The real Ryan Tandy

By Rick Feneley
Updated June 21 2014 - 2:08pm, first published 3:15am
Enigma: Ryan Tandy, training with Melbourne Storm in 2009. Photo: Robert Cianflone
Enigma: Ryan Tandy, training with Melbourne Storm in 2009. Photo: Robert Cianflone
tandylandscape
tandylandscape

Carol Tandy stood at her son's funeral with her head held high and invited mourners to bear witness to a life that the headlines had failed to capture. Ryan Tandy was far from an angel, she said, ''but he wouldn't have wanted a halo anyway''.  Like the rough diamond the media had described, Ryan had many facets, but his mother lamented: ''Some never got to see the whole diamond.'' So she implored those gathered to listen carefully to the tributes and to share their stories, to shed some light on the rest of the diamond – the loyal mate, the dreamer, the ''loveable larrikin''.