Ron Smith
North Melbourne and Essendon
AFL career
44 games1 goals
- Debut
- R4 1939 v GEE13 May 1939
- Most recent
- R18 1944 v STK2 Sept 1944
Stats
Bio
Recruited from Werribee South, Ron Smith was a skilled, dual-sided wingman whose VFL tenure was deeply intertwined with his footballing brothers during the turbulent World War II era. He debuted for Essendon in 1939 and played alongside his brother Max in 1940, but crossed to North Melbourne for the 1942 season following Max's untimely death. Smith established himself as a consistent performer at Arden Street, valued for his versatility and ability to dispose of the ball effectively on either foot. His career concluded on a poignant note in the final round of 1944; he took the field alongside his younger brother Clive—who was playing just his second senior game—before suffering a severe injury during the match that ultimately forced his retirement.
Profile
- Full name
- Ron H. Smith
- Born
- 04 Sept 1914
- Died
- 23 Jan 1979 (aged 64y 141d)
- Birthplace
- Geelong, VIC
- Deathplace
- Mildura, VIC
- Height
- 170 cm
- Weight
- 69 kg
Teams
Family
- Brother:Max Smith, Clive Smith
Bio
1 revisionRecruited from Werribee South, Ron Smith was a skilled, dual-sided wingman whose VFL tenure was deeply intertwined with his footballing brothers during the turbulent World War II era. He debuted for Essendon in 1939 and played alongside his brother Max in 1940, but crossed to North Melbourne for the 1942 season following Max's untimely death. Smith established himself as a consistent performer at Arden Street, valued for his versatility and ability to dispose of the ball effectively on either foot. His career concluded on a poignant note in the final round of 1944; he took the field alongside his younger brother Clive—who was playing just his second senior game—before suffering a severe injury during the match that ultimately forced his retirement.