Vale Ross Parker 

29.06.1936 -19.10.2022

I recently received the sad news that Ross had passed away in Turos Head (NSW) in October last year. In 1962 Ross won the Best & Fairest Medal at the Australian Amateur Football Carnival and he loaned it to the College for display in the Centenary History Room. His widow, Patti, contacted Graeme Rainbow and indicated that she would like it to become part of the permanent collection. The gesture is greatly appreciated - Rest in Peace, Ross.

Ross Parker was named Australia’s best and fairest player at the 1962 Australian Amateur

football carnival in Melbourne.  An extraordinary feature of Ross’ football career was that he did not play the game for the five years after leaving St Virgil’s at the completion of Grade 10.  In 1952 Ross had been part of the College’s First XVIII team, coached by the highly regarded Brother T D McGuire, which defeated Launceston Church Grammar – a game in which he was listed as one of the best players. 

Post school Ross turned his attention to completing a Painter/Decorator apprenticeship and became a spear fishing enthusiast – winning the State championship four times and representing Tasmania at the Nationals twice.

To quote from an August 1962 edition of the Hobart Mercury:

[After an absence of five years from the game] ‘ a friend, Harold Ellis, said; “Why don’t you have a run with the amateurs?”

Those were the sweetest words that could have been said, words that Parker had been yearning to hear for five years.

“I loved football, and wanted to play,” he said, “but I had not been asked.”

So with Ellis’ son, Peter, he went to the Old Virgilians and has been there ever since.

Ross was to turn out for the Old Virgilians for the ensuing nine years. However, Ross who had moved from painter to abalone diver was rarely able to get to training and whether or not he would be available for the any Saturday game was an ongoing quandary for selectors,  as his ‘ab’ diving took him to various parts of the state. However, he was able to maintain a high level of fitness due to his aquatic pursuits.

During his time at the Old Virgilians:

• Won the Best & Fairest Medal at the Australian Amateur Football Carnival in 1962 in Melbourne. In this carnival – Ross (at 6’2” 14st12lb – 189cm, 94kg) playing predominantly at centre-half forward kicked 14 goals in the three games and as a member of an All Australian Amateur Team kicked a further four goals in a post carnival game against a combined ACT team.
• Was captain of the Tasmanian team at the 1964 Australian Amateur Football Carnival in Adelaide.
• Won two Southern Old Scholars Association Best & Fairest Awards and several club B&Fs.

At the beginning of 1962 Ross did a pre-season with the Glenorchy Football Club, but his inability to meet training commitments led to a return to the Old Virgilians. Post the 1962 amateur carnival St Kilda also expressed interest in recruiting him, but a combination of his profession, inability to meet training expectations and the smallness of player payments by comparison with modern day standards, precluded such a move.

In 1967 Ross moved from Tassie to Victoria where he continued his diving profession. In 1969 he again pulled on the boots and had a standout season with North in the King Island competition.

In 1975 Ross ‘handed in’ his abalone license and moved to Tuross Head in NSW where returned to his former profession as a painter- decorator and eventually retirement.

The St Virgil’s College Old Scholars Football Club has named its seniors’ Best & Fairest Award after Ross in recognition of his outstanding football career and his contributions to the Club. Ross donated his All-Australian blazer to St Virgil’s Old Scholars Football Club where it is displayed in its club rooms and has loaned his 1962 Carnival Best & Fairest Medal for display in St Virgil’s Centenary History Centre at Austins Ferry.