Ron Saddler facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Ronald William Saddler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 14 March 1942 Lake Cargelligo, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Died | 12 May 2016 (aged 74) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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| Position | Centre | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Coaching information
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As of 13 April 2021
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Ronald William Saddler (born 1942, died 2016) was an Australian rugby league player. He played in the 1960s and 1970s. Ron was a talented player who represented both his state, New South Wales, and his country, Australia. He played as a three-quarter back, which is a position in the backline of a rugby league team.
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Who Was Ron Saddler?
Ron Saddler was a well-known rugby league player. He was born on March 14, 1942, in Lake Cargelligo, New South Wales. Ron was from Euabalong, New South Wales, and was of Wiradjuri descent. The Wiradjuri are one of the largest Aboriginal groups in New South Wales.
Ron's Club Career
Ron Saddler started his rugby league journey playing for Tweed Heads. He then moved to play for the Eastern Suburbs club in Sydney. He played for Eastern Suburbs from 1963 to 1964 and again from 1966 to 1971. This club is part of the NSWRFL Premiership, which was a major rugby league competition in Sydney.
Playing for State and Country
Ron Saddler was a very skilled player. He was chosen to play for the New South Wales state team. He also represented Australia, playing for the Australian national rugby league team.
The Kangaroo Tour
In 1967 and 1968, Ron was selected for the Kangaroo Tour. This was a special tour where the Australian national team traveled to play matches overseas. During this tour, Ron played in 12 games. He was a respected player on the team.
A Special Captain
Ron Saddler made history in rugby league. He was the very first Indigenous Australian player to captain the New South Wales state team. This was a huge achievement. It happened six years before another famous Indigenous player, Arthur Beetson, also captained the team.
Ron's teammate, Kevin Junee, said that Ron was chosen as captain because everyone respected him. Both his teammates and the players he played against had great respect for Ron.
Life After Professional Rugby
After finishing his professional playing career in Sydney, Ron Saddler continued to be involved in rugby league. He moved to the Murwillumbah Area. There, he became a captain-coach for the Murwillumbah Brothers team for several years in the 1970s. A captain-coach is a player who also leads the team as a coach. Ron lived in the Murwillumbah Area until he passed away in May 2016.
