Ryan Schoenmakers Biography

28-year old Ryan Schoenmakers retires from football after 121 games for Hawthorn which included being part of the Hawks' 2015 flag-winning side.

An Achilles issue has plagued Schoenmakers over the past two seasons. He didn't feature in the senior side in 2019 and only once did he manage more than 16 games in a year, in 2012.

"I have spent almost half my life at this football club and have made some incredible friendships along the way," Schoenmakers said.

"My football journey hasn't been without its challenges, but each hurdle has helped shape me into the person I am today.

"The last 12 months in particular have been difficult on the injury front, which has helped me come to the decision that it’s time to pursue the next step in my career."

Injury trouble has prevented Ryan Schoenmakers from playing a game so far in 2019.

"He's going to be an important player for us, but first and foremost, we just have to get him durable," Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson said.

"He's had an interrupted pre-season and now an interrupted start to the year, where he gets there for a couple of games, then he gets a bit of soreness and he misses again.

"We've just got to get some continuity with his footy and … we know when he's up and going he's going to press for senior selection pretty soon, but it's not going to be this week."

Ryan Schoenmakers re-signs with Hawthorn for one more year, extending his stay at Waverley Park to 10 seasons in 2018.

"It’s been a tough 18 months for Ryan with injury and the competition for spots at an AFL level," Hawthorn list manager Graham Wright said.

"But he worked really hard at Box Hill and was rewarded for that in the back half of the season. No matter which end of the ground we play him, his endeavour to make a contest is always 100 percent.

"The way he has carried himself this year is a testament to his character, and we’re looking forward to watching him continuing the strong form he showed in the latter part of this year."

After struggling with injuries in the early part of the year, Ryan Schoenmakers believes his body is primed for Hawthorn's 2016 finals campaign.

"I feel mentally a lot fresher than I did the last couple of years," Schoenmakers said.

"Footy's a long season and you go into finals and you've been battling hard all year.

"This year I've been able to sit back and I feel like it's almost the start of the season for me.

"I'm really confident in my body now. I've gone through three games and had no pain."

Fresh from being part of Hawthorn's 2015 premiership team, Ryan Schoenmakers signs a new two-year deal with the Hawks.

"We're delighted that Ryan has re-committed to the club for at least the next two years," Hawthorn recruiting and list manager Graham Wright said.

"His form over the 2015 season was ultra consistent and culminated in a fantastic finals series, helping the club secure its 13th flag and his first."

Ryan Schoenmakers says he wants to stay at Hawthorn despite growing interest from rival clubs.

After missing Hawthorn's 2013 and 2014 premiership triumphs, Schoenmakers was one of just two Hawks – former Demon James Frawley was the other – who tasted flag success for the first time against the Eagles.

However, the 24-year-old's impressive form after being recalled for the Hawks' semi-final win over Adelaide – playing as a forward, he averaged eight marks and kicked four goals in three finals – caught the attention of rival clubs.

"Absolutely, my preference is to stay where I am. I'm really happy there, I've got some really close friends," he said.

"(My manager and the club) will sit down and work out all the technicalities I suppose. I'll just leave that to them."

Ryan Schoenmakers says his burning desire to win a premiership at Hawthorn meant he never seriously considered leaving the club last off-season.

Schoenmakers was caught up in a storm of trade speculation last October after the Hawks lured free agent James Frawley from Melbourne.

"It is tough. If you're not expecting it, like myself, then it creeps up on you," Schoenmakers said.

"I love the club and this is where I want to be. There wasn't really too much thought in my mind at all (about leaving).

"I missed out on the last couple (of premierships) so I really want to redeem myself and join my mates in some of that glory."

Sam Mitchell says Hawks teammate and key position player Ryan Schoenmakers needs to establish himself at one end of the ground to cement a regular senior berth in 2015.

"He's a pretty important player for us because he can fill a lot of holes: forward and back, and he can play on a wing a little bit too," Mitchell said.

"The hard thing for him is he hasn't really been able to make a spot his own.

"And the challenge he's got now is to grab a spot with both hands and make it his, rather than just being a player who can fill a forward position, fill a defensive position."

Ryan Schoenmakers will continue playing for Hawthorn in 2015 after refusing to be traded from the club despite interest from Fremantle and Adelaide.

