Past Ron Alexander (1976-1981)

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Footyinfo

Full name: Ron Alexander
Born: December 10, 1950
Teams: Fitzroy 1976-81
Height: 196cm
Weight: 100kg
Debut: Richmond vs Fitzroy Round 1, M.C.G., 3 April 1976

Wikipedia

During his career he represented Western Australia 13 times, Victoria twice, and was awarded a Simpson Medal for a match against Victoria in 1974. He began his career with East Perth Football Club where from 1971 to 1975 he played 98 games and kicked 49 goals. He was a big, strong ruckman, weighing 98 kg and standing at 196 cm tall. He was a member of their 1972 premiership team and won the club's fairest and best award in 1974.

He then crossed over to Fitzroy in 1976. He was their captain from 1979–80, and in 1981 won their best and fairest, finishing ahead of that season's Brownlow Medallist Bernie Quinlan by nine votes. In total he played 133 games and booted 30 goals for the Roys. While in Melbourne he gained a degree in Physical Education and for a time was president of the VFL Players Association. He went back to Perth after the 1981 season.

Statistics:

afl tables
all the stats

 

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Fitzroy captains

1977   John Murphy
1978   Harvey Merrigan
1979   [U]Ron Alexander[/U]
1980   [U]Ron Alexander[/U]
1981   Garry Wilson

Fitzroy Best and Fairests

1979   Garry Wilson
1980   Garry Wilson
1981   [U]Ron Alexander[/U]
1982   Matt Rendell
1983   Matt Rendell

 

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Fitzroy Team of the Century Nominees

Ron Alexander played 133 games for Fitzroy between 1976 and 1981. He kicked 30 goals in his career. He was recruited from East Perth and came across with fellow Western Australians Max George and Bob Beecroft. He played in Fitzroy’s 1978 Night Premiership team and the team that kicked the VFL record score in 1979. He played in four finals games. While at Fitzroy he played twice for Victoria and eight times for Western Australia. The ruckman captained Fitzroy in 1979-1980. He won the club best and fairest award in his last season beating Brownlow Medallist Bernie Quinlan. He later coached East Fremantle to a Premiership and was the inaugural coach of the West Coast Eagles.

 

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Fullpointsfooty

Ron Alexander was a formidable, highly team-orientated ruckman whose qualities of leadership were evident from very early in his career. After captaining the Royals in his final season he transferred to Fitzroy where he spent six highly successful years, captaining the side in 1979 and 1980, and winning a club champion award in 1981. Somewhat perversely, he was also chosen to represent Victoria. In 1982, after 133 VFL games for the Lions, he returned to the west as captain-coach of East Fremantle, a role he ended up undertaking for four seasons, culminating in the 1985 grand final defeat of Subiaco.

When he retired after the 1985 grand final Alexander had added 77 WAFL games to the 98 he had played previously with East Perth. He continued at East Fremantle as non-playing coach in 1986, and the following year was appointed as the inaugural coach of Western Australia's fledgling VFL club, West Coast. However, despite overseeing a highly respectable return of 11 wins from 22 home and away matches for 8th position on the ladder he was replaced at season's end by John Todd.

 

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FootyGoss

1976 saw Ron Alexander in Fitzroy colours, and he was to become another West Australian ruckman to take the VFL by storm. He played 133 games in six years with Fitzroy, in the process captaining the club , winning a fairest and best, and representing Victoria.

In 1982 East Fremantle upset the Royals by appointing Alexander captain coach. Still a formidable player, he was an inspirational leader for the blue and whites, both as a ruckman, and as his career wound down, a permanent forward, heading Old East's goalkicking list (along with Jeff Cassidy) in 1984 with 52 goals.

East Fremantle and Alexander achieved the premiership they deserved in 1985, and immediately afterwards Ron Alexander announced his retirement as a player. He had played 77 games with East Fremantle, 98 at East Perth, and 133 for Fitzroy, in a grand career of 308 games of league football.

 

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Link ....

ABOVE (L-R): Ron Alexander, coach Graham Campbell, and Garry 'Flea' Wilson celebrate Fitzroy's defeat of North Melbourne to secure the 1978 night flag, Fitzroy's last senior grade premiership.

 

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Wilson passed over: Ron's No.1
Mike Sheahan
Apr 4, 1979

Fitzroy has preferred ruckman Ron Alexander to Garry Wilson as its new captain in the second major disappointment in six months for the champion rover. The Lions last night named Alexander as successor to Harvey Merrigan, with Wilson, the popular tip, remaining vice-captain.

Fitzroy's new captain, Ron Alexander, gets an early test of strength from his father, Alec, visiting from Perth.

