# Ron Saddler

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> Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Saddler
> Source revision: 1266131241
> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{short description|Australian RL coach and Australia international rugby league footballer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox rugby league biography
| name            = Ron Saddler
| fullname        = Ronald William Saddler
| image           = 
| image_size      = 
| caption         = 
| birth_date      = {{birth date|df=y|1942|3|14}}
| birth_place     = [Lake Cargelligo, New South Wales](/source/Lake_Cargelligo%2C_New_South_Wales), Australia
| death_date      = {{death date and age|df=y|2016|5|12|1942|3|14}}
| death_place     = 
| height          = 
| weight          = 
| position        = {{rlp|CE}}
| club1           = [Eastern Suburbs](/source/Sydney_Roosters)
| year1start      = 1963
| year1end        = 71
| appearances1    = 
| tries1          = 22
| goals1          = 13
| fieldgoals1     = 0
| points1         = 92
| teamA           = [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales_rugby_league_team)
| yearAstart      = 1967
| yearAend        = 68
| appearancesA    = 6
| triesA          = 2
| goalsA          = 5
| fieldgoalsA     = 0
| pointsA         = 16
| teamB           = [Australia](/source/Australia_national_rugby_league_team)
| yearBstart      = 1967
| yearBend        = 68
| appearancesB    = 
| triesB          = 
| goalsB          = 
| fieldgoalsB     = 
| pointsB         = 
| teamC           = [NSW City Firsts](/source/City_New_South_Wales_rugby_league_team)
| yearCstart      = 1969
| yearCend        = 
| appearancesC    = 1
| triesC          = 0
| goalsC          = 0
| fieldgoalsC     = 0
| pointsC         = 0
| coachteamA      = [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales_rugby_league_team)
| coachyearAstart = 1967
| coachyearAend   = 
| coachgamesA     = 1
| coachwinsA      = 1
| coachdrawsA     = 0
| coachlossesA    = 0
| updated         = 13 April 2021
| source          = 
| new             = yes
}}

'''Ronald William Saddler''' was an Australian [rugby league](/source/rugby_league) footballer who played in the 1960s and 1970s. A [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales_rugby_league_team) and [Australian international](/source/Australia_national_rugby_league_team) representative three-quarter back, he played in Sydney's [NSWRFL Premiership](/source/NSWRFL_Premiership) for the [Eastern Suburbs club](/source/Sydney_Roosters).

Originally from [Euabalong](/source/Euabalong), New South Wales, and of [Wiradjuri](/source/Wiradjuri) descent,<ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-05-18 |title=Remembering Ron Saddler: New South Wales' First Indigenous Captain |url=https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2023/05/18/remembering-ron-saddler-new-south-wales-first-indigenous-captain/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230725122750/https://www.roosters.com.au/news/2023/05/18/remembering-ron-saddler-new-south-wales-first-indigenous-captain/ |archive-date=2023-07-25 |access-date=2023-07-25 |website=Sydney Roosters |language=en}}</ref> Ron first played rugby league for [Tweed Heads](/source/Tweed_Heads). Saddler also played for the Sydney club [Eastern Suburbs](/source/Sydney_Roosters) from 1963 to 1964 and 1966–71.<ref>[http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ron-saddler/summary.html RugbyLeagueProject.org profile]</ref>

An Aboriginal {{rlp|ce}}, Saddler was selected for the 1967/68 [Kangaroo Tour](/source/Kangaroo_Tour), playing in 12 matches, but no tests. Saddler has been allocated Eastern Suburbs player number 529.

He was the first indigenous player to captain [New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales_rugby_league_team), six years before [Arthur Beetson](/source/Arthur_Beetson).

Ron Saddler's former [Sydney Roosters](/source/Sydney_Roosters) teammate [Kevin Junee](/source/Kevin_Junee), another 1967–68 Kangaroo, said "Saddler got the nod as the Blues' captain in 1967 because he was respected by teammates and opponents alike".

Upon his retirement from Sydney, he captain-coached Murwillumbah Brothers for a number of years in the 1970s. He resided in the Murwillumbah Area until his death in May 2016.<ref>David Middleton – League Historian. 'Forgotten Indigenous Star' 4/02/2013</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{S-start}}
{{S-sport}}
{{Succession box
| before = {{nowrap|[Reg Gasnier](/source/Reg_Gasnier)}}<br>1967
| after  = {{nowrap|[Harry Bath](/source/Harry_Bath)}}<br>1968–1972
| title  = Coach<br>{{leagueicon|new south wales|size=18}}<br>{{nowrap|[New South Wales](/source/New_South_Wales)}}
| years  = 1967
}}
{{S-end}}

==Sources==
* [Whiticker, Alan](/source/Alan_Whiticker) & Hudson, Glen (2006) ''The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players'', Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney

{{1967-68 Kangaroo Tour squad}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saddler, Ron}}
Category:1942 births
Category:2016 deaths
Category:Australia national rugby league team players
Category:Australian rugby league players
Category:City New South Wales rugby league team players
Category:Country New South Wales rugby league team players
Category:Indigenous Australian rugby league players
Category:New South Wales rugby league team captains
Category:New South Wales rugby league team players
Category:Sydney Roosters players
Category:Sydney Roosters captains
Category:Rugby articles needing expert attention
Category:Rugby league centres
Category:Rugby league players from New South Wales
Category:20th-century Australian sportsmen

{{Australia-rugbyleague-bio-1940s-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Ron Saddler](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Saddler) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ron_Saddler?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.