Ron James (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Ron James was an Australian rules football
er who played with Footscray
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL) during the late 1980s.
James started his senior career at the age of just 14, when Williamstown
coach Terry Wheeler
picked him for the 1985 VFA
Grand Final, despite having spent the entire season in the Under-19s. The club lost the match by six points but James was a member of their 1986 premiership team.
Affectionately known as Ronnie, he joined Footscray in 1987 but struggled to establish a place for himself in the team, managing only 16 games in three seasons. He kicked a goal on debut in a loss to Carlton
but was overall inaccurate during his VFL career, with 16 behinds to go with his six goals. A rover, James received his only Brownlow Medal
vote for his 17 disposals in a win over the Brisbane Bears
at Western Oval in 1988.
At the age of 19, James was killed in a water skiing
accident near Echuca
on New Years Day 1990. He had been skiing with two friends on the Murray River
and was flung into a tree. Wheeler, his former coach at Williamstown, had joined Footscray for the 1990 AFL season
and was later quoted as saying James could have been a 150 or 200 game player.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played with Footscray
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL) during the late 1980s.
James started his senior career at the age of just 14, when Williamstown
Williamstown Football Club
The Williamstown Football Club, nicknamed The Seagulls, is an Australian rules football club based in Melbourne and are currently playing in the Victorian Football League...
coach Terry Wheeler
Terry Wheeler
Terry Wheeler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for and coached Footscray in the Australian Football League....
picked him for the 1985 VFA
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
Grand Final, despite having spent the entire season in the Under-19s. The club lost the match by six points but James was a member of their 1986 premiership team.
Affectionately known as Ronnie, he joined Footscray in 1987 but struggled to establish a place for himself in the team, managing only 16 games in three seasons. He kicked a goal on debut in a loss to Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
but was overall inaccurate during his VFL career, with 16 behinds to go with his six goals. A rover, James received his only Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
vote for his 17 disposals in a win over the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
at Western Oval in 1988.
At the age of 19, James was killed in a water skiing
Water skiing
thumb|right|A slalom skier making a turn on a slalom waterski.Waterskiing is a sport where an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation on a body of water, skimming the surface.-History:...
accident near Echuca
Echuca, Victoria
Echuca is a town located on the banks of the Murray River and Campaspe river in Victoria, Australia. The Border town Moama is on the northern side of the Murray river in New South Wales. It is the administrative centre and largest settlement in the Shire of Campaspe...
on New Years Day 1990. He had been skiing with two friends on the Murray River
Murray River
The Murray River is Australia's longest river. At in length, the Murray rises in the Australian Alps, draining the western side of Australia's highest mountains and, for most of its length, meanders across Australia's inland plains, forming the border between New South Wales and Victoria as it...
and was flung into a tree. Wheeler, his former coach at Williamstown, had joined Footscray for the 1990 AFL season
1990 AFL season
Results and statistics for the Australian Football League season of 1990.See List of Australian Football League premiers for a complete list.-Ladder:All teams played 22 games during the home and away season, for a total of 154...
and was later quoted as saying James could have been a 150 or 200 game player.