Ryan Burton

Ryan Burton (born 31 January 1997) is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Ryan Burton made his debut for North Adelaide in the SANFL as a 17-year-old. He played four senior games. He was still young enough to play in the 2014 NAB AFL Under-18 Championships. He kicked five goals in a game for South Australia against Western Australia. He was too young to be eligible for the AFL draft that year.

Unfortunately for Burton, he got struck down by a bad bout of glandular fever and then he broke his leg and dislocated his kneecap in a marking contest playing schoolboy football. He required surgery, orthopedic surgeon Matthew Liptak inserted a metal plate and 10 screws. Burton spent 2015 in rehab.

He was drafted by the Hawthorn Football Club with their first selection and nineteenth overall in the 2015 national draft.

He played two games early for Box Hill before having an operation to remove the screws and plate in his leg. He came back to play two more Games for Box Hill before getting a call up to play for Hawthorn.

He made his debut in round 21, 2016. He kicked a goal with his very first kick.

Burton played four games in a row but he suffered a calf injury during the Qualifying final and his season was done.

Burton is the son of dual North Adelaide premiership player Craig Burton.

Statistics are correct to the end of the 2016 season