No figure has stood taller in footy history than Ron Barassi, but his true distinction is that he was forever looking to the future.
and in recent years has not been in a place to contemplate and philosophise on footy in all its myriad aspects. He’d delivered himself of enough of himself for a lifetime already.
And the future. If there was a motif running through Barassi’s footy and his life, it was that he was always ahead of the game.As a player, he was the progenitor of a new position. A synthesis of the two main following roles, it was called ruck-rover and, in it, Barassi was the fulcrum of a Melbourne team that won six premierships in 10 years. It lives on today in the shape of the big-bodied midfielder that wins the Brownlow Medal almost every year.
At North Melbourne, he exploited an early and short-lived form of free agency to win that club its first two premierships and bring to it a glamour that it has not had before or since. When he was coaxed into a last coaching fling at Sydney, he gave the national competition a much-needed fillip. Dr Allen Aylett had fathered the national competition, but Barassi authenticated it.This brings us nearer to what set Barassi apart from his few peers in the code’s stratosphere.
So it was that he led expeditions to the US and to Ireland, opening a door that led to Jim Stynes’ improbable journey to a Brownlow Medal, a door remains open and well-trafficked today. He foresaw the national competition – hence his willingness to lend himself to Sydney’s cause.Long before the formation of the AFL Commission, he called for a ruling body that rose above the hobbles of club self-interest.
Malaysia Latest News, Malaysia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why Ron Barassi was a lifetime ahead of the gameNo figure has stood taller in footy history than Ron Barassi, but his true distinction is that he was forever looking to the future.
Read more »
Why Ron Barassi was a lifetime ahead of the gameNo figure has stood taller in footy history than Ron Barassi, but his true distinction is that he was forever looking to the future.
Read more »
AFL great Ron Barassi diesAFL legend Ron Barassi has died. The family confirmed his passing in a statement.
Read more »
AFL great Ron Barassi diesAFL legend Ron Barassi has died. The family confirmed his passing in a statement.
Read more »
Football icon Ron Barassi dies aged 87The AFL world is mourning one of its true greats.
Read more »