"We're very pleased Ryan has decided to continue to play on with Hawthorn," Hawthorn general manager of football operation Chris Fagan said.

"We're happy that he will remain a Hawk and we look forward to him making a significant contribution to the team next year."

The Herald Sun reports that Ryan Schoenmakers has been left devastated to learn that the Hawks have been shopping him around to other clubs during the trade period.

Adelaide and Fremantle are interested in the versatile tall, who appears likely to struggle to push his way into Hawthorn's back six following the recruitment of free agent and former Demon James Frawley.

Hawthorn emains open to the possibility of trading key position player Ryan Schoenmakers during the NAB AFL Draft Period.

"We're open-minded from his perspective as to what he wants to do but at this stage he is committed to Hawthorn so that is a good thing," Hawthorn list manager Graham Wright said.

"I have had a couple ask the question [about Schoenmakers], but it hasn't been that serious - but we're only three or four days into a 10-day trade period so there is a long way to go and we will have to see what happens over the next week."

Hawthorn recruiting and list manager Graham Wright says Ryan Schoenmakers is not on the trade table and wants to stay at Hawthorn.

"In his exit meeting last week with Alastair Clarkson and Chris Fagan, he's made it pretty clear that he wants to stay. At this stage he's a contracted player," Wright said.

"We see him playing a multitude of roles. He's able to play as a key defender but he can play as a half-back flanker, a winger, and he played his junior footy as a leading forward. So he's got a lot of strings to the bow."

Ryan Schoenmakers kicks four goals in his first game of AFL football since round 4 in 2013 after recovering from a knee reconstruction.

"It's pretty amazing. Obviously it's been a long road back, it's been a long 12 months, and finally getting back out on the 'G and then the boys getting around me like that was a pretty special moment," Schoenmakers said.

"That first (shot at goal) I was probably thinking about the celebration before it happened, I suppose – getting a bit ahead of myself. But once I got the first one away I was pretty comfortable."

Ryan Schoenmakers expects to play up to four more games at VFL level before making his long-awaited return to the Hawthorn backline.

The 23-year-old took another step last weekend in his comeback from the torn ACL he suffered in round four last year, playing his first game for Box Hill.

"I'll need a few more games to get some match fitness, to get into the swing of it and get my confidence back," Schoenmakers said.

"It could be one week; it could be four. I'm not sure how it will pan out, but I'll just keep ticking the boxes."

Ryan Schoenmakers season is offer after rupturing his ACL during the Hawks' round 4 win over Fremantle.

"While Ryan is naturally disappointed by the injury, we're certain he will approach his rehabilitation with the same professionalism, positivity and dedication he has displayed as a young player,'' Hawthorn general manager of football operations James Fantasia said.

Ben Stratton teammate Ryan Schoenmakers to continue to improve as a key defender for the club.

"He's improved every summer. He takes the big key forwards every week," Stratton said.

"It's probably not so much his body physique, it's probably just his game, it's his body positioning and learning to play those bigger blokes.

"Often they've got a bit of height on him, just learning to play those bigger blokes a different way."

Ryan Schoenmakers says he is happy to have Brian Lake help him in defence but admits he is still unsure of what his role will be in 2013.

"He's going to be a great inclusion so it's going to be great to play alongside him and it will definitely help the defence, I guess," Schoenmakers said of Lake.

"I'm not really sure what 'Clarko' [Alastair Clarkson] has planned. I had a bit of a run up there [forward] in the NAB Cup so that was good fun, but I'm not really sure what he has got planned for this season."

Young Hawthorn defender Ryan Schoenmakers is blocking out the barbs, and quietly adding a growing number of scalps to his CV.

"I'm definitely pretty good at blocking [external criticism] out," Schoenmakers told AFL.com.au this week.

"I don't tend to pay too much attention to it. I just focus on my job week in and week out, and if the coaches are happy with that, then that's good."

Hawthorn captain Sam Mitchell says no one is expecting Ryan Schoenmakers to immediately fill the hole left by Trent Croad's retirement.

"It's pretty exciting when you've got a guy who's six-foot-four or five who can run like he does and is as strong as he [is]," Mitchell said about Schoenmakers.

"It's just whether or not he can adapt to the speed of our game plan and the way the AFL moves. It was a great experience for him last year but with another pre-season under his belt where he's been injury-free, I think it's a pretty exciting year for guys who are around his age."