{{Short description|Australian rugby league footballer and coach}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Use Australian English|date=July 2013}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Ryan Hinchcliffe |fullname = |image = Ryan Hinchcliffe.jpg |imagesize = 285 |caption = |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1984|10|7}} |birth_place = Temora, New South Wales, Australia |height = {{convert|182|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|89|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |position = {{rlp|LK|HK}} |club1 = Canberra Raiders |year1start = 2007 |year1end = 08 |appearances1 = 21 |tries1 = 3 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 12 |club2 = Melbourne Storm |year2start = 2009 |year2end = 15 |appearances2 = 177 |tries2 = 19 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 76 |club3 = Huddersfield Giants |year3start = 2016 |year3end = 18 |appearances3 = 92 |tries3 = 12 |goals3 = 0 |fieldgoals3 = 0 |points3 = 48 |teamA = NSW Country |yearAstart = 2011 |yearAend = 15 |appearancesA = 3 |triesA = 1 |goalsA = 0 |fieldgoalsA = 0 |pointsA = 4 |retired = yes |source = <ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ryan-hinchcliffe/summary.html|title=Ryan Hinchcliffe – Career Stats & Summary|publisher=Rugby League Project|access-date=2015-11-12}}</ref><ref>[http://203.166.101.37/NRL08/playercareer.asp?lplayer=440238 ]{{dead link|date=November 2015}}</ref><ref>[https://www.loverugbyleague.com/stats/players/Ryan-Hinchcliffe/ Love Rugby League]</ref> |updated = 2 January 2020 }}
'''Ryan Hinchcliffe''' (born 7 October 1984) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who last played for the Huddersfield Giants in the Super League, as a {{rlp|lk}} and {{rlp|hk}}, and previously played for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).
==Early life== Hinchcliffe was born in Temora, New South Wales, Australia. He was educated at Temora High School and played junior rugby league for Temora Dragons.
==Playing career== Hinchcliffe, a Temora Dragons junior, began his NRL career at Parramatta, although he previously played for the Canberra Raiders before moving to Melbourne, with whom he won the 2009 NRL Premiership. This premiership was later stripped in 2010 due to the club's multiple and deliberate breaches of the salary cap between 2006 and 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/telstrapremiershipscores/tabid/10240/roundid/833/fixtureid/5801/infotabid/3/default.aspx|title=Telstra Premiership Scores|access-date=5 October 2009|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091003020642/http://www.nrl.com/telstrapremiership/telstrapremiershipscores/tabid/10240/roundid/833/fixtureid/5801/infotabid/3/default.aspx|archive-date=3 October 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/storm/they-are-ours-why-cameron-smith-will-always-recognise-storms-stripped-premierships/news-story/6397becb6e5091d6804ef91c578c56bd/|title='They are ours': Why Cameron Smith will always recognise Storm's stripped premierships|publisher=Fox Sports}}</ref>
Hinchcliffe was a {{rlp|hk}} and could also play in the second row. He joined the Melbourne Storm from the Canberra Raiders for the 2009 NRL season.<ref name="2009 NRL Player Movements">{{cite web|url=http://www.nrllive.com.au/2009-nrl-player-movements/|title=2009 NRL Player Movements|publisher=NRL Live|date=2008-10-04|access-date=2008-10-04|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20081005172545/http://www.nrllive.com.au/2009-nrl-player-movements/|archive-date=5 October 2008 }}</ref> In Melbourne his impressive form resulted in reshuffles with Cameron Smith moving to five-eighth when lacking halves.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,25259882-23214,00.html|title=Storm captain Cameron Smith says positional switch will prolong career|author=Karl deKroo|publisher=Fox Sports|location=Australia|date=March 2009|access-date=2015-11-12}}</ref>
Hinchcliffe won the Storm's Player of the Year Award in 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/melbourne-storm-playing-for-pride/story-e6frf9if-1225917872134|title=No CookiesHerald Sun|publisher=Heraldsun.com.au|date=2013-03-22|access-date=2015-11-12}}</ref>
In 2012, he played in their premiership victory over Canterbury-Bankstown. Five months later, he played in their 2013 World Club Challenge win over Leeds.
