Ray Ritchie (31 October 1936 – 13 March 2015) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, and coached in the 1980s. A New South Wales state and Australia national representative three-quarter back, he played in the New South Wales Rugby League Premiership for Sydney's Manly-Warringah club, becoming their coach after retirement from playing.[4]
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Born | 31 October 1936 Paddington, New South Wales | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Died | 13 March 2015 | (aged 78)||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Position | Wing, Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Coaching information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career
editRitchie started playing first-grade for Sydney's Manly-Warringah club during the 1955 NSWRFL season.[5] At the end of the following year, he was selected to play on the wing for a Combined Sydney team, scoring a try in their win against a touring Māori rugby league team.[6] In 1957 he played for New South Wales against Queensland and made it into the Australian squad for the 1957 World Cup, becoming Kangaroo No. 334.[7] Later in the year Ritchie was selected to play for Manly-Warringah in the 1957 NSWRFL season's grand final on the wing, but St. George won.[8]
Coaching career
editRitchie was appointed head coach of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles for the 1981 NSWRFL season and under him the club was back in the semi-finals that year.[9] The following year Manly reached the grand final, but Ritchie stood down before the 1983 season, and was succeeded by Bob Fulton.[10]
His daughter Donna attended the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Summer Paralympics as a wheelchair basketballer and won a silver medal in 2000.[11]
References
edit- ^ Rugby League Project Coaching
- ^ Rugby League Project
- ^ "Ray Ritchie". stats.rleague.com. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Vale Ray Ritchie". 13 March 2015.
- ^ "Ray Ritchie". yesterdayshero.com.au. SmartPack International. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Sydney Outclasses Maoris 37-7". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 September 1956. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Australian Players Register" (PDF). Annual Report - 2005. Australian Rugby League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
- ^ Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Alan Whiticker ISBN 9780732908164
- ^ Sean Fagan. "Manly Warringah Sea Eagles History". manlyfootballclub.com.au. Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ Whiticker, lan. "Ray Ritchie". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
- ^ "Vale Ray Ritchie". Manly Sea Eagles News, 13 March 2015. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.