Australian Football

A full forward early in his 182-game, 63-goal league career, which commenced in 1930, Ralph Green later developed into one of the finest full backs in the game. He was also a somewhat unfortunate footballer, missing both of the premiership triumphs enjoyed by Sturt during the course of that career. In 1932, when the Blues overcame North Adelaide in the Grand Final, he spent the season with Carlton in the VFL, while eight years later he was injured, and had to watch from the sidelines, as his teammates overcame South Adelaide. 

Even his time in the VFL was laced with misfortune as he endured an injury troubled season which restricted him to just five appearances and forced him to miss his club's losing Grand Final encounter with Richmond. Green did experience premiership success on one occasion in his career, however, when he lined up at half forward right for West Perth in that club's 1934 Grand Final defeat of East Fremantle. Green spent the 1934 season with the Cardinals, playing 20 games and kicking 17 goals.

As a full back, Ralph Green was dogged, athletic, sound overhead and, most eye-catchingly of all, one of the finest and most prodigious kicks of his day. North Adelaide's champion full forward Ken Farmer allegedly regarded Green as his toughest opponent. A South Australian representative at the 1933 Sydney carnival, Green played a total of seven interstate matches, kicking four goals.

He captain-coached Sturt in 1941, and was playing coach in 1945, his final league season.

Author - John Devaney