Ray Jordon | Demonwiki (original) (raw)
DOB: 17 February <1937>
Died: 12 August <2012>
'Slug' Jordon played 98 games for Coburg and won the <1959> Best and Fairest before retiring to concentrate on a burgeoning cricket career after breaking an arm aged 25. He played 79 games for Victoria until 1970/71, and toured India and South Africa with Australia as reserve wicketkeeper in 1969/70.
Jordon coached the Richmond Under 19's from <1963> to <1973> (except 1971) and they won five premierships in a row, his final success coming in his last year at the Tigers in 1973, the year that the Tigers won premierships in all four grades.
He then joined Ron Barassi at North Melbourne and played a part in two premierships. When Barassi went back to Melbourne in <1981> the Demons paid a reported $30,000 for his services, where he coached the and Under 19's from <1981> to <1985>.
Under his leadership Under 19's won flags in <1981> and <1983> and the in <1984>. Talking about the 1984 Reserves Grand Final win against Carlton he said "What was most satisfying was that we won the fight and had more players reported. That hasn't happened for a long time at Melbourne".
Offered the chance to succeed John Northey as Sydney coach in <1985>, Jordon was keen to move but the Demons blocked him and forced him to serve the last year of his contract. He also expressed an interest in filling the job for <1985> while they waited for the contracts of other coaches to end. Jordon was also linked with the Fitzroy job for 1986 when it became clear that Robert Walls was going to leave. At the time he was also employed as a Victorian cricket selector.
In <1987>, the year Melbourne finally snapped their finals drought, it can't have been any surprise that the number of players reported jumped enormously on previous years - many of them had come through the Under 19's and reserves with 'Slug' but the man himself was long gone, having joined Essendon as Under 19's coach where he served through <1989>.
In February <1999> Jordon, aged 63, suffered a stroke. He passed away in August <2012>.
Lists
Coaching Staff
Notes
Age 20/09/1980 says North originally asked for $40,000 for his services.
Media
Age - 29/10/1959
Canberra Times - 28/10/1980
Age - 01/10/1984
Inside Football - 21/03/1985
Age - 25/07/1985
Age - 02/07/1995
Age - 03/10/1999