Ron Joseph, one of the architects of North Melbourne’s first successful era in the 1970s, passed away on Tuesday evening at the age of 77.
A life member of North Melbourne and the AFL, and an inaugural club Hall of Fame inductee, Joseph was one of the most legendary recruiters and administrators in the game’s history.
He first came to North Melbourne in 1964 when he joined the club as assistant to club secretary Leo Schmenitz at just 18 years of age.
Within months, Joseph took over the day-to-day running of the club, becoming the Roos' most senior administrator while still a teenager.
He would eventually form one third of the famous trio of Kangaroos administrators – alongside Board president Allen Aylett and vice-president Albert Mantello – who enticed the biggest name of his era, the great Ron Barassi, to Arden St in 1973.
Joseph, Aylett and Mantello captured Barassi’s signature over lunch at the Old Melbourne Hotel on the back of a napkin.
Joseph was also responsible for signing 19 of the 20 players Barassi coached to the club’s first VFL premiership in 1975.
Barry Cheatley, Monty Millson, Ron Joseph, Allen Aylett and Albert Mantello the moment the final siren sounded in the 1975 Grand Final and North Melbourne won its first premiership pic.twitter.com/wIYczWQaR7
— @TheTruthNMFC (@TheTruthNMFC) March 21, 2023
Those names included locals David Dench, Wayne Schimmelbusch and dual Brownlow medallist Keith Greig, South Australian Malcolm Blight, Barry Cable from Western Australia and Sam Kekovich and Mick Nolan from the Ovens and Murray region in country Victoria.
Barry Davis (Essendon), Doug Wade (Geelong) and John Rantall (South Melbourne) joined the club via the VFL’s short-lived 10-year recruiting rule, the 1970s equivalent of today’s free agency rules.
As general manager from 1977 until 1986 and again from 1988-89, Joseph was driving force behind the recruitment of many more star players, including 1983 Brownlow medallist Ross Glendinning and the great Krakouer brothers Jim and Phil.
Under his leadership, North Melbourne transformed from the League’s easybeats into the most dynamic and innovative on-and off-field club in the country.
The fortunes of two clubs - North Melbourne and Sydney - would be markedly different if not for the brilliance of administrator Ron Joseph. A huge figure in footy for nearly half a century.
— Ashley Browne (@hashbrowne) March 21, 2023
His last great act as an official of the club came during his stint on the club Board from 2007-10 when he convinced James Brayshaw to become a director in 2007.
Joseph and Brayshaw would lead North Melbourne’s resistance against an aggressive push by the AFL to send the club to the Gold Coast later that year.
As well as his role at Arden St, Joseph moved north to work alongside Barassi once again, this time to steer the Sydney Swans through turbulent times in the mid 1990s.
Joseph remained a proud and passionate North Melbourne man in his latter years and took great public delight when the club signed current coach Alastair Clarkson in August last year.
On my first day as a sportswriter the editor gave me two phone numbers - Ron Joseph and Graeme Richmond. They held most of the secrets of the VFL between them. Ronnie was wise, generous and not above exploiting every loophole (or creating his own). A legend of his time.#RIP https://t.co/z93xesdheR
— Richard Hinds (@rdhinds) March 21, 2023
President Dr Sonja Hood said Joseph was proudly loud in his support of North Melbourne, and his name would be as ingrained in the club’s history as any player who wore the blue and white.
"Ron was the architect of our success in the 1970s, one of the great defenders of our club in 2007, and unflinching in his love for North, holding successive Boards and administrations to account, from within or outside of the organisation, always with a view to make the club better.
"On a personal note, I was lucky to work with him in 2007, and grateful for the time and advice he has provided in the years since. He was one of a kind and will be sorely missed."
