AFL champion Paddy Ryder is playing a major role in a local football club's pursuit of premiership success.
The former Essendon, Port Adelaide and St Kilda star is in dominant form for Mornington Peninsular Football League's division two club Devon Meadows, who are shaping as the Cinderella story of local footy.
The Panthers are aiming to win its first-ever premiership after last year breaking a two-decade long finals drought.
Ryder is coming off a starring performance in the Panthers' semi-final win over Karingal last weekend.
The Noongar and Yamatji man kicked three goals in the third quarter to propel Devon Meadows almost single-handedly to the 6.11 (47) to 4.13 (37) victory.
The win was the club's first finals victory since 1997.
Panthers coach Ryan Hendy spoke of Ryder's dominance to the Packenham Gazette.
"Paddy Ryder, through absolute brilliance, got us back in front and we held onto the lead from there," Hendy said.
"He was the difference in the end."
The 35-year-old has been exceptional for Devon Meadows since joining the club this year.
He has kicked 40 goals in nine games including a bag of ten against Rye in May.
The ruckman-forward has also averaged just under ten score involvements per game throughout 2023.
Devon Meadows face Mornington in the preliminary final this Saturday with the winning booking a date with Somerville in the following week's premiership decider.
The Panthers will be looking to turn around a narrow loss from when these two teams met during the minor rounds.
Former Melbourne and St Kilda player Dean Kent will be one of a couple of handy players for Devon Meadows who will be added to the side from last time's encounter.
Coach Ryan Hendy told the Herald Sun that there was plenty of excitement around the town.
"After the game – and I've been around footy since I was born, that's 42 years – and I've never felt electricity like I felt in those rooms just then, that was something I've never experienced," Hendy told reporters after last week's win.
"The whole town is behind us. There's a really good buzz. We've ticked two boxes, we've got two more to tick.
"You just never know."
Ryder finished his 17-year AFL career with 281 games and 197 goals.
He won the John Cahill Medal as Port Adelaide's best-and-fairest in 2017 and was selected in the All-Australian team that same year.
