Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Ronald James Alexander

Known as
Ron Alexander

Born
10 December 1950 (age 73)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 25y 115d
Last game: 30y 276d

Height and weight
Height: 196 cm
Weight: 100 kg

Senior clubs
East Perth; Fitzroy; East Fremantle

Jumper numbers
Fitzroy: 6

Recruited from
East Perth (1976); Fitzroy (1982)

Hall of fame
Western Australian Football Hall Of Fame (2004)

Ron Alexander

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
East PerthWANFL1971-197598490.50
FitzroyV/AFL1976-1981133300.2341%9.845.394.5951
East FremantleWAFL1982-198576961.26
WAFL1971-1975, 1982-19851741450.83
V/AFL1976-1981133300.2341%9.845.394.5951
Total1971-19853071750.57

AFL: 8,790th player to appear, 1,630th most games played, 2,968th most goals kickedFitzroy: 928th player to appear, 59th most games played, 166th most goals kicked

Has adopted a more responsible approach to his ruck work this season and is the state’s no. 1 ruckman. Works hard in the packs and is difficult to out- position.¹

Ron Alexander was a formidable, highly team-orientated ruckman whose qualities of leadership were evident from very early in his career. That career commenced in 1971 with East Perth for whom he played a total of 98 senior games in five seasons, including the winning grand final of 1972 against Claremont. Under the tutelage of Mal Brown, Alexander became a club leader and won his club's fairest and best award in 1974, the same year that saw him awarded a Simpson Medal after a fine performance for Western Australia against the VFL at Subiaco.

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. At the Roys he earned a reputation as a big hearted ruckman always looking out for his smaller teammates. Somewhat perversely, he was also chosen to represent Victoria during his tenure east. 

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. Alexander continued to perform with great credit and consistency as a player, although at this stage in his career he tended to spend more time resting up forward. In 1984 he booted 52 goals for the year to be the Sharks' joint top goal kicker along with Jeff Cassidy. When he retired after the 1985 grand final Alexander had added 76 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 eighth position on the ladder he was replaced at season's end by John Todd.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. “NFL Championship Series Football Record”, 14/6/75, page 8.

Sources

Full Points Footy's WA Football Companion

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.