With the untimely passing in Perth of the former Carlton full-forward Warren Ralph, the game has lost one of its greatest kicking exponents of the 1980s or any other era.
Ralph, who died in his sleep at the age of 66 last Wednesday, formed part of the Blues’ front half in the between-Premierships seasons of 1984-1986, in a sixsome which included the then captain Wayne Johnston and Johnston’s successor Mark Maclure.
By the time he first lugged his kit bag into Princes Park, Ralph’s reputation in Western Australia had already preceded him. He quite literally found his feet kicking the oval ball – as a junior at Dalwallinu and Floreat, and later at Claremont where he broke into the seniors before his 18th birthday.
By 1981 he’d savoured Grand Final success with the West Australian Tigers, and would do so again beyond the Carlton years in 1987 and 1989. Up front, he topped the WAFL’s goalkicking with tallies of 127, 115 and 128 in 1981, ’82 and ’83 respectively - so Carlton knew what it was getting.
Members of the ’81 Claremont triumph under Captain-Coach Graham Moss included future VFL footballers Jim and Phil Krakouer, Steve Malaxos and Wayne Blackwell. Blackwell followed Ralph across to Carlton on the strength of a recommendation from Ken Hunter, and they would both run out in Dark Navy for the first time in the opening round match of the ’84 season, against North Melbourne at Waverley Park.
Hunter, whose time with Claremont preceded the Carlton back-to-back Premierships of 1981 and ’82 in which he featured (and the first of them in a Best & Fairest year) said that a friendship forged between the club’s then Chairman of Selectors Wes Lofts and Claremont President Wally Maskiell precipitated the steady influx of recruits – amongst them Ross Ditchburn, Michael Aitken, Wayne Blackwell and of course Ralph.
“Warren had a magnificent kicking style, Hunter said. “When I think of Warren kicking I think of Bernie Quinlan. He had a glorious kicking action and he’d consistently kick goals post-high.
“Like everybody else I was in awe of the nine he kicked in his first game, but in truth it didn’t surprise me because he was such a prolific goalkicker for Claremont - and at 25 he was ready to go.”
Wearing the No.22 of Carlton’s legendary full-forward Harry ‘Soapy’ Vallence on his back, Ralph’s nine goals on debut in the opening round of 1984 equalled Footscray first-gamer Bill Wood’s nine against Collingwood in Round 3, 1944 - and is bettered only by the great Essendon full-forward John Coleman’s 12 on debut in the 1949 season opener against Hawthorn.
Ralph also put a then record eight over the goal umpire’s hat against the Hawks in the losing ’84 Qualifying Final at Waverley, having kicked all of his team’s five goals to half-time - and he duly took the club’s goalkicking honours with 55 for that season.
A knee injury regrettably disrupted the early part of Ralph’s 1985 campaign, and with it his confidence and form. By late 1986, the disillusioned player was de-listed, and so ended a 21-game, 72-goal Carlton career.
Ralph again headed west and picked up the pieces with Claremont, but in 1988, following a pay dispute, duly signed with Glenelg. He booted 40 goals in 14 games with the South Australian Tigers – during which time he also netted a lazy $880,000 in a local lotto competition. Ralph returned to Western Australia the following year and rounded out his career with another Premiership, this time under Gerard Neesham’s watch. At the time of his passing, Ralph was recognised as President of the Claremont Past Players and Officials Committee.
As a guest of the Claremont Football Club just a few weeks ago, Hunter renewed acquaintance with his old Carlton teammate, whose nickname ‘Gonzo’ was given him by Carlton’s Jim Buckley.
“I had a great chat with Warren and he was upbeat and looked well,” Hunter said. “His passing has come as a hell of a shock.”
