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]

Ray Ritchie
Personal information
Born31 October 1936
Paddington, New South Wales
Died13 March 2015(2015-03-13) (aged 78)
Playing information
PositionWing, Centre
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1955–59 Manly-Warringah 49 37 0 0 111
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
1958 City NSW 1 0 0 0 0
1957 New South Wales 2 3 0 0 9
1957 Australia 1 1 0 0 3
Coaching information
Club
Years Team Gms W D L W%
1981–82 Manly-Warringah 53 32 19 2 60
Source: [1][2][3]

Playing career

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Ritchie 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

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Ritchie 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
  1. ^ Rugby League Project Coaching
  2. ^ Rugby League Project
  3. ^ "Ray Ritchie". stats.rleague.com. Archived from the original on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Vale Ray Ritchie". 13 March 2015.
  5. ^ "Ray Ritchie". yesterdayshero.com.au. SmartPack International. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Sydney Outclasses Maoris 37-7". The Sydney Morning Herald. 10 September 1956. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  7. ^ "Australian Players Register" (PDF). Annual Report - 2005. Australian Rugby League. Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2009. Retrieved 19 June 2013.
  8. ^ Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Alan Whiticker ISBN 9780732908164
  9. ^ Sean Fagan. "Manly Warringah Sea Eagles History". manlyfootballclub.com.au. Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  10. ^ Whiticker, lan. "Ray Ritchie". rugbyleagueproject.org. Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates. Retrieved 29 November 2013.
  11. ^ "Vale Ray Ritchie". Manly Sea Eagles News, 13 March 2015. 13 March 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.
Sporting positions
Preceded by Coach
 
Manly-Warringah

1981–1982
Succeeded by
Bob Fulton
1983–1988