Swans chat Vale Ron Barassi

[i'm-uninformed2]

His family have announced his passing at age 87.

One of the giants of the game, and what he did to put his hand up to help get our club off its knees was a seminal moment in our fortunes.

[Blood Fever]

Legendary figure

[Captain]

Absolute legend. One of the all time greats for the competition and our club

[liz]

That's sad news.

There are probably a dozen or so people who can be credited for huge contributions in taking Our Club from where it was in the early 1990s to where it is today. He's on that list. His time contribution may have been less than many others, but he gave us a credibility that was lacking and provided some foundations for others to build on.

[cruiser]

Sad news. It’s a shame the Dees couldn’t have won for him last night before he died. As coach turned Sydney from the team that lost 26 games in a row to the team that has hardly ever missed a finals series. Vale Ron Barassi.

[troyjones2525]

Still no post from the Swans acknowledging it yet... It's pretty ordinary considering what an important part he played in our recent history and survival in Sydney. I'm sure they will in due course, but there's been a hell of a lot of social media posts already from many football outlets.

R.I.P. Ron.

Sent from my SM-G998B using Tapatalk

[Foreign Legion]

I spoke to him at the SCG in the "Aftermatch" room which would be at the Kenny Williams end. He would laser focus on what you said and considered all of it.

I also bough him a double bundy and coke and he then bought me a schooner of beer. A true thinker on the game but passion was probably no. 1 with Ron.

Possibly the greatest name in Australian Football - Vale.

[Mel_C]

I was so shocked when I read the news about his passing. As has been mentioned, he was only with the Swans for a short time. But that time was a crucial step towards the successful club we are today.

I'll always remember when a player kissed him after that last game we won in 1995!

[Nico]

That's sad news.

There are probably a dozen or so people who can be credited for huge contributions in taking Our Club from where it was in the early 1990s to where it is today. He's on that list. His time contribution may have been less than many others, but he gave us a credibility that was lacking and provided some foundations for others to build on.

A great football brain and a good bloke to boot. When he came to the Swans the first thing he noticed was how unfit we were. When the fitness started to turn around so did our fortunes.

[stevoswan]

Wow, I just heard this after turning over to tonight's game on Seven. The Swans owe this man many thanks for dragging us from despair to respect. A giant of the VFL/AFL world.

Born just down the road from me in Guilford, Victoria. There is a cairn just outside that town recognising their most famous son. Vale Ronald Dale.

[Thunder Shaker]

A great loss for the football world.

I have always appreciated his stint as coach that helped turn the club around. In a few months, he took the club from a basket case that got belted by 20 goals in a half by the second-bottom side, to a more competitive club that lost to one of the Grand Finalists by one point. While he was coach, the club recruited Lockett, Roos, and O'Loughlin. As coach, he left the club in much better shape than he found it.

Thanks, Ron.

[Sandridge]

That's sad news.

There are probably a dozen or so people who can be credited for huge contributions in taking Our Club from where it was in the early 1990s to where it is today. He's on that list. His time contribution may have been less than many others, but he gave us a credibility that was lacking and provided some foundations for others to build on.

So right, Liz. The arrival of Ronald Dale at our club gave us the credibility we lacked and he was one of the many people who helped transform us from a basket case to the successful, well respected club we are today.

Legendary for his playing, coaching, influence on and passion for the game. Vale Ron Barassi.

[Dow]

Instrumental in starting the WA Supporters club, I will never personally forget what he idid for us ! RIP

[KSAS]

I was so shocked when I read the news about his passing. As has been mentioned, he was only with the Swans for a short time. But that time was a crucial step towards the successful club we are today.

I'll always remember when a player kissed him after that last game we won in 1995!

+1 Shocked & sad when I heard the news. Coached our team in its darkest hour. Monumental figure in the halycon 70's when I began going to the footy.

I recall him living around the corner from our family run Milk Bar in South Melbourne when he was coach of North in the mid 70's. Came in one day during the summer in his North footy shorts, white singlet & barefoot to buy a packet of cigarettes, I was alone as a young teenager behind the counter. Trembling as I handed him his change, fearing he would scream and make me do 100 push ups if I got it wrong (manual tills back then). Still remember the smirk on his face as he sensed my fear. (It started a rumour in my family at the time, that he moved into South Melbourne as it would be the next club he would coach. That didn't happen till 20 years later in Sydney!).

IIRC it was Dean McRae (who we recruited from North) who kissed Barassi after that last game in 1995?

[MarshallG]

Since 1874, few people sit above RB in terms of single-handed contribution to The Red and White