Ron Van THag
Geelong
AFL career
2 games0 goals
- Debut
- R14 1959 v RCH1 Aug 1959
- Most recent
- R15 1959 v FIT8 Aug 1959
Stats
Bio
Born in Almelo, Netherlands, Ron Van T'Hag was a rarity in 1950s football as a Dutch immigrant who found his way to the VFL after arriving in Australia as a teenager. His pathway to the Geelong senior side was quintessentially local; he worked on the production line at the Ford factory, where his athletic ability impressed colleagues who were already playing for the Cats. Standing 183cm but with a slight 70kg frame, he broke into the seniors for two games in 1959, becoming the first player in club history to wear the number 44 guernsey. While he did not register a goal and eventually moved on to play for Torquay, his legacy remains as a multicultural pioneer and the original custodian of a number that would later become iconic at Kardinia Park through legends like Corey Enright.
Profile
- Full name
- Ron Van T'Hag
- Born
- 06 July 1940 (age 86y 118d)
- Birthplace
- Almelo, Netherlands
- Height
- 183 cm
- Weight
- 70 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionBorn in Almelo, Netherlands, Ron Van T'Hag was a rarity in 1950s football as a Dutch immigrant who found his way to the VFL after arriving in Australia as a teenager. His pathway to the Geelong senior side was quintessentially local; he worked on the production line at the Ford factory, where his athletic ability impressed colleagues who were already playing for the Cats. Standing 183cm but with a slight 70kg frame, he broke into the seniors for two games in 1959, becoming the first player in club history to wear the number 44 guernsey. While he did not register a goal and eventually moved on to play for Torquay, his legacy remains as a multicultural pioneer and the original custodian of a number that would later become iconic at Kardinia Park through legends like Corey Enright.