Career: 2005 - 2006
Debut: Round 11, 2005 vs Sydney, aged 23 years, 90 days
1088th Carlton Player
Games: 16
Goals: 9
Last Game: Round 20, 2006 v Richmond, aged 24 years, 167 days
Guernsey No. 27
Height: 197cm
Weight: 100kg
DOB: 6 March, 1982
Chris Bryan was drafted with Pick 73 in the 2004 National Draft and played 11 games in his debut year. Bryan unsuccessfully trialled for the Collingwood rookie list in 2000, perhaps unknown to them was the fact that Bryan is the great grandson of Ernest 'Snowy' Lumsden (who played 78 games for Collingwood from 1910 to 1920) and his great uncle was magpie legend Dick Lee.
A mature aged recruit from the VFL, Bryan was a 197 cm ruckman who was blessed with a booming left foot. Bryan immediately became a crowd favourite in what became another disappointing year for Carlton. Fans started to yell 'Woof' every time he kicked the ball, a tradition after Val Perovic and Ang Christou, right from Bryan's first game in Round 11, against the Swans at Telstra Dome.
This game would be the highlight of Bryan's first year, with 20 possessions, 6 clearances and 17 hit outs. Unfortunately, Bryan would not quite match that effort again, averaging 8.7 possessions, 3 marks and 11 hit outs a game. He would play every game from then until round 21, but later in the season would struggle with limited game time and would fail to record a possession in the the 99 point loss in round 21. He would then play the remainder of the year with the Northern Bullants.
2006 brought few opportunities to Bryan, playing only 5 games from Round 16-20 in the ruck and occasionally as an extra marking forward. The highlight of 2006 was his Round 16 game against the Bombers where his work around the ground and strong marks up forward, even though he only kicked 1 goal 1, were noticeable. Unfortunately, Bryan was back at the Bullants from Round 21 onwards, having never really imposed himself on a game at either level.
Bryan was offered a one year contract for the 2007 season, but he decided to reject this and he entered the pre-season draft and was picked up by Collingwood. He debuted for the Pies in the Anzac Day clash in Round 5 of 2007, and maintained his spot on their list until finishing up in 2009. In his time at the Magpies, Bryan played 30 games and booted 10 goals. Bryan then made known that he might try his luck as a punter in the NFL, following in the footsteps of Darren Bennett, Sav Rocca, Ben Graham etc. He was signed by NFL franchise Green Bay Packers for the 2010 season in Feburary but was soon cut from the playing list, he was then thrown a life line by Tampa Bay.
Bryan prior to be recruited by Carlton, had played with VFL clubs Frankston and Sandringham, Sandringham Dragons U/18's, and Keysborough being his original junior club.