TIGERS CLUB NEWS ARCHIVE

As Football Manager I have had the honour of meeting and developing strong friendships with many players during my time as an administrator. In particular it has been a wonderful experience to be associated with former legendary players of pre and post war years.

It was my great privilege to meet and develop a strong friendship with Ron through another of our great associates and legendary players / official in Alan Muir. I am sure Alan would have been in this position today farewelling one of his great friends and a player who he idolised.

Unfortunately Alan suddenly passed away some four weeks ago and took with him our link to the past and his enormous knowledge of people such as Ron Williams.

Alan Muir was a great story teller and particularly liked reminiscing about the past and some of the great names linked to HIS Tigers.

The Williams brothers were mentioned on all occasions.

Arthur, Ron, Harold, Jim and Roy were widely regarded as the most famous footballing family in the Queanbeyan Canberra district.

Their respective careers with the Tigers Club is enormous with each of the five brothers starring in several premiership teams - as well as representing Canberra in numerous interstate matches commencing with Arthur’s selection in the All Australian Carnival in 1933 and terminating with Roy’s inclusion in the ACT team for the All Australian Carnival in 1958.

All of the William’s boys possessed outstanding skills being polished ball handlers, with splendid disposal foot and hand, combined with controlled aggression to make them feared opponents of all clubs in the Canberra League.

Arthur, Ron Harold and Jim were members of the Tigers famous 1939, 1940 and 1941 premiership teams. The first ever teams to win three premierships in a row in the League.

Harold better known as "Skinny" continued playing football post-war and in 1953 at the age of 33 Captained the powerful Queanbeyan Acton Premiership team. A remarkable effort considering he had played in the 1st premiership side for the Tigers in 1939. Harold being in attendance today.

Roy, the youngest of the five brothers played the 1952 season with Collingwood in the VFL and gained a reputation as a skilled aggressive performer. Roy was a member of the Queanbeyan \ Acton 1953-54 and 1956 premiership teams.

In addition to their prowess in the code of Australian Football all of the Williams brothers were highly skilled Rugby League footballers and played for the Queanbeyan Blues over many years. It has been noted the Ron actually had a season with the then strong Western Suburbs Magpies Club in the National Rugby League competition.

Arthur, Ron, Harold and Roy are all members of the Tigers 100 Club.

The Tigers 100 Club was introduced in 1982 to recognise the achievement of playing 100 1st Grade games with the Organisation and each year it meets to induct players achieving the 100 game mark during that year.

Ron along with daughter Rea and son in law Bob travelled from Wollongong to Queanbeyan for 22 consecutive years to attend the 100 Club Dinner. He along with another legendary player Jack McNamara of similar age and appearance gained enormous applause when introduced each year at the annual dinner „ all those in attendance marvelled at the way these two gentlemen still carried themselves „ upright with wide shoulders and a chest bursting with pride. They were proud men of their time.

And they were proud to be in attendance at the each and every one of those functions, Ron being dressed in his 100 Club Tigers jacket and tie „ a jacket that he wears proudly today.

Ron has been described as an outstanding player, strong robust who never took a step backwards. He gained notoriety as a ruckman or major positional player in our game often taking on multiple opponents in his stride from centre bounces.

He played in five grand finals for the Tigers including the historic tied grand final of 1939 against Manuka at Manuka Oval. The replay was played in Queanbeyan at the Park Oval, the Tigers winning the match with a record score in front of a then record crowd, many of whom at travelled to Queanbeyan by train to witness the match. He was listed amongst the best players.

He represented Canberra on numerous occasions including the 1938 All Australian Carnival in Tasmania along with Tiger team-mates Bob Kaye, Jack McNamara, Merv Strang and Reg Netting.

Ron won the Tigers 1st Grade Best and Fairest Award when being a member of our 1941 Premiership team which consisted mainly of locals that defeated a team from the RAAF base which fairly sprinkled with former VFL players that had been transferred to Canberra due to the war.

They won the premiership by 3 points in front of a crowd of 3,000 including Prime Minister Fadden.

I have used the word legend or legendary on numerous occasions during this farewell. I can assure you - that each and everyone described as a legend were sporting heroes in the Queanbeyan Canberra District „ Ron Williams being one of those.

It may be said and I quote from the Club History book:

"That the Tigers tradition of team sprit and
never say die attitude was born during that period"

There is no doubt that former players of the calibre of Ron Williams have assisted make the Tigers Club the sporting success it is today.

Ron’s presence at the 100 club function over 22 years and the spirit he displayed showed enormous character as he gracefully aged during that time. We were so proud of this man for his endeavours to travel and show us young tigers just what they were made of from day’s gone bye.

His memory remains.

His career is well documented in the history books and also as an inductee (along with his four brothers) on the Tigers Wall of Fame within the licensed premises of the Club.

Ron was an outstanding sportsperson, a tremendous individual with a strong personality and a huge desire to achieve success.

He did so with his enormous contribution to Sport, to the Tigers Club and to his Family.

Vale Ron Williams.