Leading into Anzac Day, the name of Barassi is one that resounds for its sacrifice and depth down the decades.
Having in recent times revisited his father’s grave in freshly tumultuous Libya, as well as having marched alongside those who served with his father, Barassi Jnr has - as with many of his generation - experienced emotional surges at the realisation of loss and legacy.
‘I was only four when he left, and I don’t remember that much. He was highly regarded by his army mates, and that means a lot to me, too.’
At the time of his death, Ron Barassi Snr was posted with the 7 Division Supply Column Mechanical Support, based in North Africa.
His was a vital role, helping to keep the forces in Tobruk functioning smoothly.
It was a long way from the MCG, where the recruit from Guildford in country Victoria held an important sporting status. A rover with the Melbourne Football Club, Barassi Snr was also something of a goal sneak from the time of his senior debut in 1936.
Despite conceding games to fellow rovers such as Percy Beames and Alby Rodda, Barassi Snr played 58 games and kicked 84 goals for Melbourne, with his last appearance being the 1940 premiership, in which he was nineteenth man. He wore No. 31 throughout his career.
Having enlisted in July 1940, barely a year later Barassi Snr was the victim of a German dive bomber on 31 July when he volunteered to drive a truck to nearby wharves after the regular driver fell ill.
Massively injured by shrapnel, Barassi Snr’s last thoughts were of his young son, and it was many years later that these thoughts were passed on to Barassi Jnr by his father’s comrades.
The word of Barassi Snr’s loss spread quickly to Australia, devastating ‘young Ronnie’ and his mother, Elza.
Theirs was a grief shared by thousands, as the tradition of tribute and remembrance in sport was brought into play. Melbourne and Collingwood were to play each other at the MCG on 16 August 1941.
As reported in the Sporting Globe of 20 August:
When 30,000 people stood bare-headed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Saturday…The teams with trainers and officials formed a hollow square in the centre of the ground. The Last Post broke the stillness.
Black armbands were worn for Barassi, the first VFL footballer to be lost in this second of World Wars. The silence gave way to a tough battle of wills, from which Melbourne emerged triumphant by 23 points, well on their way to completing the 1939-40-41 hattrick of flags.
Melbourne supporter group Coterie pledged to care for Elza and Ron Jnr, and another layer was added to the unfolding Barassi legend.
But now, as Anzac Day sits on the horizon, and the eternal sound of bugles playing the Last Post, Reveille and the Rouse sears itself into our consciousness, the memory and meaning of Ron Barassi Snr is simple for his son, and for all of us recalling those who played in red and blue and fell in war.
‘I will think of him’.
And we, on Anzac Day and always, will remember them.
