Ron Durham
Richmond
AFL career
59 games0 goals
- Debut
- R1 1943 v CAR8 May 1943
- Most recent
- R19 1948 v CAR4 Sept 1948
Stats
Bio
Recruited from Bacchus Marsh during the war years, Ron Durham was a country orchardist who famously trained with his local club rather than travelling to Punt Road due to transport restrictions. His VFL career began in nightmare fashion when Carlton’s Jim Baird booted ten goals on him in his debut, leaving a distraught Durham ready to quit and return to the bush until Captain-Coach Jack Dyer convinced him to stay. The decision proved inspired, as the strong-marking fullback rapidly adjusted to the level, capping off a remarkable 1943 season by winning the club’s Best and Fairest award in his rookie year and anchoring the defence in the Tigers' Premiership victory over Essendon. Despite this meteoric rise, his time at the top was severely curtailed by chronic leg injuries which saw him miss the 1944 finals campaign and wiped out nearly two full seasons of his prime, eventually forcing him into retirement at just 27.
Profile
- Born
- 11 June 1921
- Died
- 25 June 1961 (aged 40y 14d)
- Birthplace
- Bacchus Marsh, VIC
- Deathplace
- Bacchus Marsh, VIC
- Height
- 183 cm
- Weight
- 86 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership1943
- Richmond B&F1943
- 3rd
- 1948
- Top 10
- 1947
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Bacchus Marsh during the war years, Ron Durham was a country orchardist who famously trained with his local club rather than travelling to Punt Road due to transport restrictions. His VFL career began in nightmare fashion when Carlton’s Jim Baird booted ten goals on him in his debut, leaving a distraught Durham ready to quit and return to the bush until Captain-Coach Jack Dyer convinced him to stay. The decision proved inspired, as the strong-marking fullback rapidly adjusted to the level, capping off a remarkable 1943 season by winning the club’s Best and Fairest award in his rookie year and anchoring the defence in the Tigers' Premiership victory over Essendon. Despite this meteoric rise, his time at the top was severely curtailed by chronic leg injuries which saw him miss the 1944 finals campaign and wiped out nearly two full seasons of his prime, eventually forcing him into retirement at just 27.