12 Facts About Ron Willey

Ronald William Willey was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach.

Ron Willey was a representative for the Australian national side.

Post-playing, Willey had a long and successful first grade and State representative coaching career.

Ron Willey held the record as the youngest Canterbury captain until Braith Anasta in 2002.

Ron Willey missed most of 1953 and the entire 1954 season through a serious knee injury, but returned to the game as captain-coach of Rockhampton and represented Queensland that season.

Ron Willey joined Manly-Warringah in 1956 and played a total of 124 games over seven seasons for the club including their unsuccessful 1957 and 1959 Grand Final appearances.

Ron Willey held the record for the most points scored at Manly until overtaken by Graeme Eadie in the 1970s, and during 1962 he overtook Bernie Purcell's record for the most points scored in an NSWRFL career ; Willey's eventual total of 1,288 stood as the new career record for four seasons until it was bettered by Keith Barnes in 1966.

Ron Willey joined the Parramatta Eels in 1963 but only played seven games before retiring in 1964.

Ron Willey returned to Manly in 1970 for a successful five season tenure as a non-playing coach.

Ron Willey later coached Balmain from 1977 to 1979, North Sydney from 1980 to 1982 and Souths from 1983 to 1985 but was unable to repeat premiership success.

Ron Willey coached for a total of 17 seasons and 403 matches.

Ron Willey coached New South Wales to the first ever clean sweep of a State of Origin series against Queensland in 1986.