Ron Critchley
Australian rules footballer (1940–2025)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ronald Banks Critchley (16 December 1940 – 3 June 2025) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]
| Ron Critchley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Ronald Banks Critchley | ||
| Born | 16 December 1940 | ||
| Died | 3 June 2025 (aged 84) | ||
| Original team | Marysville | ||
| Height | 183 cm (6 ft 0 in) | ||
| Weight | 83 kg (183 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1960 | Hawthorn | 3 (0) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1960. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Critchley commenced his senior football career with Marysville Football Club in the Yarra Valley Football League, as a 16 year old, before heading off to teacher's college. He played six reserves matches with Hawthorn in 1959, but returned to Marysville and played in a one-point grand final loss.
Critchley won the 1960 VFL Reserves goalkicking award and made his VFL senior football, playing three games in 1960 and played in a VFL Reserves grand final loss to Geelong.[2]
Critchley did not play football in 1961 due to a shoulder reconstruction, but then won Hawthorn's 1962 Reserves best and fairest award.
Critchley accepted a teaching position at Murmungee Primary School and also accepted Whorouly Football Club's offer as captain-coach, but Hawthorn would not clear him until five matches into the Ovens & King Football League's season and despite only playing 13 matches won the 1963 league best and fairest award, the Tip Lean Trophy.
Critchley then captained-coached the Wangaratta Football Club from 1964 to 1966 in the Ovens & Murray Football League for three years, for three successive grand final losses.[3] Critchley played under Trevor Steer in 1967 and kicked 139 goals during his four years in the O&MFL.
Critchley later had stints at Whorouly, Eaglehawk, Mount Pleasant and Coldstream.[4]