Ron Alexander

Ron Alexander AM (born 10 December 1950) is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and West Australian Football League (WAFL) as well as being the inaugural coach of the West Coast Eagles.[1]

Ron Alexander
Personal information
Full name Ronald James Alexander
Date of birth (1950-12-10) 10 December 1950
Height 198 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Weight 115 kg (254 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1976–1981 Fitzroy 133 (30)
1971–1975 East Perth 098 0(49)
1982–1985 East Fremantle 076 0(96)
Total 307 (175)
Coaching career
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
1982–1986 East Fremantle
1987 West Coast 22 (11–11–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1987.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Playing career

During his career he represented Western Australia 13 times, Victoria twice, and was awarded a Simpson Medal for a match against Victoria in 1974.

WANFL career

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.

VFL career

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.[1] 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.

Coaching career

He returned to Western Australia in 1982 and took on the role of captain/coach at East Fremantle taking them to the grand final in 1984, 1985 and 1986, winning the 1985 Premiership.

In 1986, after 76 games for East Fremantle, he stepped down as a player, but as coach he once again took his side the grand final and like 1984 they were again runners-up.

West Coast Eagles

In 1987 he was picked to be the inaugural coach of the West Coast Eagles.[1]

He was controversially replaced by John Todd the following season despite being close to taking his side to the finals in their first year.[1]

Today

From 1999 to 2017, he was the Director-General of the Western Australian Department of Sport and Recreation.[2] (DSR). In 2017 the WA Government decided to merge the Department with the Departments of Local Government, Culture and Arts, Racing Gaming and Liquor and Office of Muliticultural Interests. Under Ron’s leadership, DSR was regarded as the most responsive and best led government department in the State. On the merging with other departments a State treasure was lost to mediocrity .


References
  1. Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2003). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (5th ed.). North Melbourne, Victoria: Crown Content. p. 7–8. ISBN 1-74095-032-1.
  2. "Blast from the Past". Official Website - Brisbane Lions Football Club. lions.com.au. Retrieved 23 June 2011.


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