Ron Barassi Bio, Wiki, Death, Age, height, Education, Networth, Family and More

Australian rules football career

He unintentionally changed the game before he even took the field. After his father's death at Tobruk in 1941, a group of players and officials at the Melbourne Football Club pledged to support his widow, Elza, and her young son. As a teenager, Barassi was determined to follow in his father's footsteps at the Demons, but the zoning system of the day required him to play for either Collingwood or Carlton.

Father–son rule

To ensure he played with the Demons, Melbourne went to the VFL and successfully lobbied for the creation of a father–son rule to allow clubs preferential recruiting access to the sons of players who have made a major past contribution to the team (50-game minimum at launch). When the time came for Barassi to be signed, Melbourne picked him from Preston Scouts in 1952 and he became only the second player signed under the new rule (after Harvey Dunn Jr). This rule, with some modifications and adapted to the drafting system created in 1986, endures to the present day in the AFL.

The club had gone to great lengths to recruit the young Barassi, and coach Norm Smith took him under his wing after his mother moved to Tasmania. Smith offered the 16-year-old use of his backyard bungalow. Looking back on the experience, Barassi believed that living with the man who was voted as the coach of the AFL's Team of the Century had a profound impact on his development

Melbourne years

Melbourne Football Club was the dominant team of the 1950s. Under the coaching of Norm Smith, Barassi developed quickly. Barassi's first game was against Footscray in 1953 in which he was "flattened" by Footscray's Charlie Sutton. Initially unsure as to Barassi's best position, Smith played him as a second ruckman in 1954 despite his lack of size for the position. Barassi played more as a second rover, and the term "ruck-rover" entered the football lexicon. Within a few years, most teams imitated this structure, which ultimately paved the way for a new style of quicker on-ball play.

Barassi soon proved himself as an influential footballer, and he was quickly handed leadership responsibilities. In 1957, he was appointed vice-captain, and he was made captain three years later. After losing the 1954 Grand Final to a more experienced Footscray football team by 51 points, the Demons dominated the VFL by winning three successive flags in 1955, 1956, and 1957, with the team at the time hailed as the best to ever play the game. The image of Barassi breaking a tackle in the 1957 Grand Final is captured in Jamie Cooper's painting The Game That Made Australia, commissioned by the AFL in 2008 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the sport.

Carlton years

A resurgent Carlton gave him a dilemma in 1964. New president George Harris was desperate to have Barassi at Princes Park, and he was willing to offer a lucrative deal for the time—A three-year contract of A£9,000 (equivalent to $151,320 in 2023) plus bonuses—if Barassi would cross to Carlton as captain-coach. Carlton offered Barassi a chance to test his skills as coach with a professional wage which would help with his children’s education.

Barassi joined Carlton in 1965. On his decision to leave Melbourne, Barassi said that "Inevitably with many decisions in life there will be a downside. It is regrettable but you have to get on with things", he said. "You have to ensure, as much as possible, that the decision you’ve made turns out right. Fortunately it worked out, and I’ll be forever grateful to Carlton for the start they gave me in coaching."

Barassi's coaching at Carlton brought them from their lowest-ever VFL finish (at the time) to premiers only four years later. Drawing from his own experience under Norm Smith, Barassi forced his squad to become more disciplined and committed to the club—and their career. He preached and played a tough brand of football, and asked his charges to play a selfless, team-oriented style.

In 1968, he guided Carlton to its first premiership in 21 years. In mid-1969, he retired from playing but continued as non-playing coach, ultimately going down to Richmond in the 1969 VFL Grand Final by 25 points; however, in the 1970 Grand Final, in front of the biggest-ever VFL crowd, he led Carlton to arguably football’s most famous comeback by defeating Collingwood, who were leading by 44 points at half-time.

After the 1971 season, Barassi left the Blues to focus on his business career. Despite not having played football since 1969, he signed to play with Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football Association in 1972, but he played only four games before suffering a hamstring injury and retiring.

North Melbourne years

Barassi returned to coaching in 1973. With administrators Allen Aylett and Ron Joseph, he recruited a new batch of stars for North Melbourne. Proven champions were recruited from clubs throughout the country, including Malcolm Blight, Barry Cable, John Rantall, Barry Davis and Doug Wade.

North Melbourne won the wooden spoon in 1972, finishing last. However, in 1974, in just Barassi's second year of coaching the club, North Melbourne were to come runner-up in the 1974 grand final. Whereas Barassi had implemented a tough training regime in 1974, he modified modified this approach for the 1975 finals, where he introduced lighter training sessions to keep his squad mentally focussed and not overtrained and exhausted. His strategy worked, and they won the 1975 premiership.

North Melbourne went on to win another premiership in 1977, but they had nearly squandered the flag, as North Melbourne gave up a late lead against Collingwood to create the second-ever drawn VFL grand final before coming back a week later to win the flag. In the drawn grand final, Barassi made major positional changes, including placing North Melbourne Team of the Century full-back and captain David Dench into the forward line, which sparked North Melbourne's comeback to get back in front until Ross Dunne kicked a late goal to draw the game. Within a week, Barassi had picked his side up from this disappointing setback to lead North to a memorable triumph.

Return to Melbourne

In 1981, Barassi returned to Melbourne to assist long-term under-19 coach Ray 'Slug' Jordon. The under-19s made three straight grand finals and won premierships in 1981 and 1983. Barassi laid some foundations for what would become a revitalised Melbourne side. "In the five years we were there I think we raised the level of the club quite substantially. Melbourne reached the preliminary final two years after we left, and the grand final the year after that. I felt we did some of the ground work".

He started the "Irish experiment" at Melbourne, which started recruiting Gaelic footballers from Ireland and converting them to Australian rules footballers. He recruited the most famous of all, the 1991 Brownlow Medallist, Jim Stynes.

Sydney years

In 1993, he returned to coaching for the Sydney Swans. This was seen as a coup for the AFL given Barassi's media skills and profile. In his three seasons in Sydney, he raised the profile of Australian rules football and the Sydney Swans in the rugby league–dominated city.

Career highlights

• Melbourne premiership player 1955, 1956, 1957, 1959, 1960, 1964
• Melbourne leading goalkicker 1958 (eq), 1959
• Melbourne Captain 1960–1964
• Melbourne Best and Fairest 1961, 1964
• All Australian 1956, 1958, 1961
• Playing coach representing Australia in "The Galahs" Australian Football World Tour 1968
• Carlton premiership coach 1968, 1970
• North Melbourne premiership coach 1975, 1977
• Australian Football Hall of Fame
• AFL Legend
• VFL/AFL Team of the Century
• Sport Australia Hall of Fame (2006)
• VFL/AFL Italian Team of the Century (coach) 2007

Honours and awards

• Member of the Order of Australia (AM) 6 June 1978, "in recognition of service to the sport of Australian Rules football".
• Commendation for Brave Conduct 25 March 2013 - Bravery Honours
• Australian Sports Medal 24 October 2000

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