Every follower of Australian Rules knows that it runs on statistics and charts, numbers and ladders.

Ron Barassi – No. 31, 17410 – has one of the most prolific collections of numbers, pointing beautifully to his full career, as well as his involvement in the game and the wider community.

Let us revisit some of these statistics and achievements, with a diverse selection across a wonderful life.

1. Ron Barassi kicked his highest game tally of six goals on just one occasion – against North Melbourne in Round Nine, 1963.
2. Goals were Barassi’s friend from late 1957 to early 1960. Starting with the Preliminary Final in 1957, and stretching through to the third round of the 1960 season, he kicked at least one goal in all 41 games. This included five in the 1957 Grand Final and four in the 1959 Grand Final; both victories over Essendon.
3. As a player, Barassi played in five draws – one with Carlton, four with Melbourne.
4. In 1964, the future ‘Super Coach’ was in charge for one game, coaching Melbourne in Round Eight to a 67-point win over Fitzroy at Brunswick Street.
5. The 1958 Grand Final dawned to a scandal; players’ guernsey numbers had been published early, so had to be changed. This marked the only occasion on which Ron Barassi was seen in anything other than No. 31 throughout his VFL playing career, donning No. 2 for this game.
6. The No. 31 was extremely special to the Barassi clan, with Ron Snr also wearing that guernsey number for all of his 58 games with Melbourne.
7. In Round 7, 1969, Barassi played his 254^th and last VFL game, with Carlton. The opponent on the day at Princes Park? Melbourne. The Blues ran out winners by five goals.
8. As a coach, Barassi only oversaw three home and away draws – two with North Melbourne, and one with Carlton.
9. In 1977, Barassi also coached North’s Grand Final draw with Collingwood, which the Kangaroos won on replay.
10. Throughout his entire playing career, Barassi faced Collingwood more than any other side. Naturally, he played 31 games against the Magpies.
11. On the Melbourne coaching tally, Barassi sits in sixth place, having coached the Demons for 111 games. Simon Goodwin is in fifth place, with 149 home and away games to the end of 2023.
12. On the V/AFL coaching tally, Barassi is fifth for the number of home and away games coached, equal to David Parkin with 482 games (Parkin is listed first due to a better winning percentage).
13. Ron Barassi is one of just ten identities honoured by statues in the Parade of Champions that surround the MCG; the others are Bill Ponsford, Don Bradman, Dennis Lillee, Haydn Bunton, Betty Cuthbert, Dick Reynolds, Shirley Strickland, Leigh Matthews and Keith Miller.
14. When he made his senior debut for Melbourne in 1953, Barassi was a youthful 17 years and 78 days old. When he played his last game for Carlton in 1969, he was 33 years and 79 days old.
15. In a fitting recognition of his standing in the game, Barassi was named the inaugural Legend in the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996.
16. Barassi played in front of crowds of over 100,000 for four of his six Melbourne premierships – 1956, 1957, 1959 and 1964 – with numbers ranging from 115,902 in 1956 through to a relatively low attendance of 100,324 in 1957.
17. As a coach, Barassi continued being part of the big occasion, including coaching Carlton to a memorable victory over Collingwood in 1970 in front of the largest crowd ever – 121,696.
18. Throughout his entire playing career, Barassi achieved 72 Brownlow votes.
19. To date, Barassi has worn the No. 31 guernsey the most of any Melbourne player (203 times), with Paul Wheatley (135 games) in second place. Bayley Fritsch is not far behind, having worn it on 126 occasions to the end of the 2023 season.
20. Barassi is twelfth on Melbourne’s all-time goal kicking list, with 295 to his credit. He is ensconced between ‘Big Bob’ Johnson and George Margitich on 267 apiece, with Bob Johnson Snr just ahead on 302 goals.
21. Ronald Dale Barassi receives three entries on the Australian Honours List. In 1978, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM), ‘in recognition of service to the sport of Australian Rules football.’ In 2000, he was the recipient of an Australian Sports Medal, and in 2013, he was awarded a Commendation for Brave Conduct.
22. In a fitting echo of his famous ‘17410’ (17 Grand Finals as player/coach for ten premierships), Barassi is player No. 741 at Melbourne.
23. Barassi is one of eleven players born in 1936 to have played senior football with Melbourne. The others are Peter Brenchley, Ben Crameri, Brian Dixon, Brian Dunsford, Denis Jones, Kevin Mithen, Graeme Pinfold, Alan Rowarth, Ian Thorogood and Bob Turner.
24. Barassi holds five Life Memberships within the V/AFL. As well as the clubs at which he played and coached – Melbourne, Carlton, North Melbourne and the Sydney Swans – he is also an AFL Life Member.
25. At Melbourne, Barassi stands in fifth place in the most games captained/acting captained tally, with 92 to his credit between 1957 and 1964. He is just behind Allan La Fontaine and Garry Lyon with 119 apiece, and in front of Stan Alves with 85.
26. Ron Barassi and Frank ‘Bluey’ Adams share the honour of having both played in the most premierships – six – of any Melbourne players. Where finals are concerned, Adams leads the way, having played in 22, while Barassi is second with 21, and Jim Stynes is third with nineteen.
27. On two occasions, Barassi led Melbourne’s goal kicking; the first time was in 1958, when both he and Athol Webb kicked 44 goals, while in 1959, Barassi held solo honours, with 46 goals.
28. Barassi’s playing years at Melbourne were notable for building a cohesive team. In both 1956 and 1959, just 27 players were used in achieving premierships. This number represents the least amount of players ever utilised in a V/AFL season by the Demons.
29. While Barassi was at the helm on 111 occasions as Melbourne coach, he achieved 34 wins and 77 losses. Coaching against Melbourne, from 32 games he scored 24 wins and eight losses.
30. Barassi’s longevity in the game is underscored by his last season – 1995 – in charge of the Sydney Swans. On two occasions, he coached his team against the newly arrived Fremantle Dockers. From a career that started as a player in 1953, through to rounding off his coaching adventure in 1995, Ronald Dale Barassi saw – and was part of - it all.
31. Let us now return to a statistic that caused much mirth and mayhem when it was first published. In 1957, Melbourne stormed their way to a win over Essendon. Jack Dyer, writing in Truth, was particularly appreciative of Barassi’s efforts, awarding his votes thus:

3 – RON BARASSI (Melbourne) for “murdering” the Bombers in one of the best single-handed efforts I’ve seen for many a year.

2 – RON BARASSI (Melbourne) for his great teamwork. He knitted the side together in the first quarter with precision football – the nearest approach to copybook football we’ve seen for quite a while.

½ - RON BARASSI (Melbourne) for putting a bit of fire into the game when it was necessary. He supplied the thrills. He really took the game right up to Essendon and “grounded” the lot.

½ - JACK CLARKE (Essendon) for fighting the game out when many of his team-mates gave it away.