Australian Football

Despite standing only 179cm in height, Norwood’s Ron Kneebone made his name as a key position defender, where his strength, dash and superb judgement made him extremely difficult to beat. During his Magarey Medal year of 1966 he played 14 of his 18 league matches for the year at full back, a position he also occupied in three games at that year’s Hobart carnival, when his consistent all round performances must have gone close to securing him an All Australian blazer.

A simple, straightforward, no frills country boy, Kneebone played much of his early league football on the forward lines, on one occasion booting seven goals with his trademark, stylistically idiosyncratic drop kicks (he tended to raise the ball high into the air before bringing it down onto his boot). He was adept overhead, often outmarking taller players by strategic use of his ample weight. Although he was extremely tough, he was always fair, beating his opponents by a combination of nous, football ability, strength and determination. His Medal win, when it was announced, was extremely popular with the public because he played the game in a way with which they could readily identify.

Between 1957 and 1967 - an unusually lean time for Norwood, yielding no flags - Kneebone played a total of 201 club games, plus 16 for the state. He was included on a half back flank in the Redlegs’ official ‘Team of the Twentieth Century’.

Author - John Devaney