15/10/2023
Jamie Ryan was one of my oldest and dearest friends.
We grew up together, got in trouble together and we even lived together.
We were the coolest breakdancers at school and built many a tree house together down the back paddock in my hometown of Inverell, but my favourite memory is of playing with Jamie in the sandpit in Preschool.
On this particular day he was throwing sand at me and when I'd had enough, I picked up a shovel and hit him over the head with it and split his head open.
Blood everywhere.
We were four or five at the time.
We used to laugh about it regularly because Jamie still had the scar on his head to this day.
He is the reason I am in Brisbane doing what I am doing because he was the one who kept ringing me, wanting me to come up.
He let me move in with him for a while until I found a job and got myself established.
He was a good man, and I will miss him and his humour.
I will miss our Christmas catch ups where we would often get up to no good together, either at the Boxing Day Races, playing snooker at the RSL club or spending lazy afternoons tinkering with our cars and talking s**t.
He was a talented artist and illustrator and found his passion as a signwriter soon after he left Brisbane in the late 90's early 2000's.
I would often ring him asking advice on graphic design and illustration because he was the master.
He would often brag about the work he was doing for the Newcastle Knights and knowing a lot of past and present players.
His memory will live on as I present this award to one of my most promising students each and every year.
The Jamie Ryan Fighting Spirit award.
Rest in Peace, my old mate.
This is for you.
Osu!