In 2011 Hinchcliffe made his representative début for NSW Country and was again selected for the side in 2012.
On 22 June 2015, Hinchcliffe signed a 3-year contract with Super League team Huddersfield Giants starting in 2016.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.giantsrl.com/news/article/4533/giants-sign-storm-leader-for|title=Huddersfield Giants|publisher=Giantsrl.com|date=2015-06-22|access-date=2015-11-12}}</ref>
On 4 September 2018, Hinchcliffe announced that he would be retiring at the end of the season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/45406959|title=Huddersfield Giants forward to retire at end of the season|publisher=BBC Sport}}</ref>
==Coaching career==
Hinchcliffe returned to Melbourne following his retirement as a player, taking up a role as a development coach at Melbourne Storm.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hinchcliffe to return home |url=https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/2018/09/05/hinchcliffe-to-return-home/ |website=melbournestorm.com.au |access-date=19 April 2022 |date=5 September 2018}}</ref> He was a member of the coaching staff when Storm won the 2020 NRL Grand Final.
On 18 July 2025, Hinchcliffe was named as Samoa's assistant coach for the 2025 Pacific Championships.<ref>{{cite web |title=Ryan Hinchcliffe appointed Samoa Assistant Coach |url=https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/2025/07/18/ryan-hinchcliffe-appointed-samoa-assistant-coach/ |website=melbournestorm.com.au |access-date=28 July 2025 |date=18 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gabor |first1=Martin |title=‘I want to be a part of that journey’: Ryan Hinchcliffe locked in as assistant coach in huge coup for Samoa ahead of World Cup |url=https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/i-want-to-be-a-part-of-that-journey-ryan-hinchcliffe-locked-in-as-assistant-coach-in-huge-coup-for-samoa-ahead-of-world-cup/news-story/a92a4293098aba4eb88a105ec0518d92 |website=news.com.au |publisher=News Corporation Australia |access-date=28 July 2025 |date=18 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Pryde |first1=Scott |title=Samoa confirm new assistant coach for Pacific Championships |url=https://www.zerotackle.com/samoa-confirm-new-assistant-coach-for-pacific-championships-224382/ |website=Zero Tackle |access-date=28 July 2025 |date=18 July 2025}}</ref>
== Statistics == {| class="wikitable sortable" |+ !Year !Team !Games !Tries !Pts |- |2007 | rowspan="2" |{{Leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Canberra Raiders |7 |1 |4 |- |2008 |14 |2 |8 |- |2009 | rowspan="7" |{{Leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} Melbourne Storm |26 |2 |8 |- |2010 |23 |4 |16 |- |2011 |25 |4 |16 |- |2012 |27 |4 |16 |- |2013 |23 |3 |12 |- |2014 |25 |2 |8 |- |2015 |26 | | |- |2016 | rowspan="3" |{{leagueicon|Huddersfield|16}} Huddersfield Giants |31 |2 |8 |- |2017 |30 |6 |24 |- |2018 |31 |4 |16 |- | |Totals |290 |34 |136 |} source;<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ryan Hinchcliffe - Playing Career - RLP |url=https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ryan-hinchcliffe/summary.html |access-date=2024-04-07 |website=www.rugbyleagueproject.org}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.giantsrl.com/locker_room/first_team/player?ryan-hinchcliffe Huddersfield Giants profile] *[http://www.rugby-league.com/superleague/player-info/2704 SL profile]
{{Melbourne Storm squad - 2009 NRL Grand Final winners}} {{Melbourne Storm - 2010 World Club Challenge winners}} {{Melbourne Storm squad - 2012 NRL premiers}} {{Melbourne Storm - 2013 World Club Challenge winners}} {{Cameron Smith Player of the Year Award}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hinchcliffe, Ryan}} Category:1984 births Category:Living people Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Australian expatriate rugby league players in England Category:Country New South Wales Origin rugby league team players Category:Canberra Raiders players Category:Melbourne Storm players Category:Rugby league locks Category:Rugby league hookers Category:Rugby league players from Temora, New South Wales Category:Huddersfield Giants players Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen