29-year-old snuck in at the back post to chest home Luke Brattan’s pinpoint cross ten minutes into extra-time.

Rhyan Grant


The accolades did not stop there with his goal coupled with his usual tireless performance saw him awarded the Joe Marston Medal for best player on the ground.

All-in-all the “energiser bunny” has made 190 Hyundai A-League appearances with three Premiers’ Plates, three Championships, three PFA Team of the Season places and the 2020 Joe Marston Medal to show for what has been a truly spectacular career so far.