‘Extraordinary life’: Sporting icon Ron Barassi dies
The last night of Ronald Dale Barassi’s rich life appropriately featured a belter of an AFL semi-final where he would have been in his element as a player or coach.
Hours after Carlton, who worship Barassi as a two-time premiership coach, beat Melbourne, who revere him as a six-time premiership player, the Australian sporting icon died on Saturday aged 87.
“After a full and extraordinary life, Ronald Dale Barassi, aged 87, left us today due to complications from a fall,” the statement said.
Ron Barassi poses for a portrait in 1997. He was a fiercely determined player, desperate to win every game. Getty
“He died peacefully, surrounded by loving family. We ask for privacy at this time.”
While he had been ailing for some time and the news comes as no surprise, Barassi’s death is nevertheless a seismic moment in Australian sporting history.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese led tributes to Barassi, saying there is no more famous name in football.
AFL chairman Richard Goyder called him the game’s most important figure since World War Two.
On Friday night, the AFL honoured Barassi with a tribute video before the Carlton-Melbourne clash.
Players and fans gave Barassi a standing ovation at Adelaide Oval and there was a short period of silence before Saturday night’s Port Adelaide-GWS semi.
“How fitting that just last night, two clubs in which he left such an impact should play out a final that typified the toughness, ferocious competitiveness and passion that symbolised so much that was great about Ron,” said Carlton president Luke Sayers.
The first player to be inaugurated into the Australian Football Hall of Fame as a Legend, Barassi played 253 senior VFL games in his career, including 204 for Melbourne and 49 for Carlton.
Betwe
Read more on afr.com