 

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Footy Record 1981
Round 13, page 19

Ron Alexander has the look of a lion about him. The shock of ginger-blond hair, the strong features, the aggressive style. It was obvious that Fitzroy should become his den. Alexander, 30, has been among the top big men since he joined VFL ranks in 1976 from East Perth.

He has played 122 games and captained the Lions to the first finals appearance for 19 years when they finished fourth in 1979. Alexander's performances this season indicate he has not lost form or enthusiasm and his form over the coming weeks will play an important role in Fitzroy's hopes for finals contention this season.

 

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Footy Record 1981
Special, page 32

Essendon's Justin Madden goes up against Fitzroy's Ron Alexander.

 

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[YOUTUBE]bQ5ub5GdD6o[/YOUTUBE]

 

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Finals Fever... 10 years ago
Footy Record 1989
Week 1 Finals

 

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[YOUTUBE]OGn9QRwu--I[/YOUTUBE]

 

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1985 WAFL Grand Final: Sharks sink Subi

Victorious Sharks playing coach Ron Alexander is chaired from the arena after his side's stirring 5 point victory over a gallant Subiaco in the 1985 WAFL grand final.

 

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East Perth Hall of Fame

Ron Alexander Player 1971-85
Games Played: 322
East Perth 98; Fitzroy 133;.East Fremantle 76; WA 13; Victoria 2
Coaching career: East Fremantle captain-coach 1982-85; Coach 1986; West Coast 1987
Premierships: East Perth 1972 (player) East Fremantle 1985 (captain-coach)
Honours: East Perth fairest and best 1975; Fitzroy fairest and best 1981; Simpson Medal WA v Victoria 1974; captain East Perth 1975; captain Fitzroy 1979-80.

 

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September 22 1986

Ron Alexander was appointed inaugural West Coast Eagles coach.

Inaugural West Coast Team

[B]Backs:           [/B]Dwayne Lamb      Michael Brennan        Paul Peos
[B]Half-backs:      [/B]Geoff Miles      Ross Glendinning (c)   Mark Zanotti
[B]Centres:         [/B]Phil Narkle      Murray Wrensted        Peter Davidson
[B]Half-forwards:   [/B]Dean Laidley     Laurie Keene           Don Holmes
[B]Forwards:        [/B]Steve Malaxos    Darren Bennett         Andrew Macnish
[B]Ruck:        [/B]    Alex Ishchenko   John Annear            Wally Matera
[B]Interchange:     [/B]Chris Lewis      Adrian Barich
[B]Coach:           [/B][U]Ron Alexander[/U]

 

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Fitzroy's last game

The Fitzroy faithful farewell the club at Subiaco: former captain Ron Alexander with trainer Kevin Elms and Brownlow medallist Kevin Murray.

 

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Director-General of the Department of Sport and Recreation
31/12/97

Ron Alexander, one of Western Australia's best-known sporting identities, has been substantively appointed executive director of the WA Sport and Recreation Council. Sport and Recreation Minister Norman Moore announced the appointment today. Mr Alexander has been acting in the role for about 18 months. He is a former East Perth, Fitzroy, East Fremantle and State footballer, coached East Fremantle and was the inaugural coach of the West Coast Eagles. He presently is on the board of management of the Fremantle Dockers. The main tasks for which Mr Alexander will be responsible include:

*consulting with Government and community groups on policies, priorities and strategies for the development of sport and recreation in WA;

*helping the WA Sport and Recreation Council, as the peak sport advisory agency to the State Government, provide direction and advice on sport and recreation issues; and -

*making recommendations to the Minister on the future structure and funding of the sport and recreation industry.

 

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Blast from the Past
8:43 AM Thu 23 Jun, 2011

What are your fondest memories of your time at Fitzroy?

I started with the Club in 1976 and we made Finals for the first time in 16 years in 1979. That was pretty special. We had a great group of players and a really good board and administration.

One of the things that really stood out was the passion of our supporters. I’m a sort of people’s person, and I really enjoyed meeting all the different types of people as well as playing and competing at the highest level during a relatively successful era.

Being in Melbourne was fantastic. I was probably a bit reluctant to move initially, but really enjoyed it and ended up staying for six years.

 

[Eons]

If it wasn't for Ron I'd be a Hawks supporter. My parents were in a babysitting club in Glen Waverley with Ron and his wife and he told myself, my brother and sister that if we didn't barrack for Fitzroy he wouldn't babysit us anymore. Think we were more scared of him than anything else, he was HUGE, especially when I was only 3 years old. Couldn't have asked for a better team to support!

 

[Mr Ripper]