Warren Ralph

Who is Warren Ralph?

Warren Ralph is a former Australian rules footballer who played during the 1980s with great success as a full-forward for Claremont in the WAFL and with lesser success in the VFL and SANFL.

He began his career with Floreat Amateurs before playing two seasons with Dalwallinu and another at Floreat, where he also had a considerable reputation as a fast bowler before turning permanently to football in 1979. Ralph debuted for the Tigers’ league team in 1980 and showed himself an extremely potent full-forward in dry conditions: against Perth and Subiaco he kicked totals of 11.6. However, bad performances in wet conditions against South Fremantle and East Fremantle suggested Ralph, despite kicking eighty-seven goals and being second in the WAFL behind Simon Beasley of Swan Districts, had distinct limitations. 1981 saw Claremont set numerous scoring records and Ralph emerge as the most potent spearhead in the league with 127 goals for the season, a feat he repeated in 1982 with 115 goals and 1983 with 128 – the highest tally in the WAFL since Austin Robertson’s 1968 record.

During this period Ralph played interstate football for WA six times and averaged more than three goals a match. He also played in Claremont’s 1981 premiership team, in which he kicked three goals, and in