21-year-old towering defender Ruon Tongyik is ready to take the Hyundai A-League by storm.
Tongyik migrated to Australia from war-torn Sudan in 2003, settling in South Australia with his parents and four younger siblings.
As a junior, Tongyik’s introduction to football was through playing with his friends and at school before he signed up to play competitively for his local club West Adelaide.
Cool, calm and collected on the ball, Tongyik then spent two seasons at Adelaide Olympic before signing for Adelaide United’s youth team as a teenager.
Tongyik quickly made his mark at the club, able to play anywhere on the defensive line as well as the holding midfield position, playing with a composure beyond his years.
It was at United where Tongyik became a leader in his own right, successfully helping guide the Reds to NPL Promotion and an NYL Conference A Premiership.
The powerful centre-back had a breakout season at Adelaide and it came as no surprise then that he was crowned Adelaide’s Youth Player of the Year in his first season with the club.
The opportunity for first-team football then arose for Tongyik and he made the move to Melbourne City where he signed his first professional contract.
Tongyik continued his great form at the club, making 15 appearances for the first team and growing in confidence every match.
Following his two-year stint at City, Tongyik has now joined the Wanderers, bringing with him his hopes and plans of achieving success.
“I want to be able to win the Premiers Plate and the Grand Final with the club,” said Tongyik.
“I want to be able to prove myself and play, show the members and fans my reason for coming to the club and try to help the team have a great season.”
Looking back on his first experiences in the Hyundai A-League, Tongyik has admitted it has taken some time to get used to the differences between youth and first-team football and he can’t wait to learn more at the Wanderers for the next two seasons.
it was quite a difficult transition from youth to first-team football and he can’t wait to get underway with the Wanderers in the coming weeks.
“The first year I was playing (at Melbourne City) it was very fast paced,” noted Tongyik.
“It was a different level coming from the Foxtel Y-League to the Hyundai A-League.
“But I think I’ve grown well and I’ve gotten used to the tempo now.
“I’m really excited to join the Wanderers this season and I can’t wait to get started.”
