Ray Ritchie

{{short description|Australian RL coach and former Australia international rugby league footballer}}

{{for|the Australian rules footballer|Ray Ritchie (Australian rules footballer)}}

{{Infobox rugby league biography

|name = Ray Ritchie

|fullname =

|image =

|image_size =

|caption =

|birth_date = 31 October 1936

|birth_place = Paddington, New South Wales

|death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|3|13|1936|10|31|df=y}}

|death_place =

|height =

|weight =

|retired = yes

|position = {{Rlp|WG|CE}}

|club1 = Manly-Warringah

|year1start = 1955

|year1end = 59

|appearances1 = 49

|tries1 = 37

|goals1 = 0

|fieldgoals1 = 0

|points1 = 111

|club2 =

|year2start =

|year2end =

|appearances2 =

|tries2 =

|goals2 =

|fieldgoals2 =

|points2 =

|teamA = City NSW

|yearAstart = 1958

|yearAend =

|appearancesA = 1

|triesA = 0

|goalsA = 0

|fieldgoalsA = 0

|pointsA = 0

|teamB = New South Wales

|yearBstart = 1957

|yearBend =

|appearancesB = 2

|triesB = 3

|goalsB = 0

|fieldgoalsB = 0

|pointsB = 9

|teamC = Australia

|yearCstart = 1957

|yearCend =

|appearancesC = 1

|triesC = 1

|goalsC = 0

|fieldgoalsC = 0

|pointsC = 3

|coachteam1 = Manly-Warringah

|coachyear1start = 1981

|coachyear1end = 82

|coachgames1 = 53

|coachwins1 = 32

|coachdraws1 = 19

|coachlosses1 = 2

|updated =

|source = [http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/coaches/ray-ritchie/summary.html Rugby League Project Coaching][http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ray-ritchie/summary.html Rugby League Project]{{cite web|title=Ray Ritchie|url=http://stats.rleague.com/rl/scorers/players/R/Ray_Ritchie.html|work=stats.rleague.com|accessdate=29 November 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611231050/http://stats.rleague.com/rl/scorers/players/R/Ray_Ritchie.html|archivedate=11 June 2011|df=dmy-all}}

}}

Ray Ritchie (31 October 1936 – 13 March 2015) was an Australian professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1950s, and coached in the 1980s. A New South Wales state and Australia national representative three-quarter back, he played in the New South Wales Rugby League Premiership for Sydney's Manly-Warringah club, becoming their coach after retirement from playing.{{Cite web|url=http://www.seaeagles.com.au/news/2015/03/13/vale_ray_ritchie.html|title = Vale Ray Ritchie|date = 13 March 2015}}

Playing career

Ritchie started playing first-grade for Sydney's Manly-Warringah club during the 1955 NSWRFL season.{{cite web|title=Ray Ritchie|url=http://www.yesterdayshero.com.au/PlayerProfile_Ray-Ritchie_6995.aspx|work=yesterdayshero.com.au|publisher=SmartPack International|accessdate=29 November 2013}} At the end of the following year, he was selected to play on the wing for a Combined Sydney team, scoring a try in their win against a touring Māori rugby league team.{{cite news|title=Sydney Outclasses Maoris 37-7|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=uXVWAAAAIBAJ&sjid=6-QDAAAAIBAJ&pg=5550,4473075|accessdate=29 November 2013|newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=10 September 1956}} In 1957 he played for New South Wales against Queensland and made it into the Australian squad for the 1957 World Cup, becoming Kangaroo No. 334.{{cite web|title=Australian Players Register|url=https://secure.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/98638/Australian_Rugby_League_2005.pdf|work=Annual Report - 2005|publisher=Australian Rugby League|accessdate=19 June 2013|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090705170103/https://secure.ausport.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0007/98638/Australian_Rugby_League_2005.pdf|archivedate=5 July 2009|df=dmy-all}} Later in the year Ritchie was selected to play for Manly-Warringah in the 1957 NSWRFL season's grand final on the wing, but St. George won.Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players. Alan Whiticker {{ISBN|9780732908164}}

Coaching career

Ritchie was appointed head coach of the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles for the 1981 NSWRFL season and under him the club was back in the semi-finals that year.{{cite web|last=Sean Fagan|author-link=Sean Fagan|title=Manly Warringah Sea Eagles History|url=http://www.manlyfootballclub.com.au/index.php/history|work=manlyfootballclub.com.au|publisher=Manly-Warringah Rugby League Football Club|accessdate=29 November 2013}} The following year Manly reached the grand final, but Ritchie stood down before the 1983 season, and was succeeded by Bob Fulton.{{cite web|last=Whiticker|first=lan|title=Ray Ritchie|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/ray-ritchie/summary.html|work=rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates|accessdate=29 November 2013}}

His daughter Donna attended the 1992, 1996 and 2000 Summer Paralympics as a wheelchair basketballer and won a silver medal in 2000.{{cite web|title=Vale Ray Ritchie|url=http://www.seaeagles.com.au/news/2015/03/13/vale_ray_ritchie.html|website=Manly Sea Eagles News, 13 March 2015|date=13 March 2015|accessdate=20 March 2015}}