Trevor Ryan: key obituary facts
Is Trevor Ryan dead? Yes. Trevor Ryan died on October 10, 2026, at age 72.
Cause of death: Trevor Ryan's cause of death was reported as Lung cancer.
What was Trevor Ryan known for?
He was an Australian rugby league footballer.
More about Trevor Ryan
Born: 4 May 1954.
Place of birth: Bellingen.
Gender: male.
Occupation: rugby league player.
Nationality: Australia.
Trevor Ryan, an Australian rugby league footballer, died of lung cancer on October 10, 2026, aged 72.
Born in Bellingen, New South Wales, on May 4, 1954, he grew up in Nambucca Heads. Balmain signed Ryan when he was 17, after he had been scouted by Western Suburbs and Newtown; he would later play for both clubs.
Still 17, he made his first-grade debut for Balmain in 1972 against Western Suburbs at the Sydney Sports Ground. Balmain won the match 15-11. The game marked his entry into the New South Wales Rugby League competition, where his playing career extended through the 1970s and 1980s. Across those years, his club appearances included Balmain, Western Suburbs and Newtown, the three sides associated with his career in the competition. His early connection to Balmain began with the club’s signing him as a teenager, while his later playing record also included the two teams that had scouted him. Ryan was the father of Matt Ryan, who played for Parramatta in 2012 and 2013. His son’s appearances for Parramatta came in a later period of the sport, while Ryan’s own playing years were in the 1970s and 1980s.