Ray Donnellan
Fitzroy
AFL career
40 games0 goals
- Debut
- R6 1949 v FSC21 May 1949
- Most recent
- R15 1951 v FSC11 Aug 1951
Stats
Bio
Recruited from East Brunswick CYMS, Ray Donnellan was a key link in a three-generation Fitzroy dynasty, connecting his relative Steve Donnellan—a member of the 1922 premiership side—to his son Stephen, who represented the Lions in the late 1980s. A tenacious competitor who focused on defensive accountability rather than attacking flair, Donnellan was a regular fixture in the Fitzroy lineup from 1949 to 1951, though he failed to register a goal during his VFL career. He departed the league to pursue opportunities in Canberra, where he forged a massive reputation as a captain-coach in the local leagues. Donnellan led Manuka to a premiership in 1955 before crossing to Ainslie, where he steered the club to back-to-back flags in 1958 and 1959, cementing his status as a giant of football in the Australian Capital Territory.
Profile
- Born
- 30 Dec 1926
- Died
- 09 July 2008 (aged 81y 192d)
- Deathplace
- Canberra, ACT
- Height
- 179 cm
- Weight
- 73 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from East Brunswick CYMS, Ray Donnellan was a key link in a three-generation Fitzroy dynasty, connecting his relative Steve Donnellan—a member of the 1922 premiership side—to his son Stephen, who represented the Lions in the late 1980s. A tenacious competitor who focused on defensive accountability rather than attacking flair, Donnellan was a regular fixture in the Fitzroy lineup from 1949 to 1951, though he failed to register a goal during his VFL career. He departed the league to pursue opportunities in Canberra, where he forged a massive reputation as a captain-coach in the local leagues. Donnellan led Manuka to a premiership in 1955 before crossing to Ainslie, where he steered the club to back-to-back flags in 1958 and 1959, cementing his status as a giant of football in the Australian Capital Territory.