As posted on www.rhettrospective.com
Ron Evans, who played 26 games for Richmond between 1946 - 1949, died on 29 December 2004 at the age of 78.
He was the younger brother of Max Evans (Richmond 1947-1948) and a cousin of Jack O'Rourke (1949 - 1953) and Basil O'Rourke (1951).
It seemed that Ron was destined to play for Richmond; born on 20 February 1926 in Warrnambool exactly 41 years to the day on which the Richmond Football Club was formed at Byrne's Royal Hotel in 1885.
He attended St Ignatius school in Richmond and was recruited from the Richmond Recruits (a forerunner of the Under 19's). The Recruits won the 1944 Premiership, which was played as the curtain raiser to the 1944 VFL Grand Final between Richmond and Fitzroy at the Junction Oval (which Richmond lost); with Ron winning the Competition Best and Fairest in the same year.
The first recorded reference to Ron Evans appears in the Richmond F.C Minute Book of 6 June 1944:
New Players: That the following players had been signed up - E. Malone, S.Cato and R. Evans
His senior debut for Richmond was on 10 August 1946; Round 16 vs Collingwood in front of 32,000 people at Punt Road Oval. Richmond won that day by 30 points. He was the 462nd player to debut for Richmond.
Interestingly, he was the next player after Roy Wright, to debut for Richmond.
Ron played 2 games in 1946, 4 games in 1947, 17 games in 1948 and 3 games in 1949 - totalling
26 games. His highest individual tally was 4 goals (vs Nth Melb Round 1 1947 and Footscray Round 2 1948)
He played in the 1946 Reserves Premiership, which defeated Fitzroy by 1 point; and won the Club Best and Fairest in the same year
A left footed rover, who possessed silky skills, he was useful around goals, but suffered a broken leg in 1947 which caused him to miss most of that season. However he returned to the Reserves team for the finals and played in the losing 1947 Grand Final to Nth Melbourne.
Ron's 27 goals in the seniors' 1948 season was the third most for the club behind Jack Dyer and Ray Poulter.
His last game with Richmond was Round 15 1949 vs St Kilda where he kicked 2 goals in the club's 21 point loss.
After leaving Richmond he played with Hawthorn and Coburg.
All supporters of the Richmond Football Club express their deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Mr Ron Evans.
Ron Evans:
Seasons: 1946-1949
Senior Games: 26
Senior Goals: 36
Awards: 1944 Richmond Recruits Premiership / 1944 Competition Best and Fairest
1946 Richmond Reserves Premiership / 1946 Reserves Club Best and Fairest
1948 Richmond Seniors Third highest club goal kicker.
Ron Evans, who played 26 games for Richmond between 1946 - 1949, died on 29 December 2004 at the age of 78.
He was the younger brother of Max Evans (Richmond 1947-1948) and a cousin of Jack O'Rourke (1949 - 1953) and Basil O'Rourke (1951).
It seemed that Ron was destined to play for Richmond; born on 20 February 1926 in Warrnambool exactly 41 years to the day on which the Richmond Football Club was formed at Byrne's Royal Hotel in 1885.
He attended St Ignatius school in Richmond and was recruited from the Richmond Recruits (a forerunner of the Under 19's). The Recruits won the 1944 Premiership, which was played as the curtain raiser to the 1944 VFL Grand Final between Richmond and Fitzroy at the Junction Oval (which Richmond lost); with Ron winning the Competition Best and Fairest in the same year.
The first recorded reference to Ron Evans appears in the Richmond F.C Minute Book of 6 June 1944:
New Players: That the following players had been signed up - E. Malone, S.Cato and R. Evans
His senior debut for Richmond was on 10 August 1946; Round 16 vs Collingwood in front of 32,000 people at Punt Road Oval. Richmond won that day by 30 points. He was the 462nd player to debut for Richmond.
Interestingly, he was the next player after Roy Wright, to debut for Richmond.
Ron played 2 games in 1946, 4 games in 1947, 17 games in 1948 and 3 games in 1949 - totalling
26 games. His highest individual tally was 4 goals (vs Nth Melb Round 1 1947 and Footscray Round 2 1948)
He played in the 1946 Reserves Premiership, which defeated Fitzroy by 1 point; and won the Club Best and Fairest in the same year
A left footed rover, who possessed silky skills, he was useful around goals, but suffered a broken leg in 1947 which caused him to miss most of that season. However he returned to the Reserves team for the finals and played in the losing 1947 Grand Final to Nth Melbourne.
Ron's 27 goals in the seniors' 1948 season was the third most for the club behind Jack Dyer and Ray Poulter.
His last game with Richmond was Round 15 1949 vs St Kilda where he kicked 2 goals in the club's 21 point loss.
After leaving Richmond he played with Hawthorn and Coburg.
All supporters of the Richmond Football Club express their deepest sympathy to the family and friends of Mr Ron Evans.
Ron Evans:
Seasons: 1946-1949
Senior Games: 26
Senior Goals: 36
Awards: 1944 Richmond Recruits Premiership / 1944 Competition Best and Fairest
1946 Richmond Reserves Premiership / 1946 Reserves Club Best and Fairest
1948 Richmond Seniors Third highest club goal kicker.
