Ryan Fitzgerald
Encyclopedia
Ryan James "Fitzy" Fitzgerald (born 16 October 1976) is a former Australian rules football
er, Big Brother participant, and radio and television personality. After being drafted from the South Adelaide Football Club
, he made his Australian Football League
debut for Sydney in 2000, before being traded to Adelaide, where he played eight games in 2002. Fitzgerald later appeared in Big Brother Australia 2004, beginning a wider media career in television and radio.
and played junior football for Port Noarlunga.
with the 4th overall selection in the 1998 AFL Draft
from South Australian National Football League
club, South Adelaide
, Fitzgerald was unable to make his AFL debut until 2000, due to a shoulder injury. On debut, Fitzgerald kicked five goals and "looked set for a big career". He played nine more games for the rest of the season. At the start of 2001, Fitzgerald injured his knee, requiring a reconstruction that resulted in him missing the entire season. In 2002, he was traded to the Adelaide Crows
, but only played eight games for the Crows before retiring from AFL football due to another ACL
injury that required a reconstruction.
Breakfast show and made occasional appearances on Before The Game (AFL). In 2005 he had a new role as a co-host on the new Friday night Big Brother Australia show Friday Night Live with fellow Big Brother 2004 contestant Bree Amer
, which became a stand alone show in its own right in 2006 as Friday Night Games
.
This show then returned as Friday Night Download, featuring internet videos. It was cancelled early in its second season.
Alongside Premier Mike Rann
, he spoke at the opening of the Rundle Lantern in Adelaide.
Ryan married Belinda "BJ" Irons on the 15th of March 2008 at Adelaide Oval and have a son, Hewston James, who was born on the 17th of August 2009.
Fitzgerald also makes regular appearances on The 7PM Project
.
In October 2010, Fitzgerald announced that he would be leaving Nova 91.9
Breakfast to be a part of Nova's drive show Fitzy and Wippa.
Ryan is also a regular player in the EJ whitten legends game, He is credited with nearly winning the game in 2011 but failed.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er, Big Brother participant, and radio and television personality. After being drafted from the South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club competes in the South Australian National Football League . Known as the Panthers, their home ground is Hickinbotham Oval , located in Noarlunga Downs in the southern suburbs of Adelaide....
, he made his Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
debut for Sydney in 2000, before being traded to Adelaide, where he played eight games in 2002. Fitzgerald later appeared in Big Brother Australia 2004, beginning a wider media career in television and radio.
Early life
Fitzgerald attended Wirreanda High SchoolWirreanda High School
Wirreanda High School is a Government of South Australia public High School in Morphett Vale, Adelaide, South Australia. The school caters for students from Years 8 to 13....
and played junior football for Port Noarlunga.
AFL career: 2000–2002
A tall forward drafted by the Sydney SwansSydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
with the 4th overall selection in the 1998 AFL Draft
1998 AFL Draft
The 1998 AFL Draft consisted of a pre-season draft, a national draft, a trade period and a rookie elevation. The AFL Draft is the annual draft of talented players by Australian rules football teams that participate in the main competition of that sport, the Australian Football League.In 1998 there...
from South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
club, South Adelaide
South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club competes in the South Australian National Football League . Known as the Panthers, their home ground is Hickinbotham Oval , located in Noarlunga Downs in the southern suburbs of Adelaide....
, Fitzgerald was unable to make his AFL debut until 2000, due to a shoulder injury. On debut, Fitzgerald kicked five goals and "looked set for a big career". He played nine more games for the rest of the season. At the start of 2001, Fitzgerald injured his knee, requiring a reconstruction that resulted in him missing the entire season. In 2002, he was traded to the Adelaide Crows
Adelaide Crows
The Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Crows, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Adelaide, South Australia, playing in the Australian Football League ....
, but only played eight games for the Crows before retiring from AFL football due to another ACL
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
injury that required a reconstruction.
Media personality and personal life
Fitzgerald was a contestant in Big Brother Australia 2004, and finished in fourth place at the conclusion of the show. After that he became co-host of the Adelaide Nova 91.9Nova 91.9
Nova 91.9 is a commercial radio station operating in Adelaide, Australia, owned by the DMG Radio Network.Along with its sister stations Nova 100 Melbourne, Nova 96.9 Sydney, Nova 106.9 Brisbane and Nova 93.7 Perth, Nova now claims to be Australia's leading under 40's brand.-Breakfast:The breakfast...
Breakfast show and made occasional appearances on Before The Game (AFL). In 2005 he had a new role as a co-host on the new Friday night Big Brother Australia show Friday Night Live with fellow Big Brother 2004 contestant Bree Amer
Bree Amer
Bree Amer is an Australian television personality.Amer was a contestant on Big Brother Australia 2004 from the Gold Coast, in Queensland, and the first housemate of Big Brother Australia to re-enter the House when, hours after her eviction, it was discovered the votes were miscalculated...
, which became a stand alone show in its own right in 2006 as Friday Night Games
Friday Night Games
Friday Night Games was a spin-off from Big Brother Australias Friday Night Live, hosted by Mike Goldman with Bree Amer and Ryan "Fitzy" Fitzgerald and was produced at Dreamworld, Gold Coast, Australia by Network Ten....
.
This show then returned as Friday Night Download, featuring internet videos. It was cancelled early in its second season.
Alongside Premier Mike Rann
Mike Rann
Michael David Rann MHA, CNZM , Australian politician, served as the 44th Premier of South Australia. He led the South Australian branch of the Australian Labor Party to minority government at the 2002 election, before attaining a landslide win at the 2006 election...
, he spoke at the opening of the Rundle Lantern in Adelaide.
Ryan married Belinda "BJ" Irons on the 15th of March 2008 at Adelaide Oval and have a son, Hewston James, who was born on the 17th of August 2009.
Fitzgerald also makes regular appearances on The 7PM Project
The 7PM Project
The Project is an Australian talk show television program airing weeknights across Australia on Network Ten. The formerly half hour long show premiered on 20 July 2009, and is hosted by Charlie Pickering, Carrie Bickmore and Dave Hughes, with a rotating daily guest panelist...
.
In October 2010, Fitzgerald announced that he would be leaving Nova 91.9
Nova 91.9
Nova 91.9 is a commercial radio station operating in Adelaide, Australia, owned by the DMG Radio Network.Along with its sister stations Nova 100 Melbourne, Nova 96.9 Sydney, Nova 106.9 Brisbane and Nova 93.7 Perth, Nova now claims to be Australia's leading under 40's brand.-Breakfast:The breakfast...
Breakfast to be a part of Nova's drive show Fitzy and Wippa.
Ryan is also a regular player in the EJ whitten legends game, He is credited with nearly winning the game in 2011 but failed.