Ryan Houlihan wasn’t short of options when his AFL career ended.
The 32-year-old, who played 201 games for Carlton over 11 years, had coaching and playing offers to wade through.
But after one year as a development coach with Greater Western Sydney Giants, it was another passion that attracted him back to Melbourne.
Houlihan entered the restaurant game, opening his first eatery in Deer Park.
“It’s a passion,” he says. “This is my first one. I’ve jumped in the deep end and I’m learning to swim. I’m enjoying it and we’ve been really busy.”
Houlihan opened Rustique Co at 75A Mount Derrimut Road earlier this year.
Not surprisingly, with a former AFL star setting up shop in the football-loving west, it wasn’t long before he received offers to pull the boots back on.
And with former Blues teammate Bret Thornton and his good friend Marc Bullen already playing at Deer Park, Houlihan also became a Lion.
“When we built the restaurant in the area, one thing we really wanted to do was support the local sporting clubs and schools and really get around the local area,” Houlihan said.
“I was driving past Deer Park Football Club and they were in the cricket nets having a hit. We pulled over and had a chat to them.
“We ended up sponsoring the cricket team and when we sat down they said, ‘What are you doing for footy? I wasn’t even thinking about it, but they persisted and ended up getting me.”
All that has stopped Houlihan tearing the Western Region Football League apart has been constant hamstring injuries.
After completing only a limited pre-season, he has injured his hamstring five times. But in scary news for opposition sides, he expects to be at 100 per cent for Deer Park’s finals campaign.
“At the moment, our side is difficult to get into,” Houlihan said. “That means we’re always challenging each other. We want to get better and better.”
After going through the home and away season undefeated, Deer Park is a clear premiership favourite.
The Lions have the first week of finals off and will play the winner of this week’s match between Spotswood and Werribee Districts.
The winner of that game will secure a spot in the grand final.
