The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs would like to express their sincere condolences to the family and friends of Ron Raper who has sadly passed away at age 80.
An East Hills junior, Ron first joined the Club in 1964. A member of the famous Raper family, brother of John, Maurie, Michael, Gerard, Peter and Paul, he became a regular member of the third-grade team as a lock forward.
In 1966, Ron made his first-grade debut against Newtown in Round 2, playing 14 matches across the year, before securing a place in the side for the next seven seasons.
Proving to be a player of great durability and longevity, Ron featured in all 25 matches in 1967, including an appearance in the Grand Final. After missing just two games the following season, he went on to play 51 consecutive first-grade matches between 1968 and 1971.
Appointed Captain in 1970, Ron captained Canterbury-Bankstown on 27 occasions, leading the side to a Pre-Season Competition victory before reaching the Semi-Final against St George.
He finished his playing career at the Club mid-way through the 1972 season, tallying 128 first-grade games and 168 games across all grades.
Ron moved to Brisbane to play for Redcliffe in 1973, going on to play two interstate matches for Queensland. Enjoying success as a coach, he guided Brisbane Wests, to back-to-back BRL Premierships in 1975 and 1976.
In 2004, Ron was nominated for the Berries to Bulldogs 70 Year Team of Champions, before being named as a reserve in the Canterbury-Bankstown Junior League Team Of The Century in 2022.
The Bulldogs wish to pay their respects to Ron. Our thoughts are with his family and friends during this difficult time.
