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| Ross Glendinning | |
|---|---|
| Name | Ross Glendinning |
| Birth date | 1956-02-01 |
| Birth place | Mount Lawley, Western Australia |
| Occupation | Australian rules footballer, coach, commentator |
| Years active | 1973–1990 |
Ross Glendinning was a prominent Australian rules footballer whose career spanned the Western Australian Football League (WAFL), the Victorian Football League (VFL) and the Australian Football League (AFL), later moving into coaching and media roles. He became known for his athleticism, marking ability and leadership, winning major individual honours and contributing to club success at both East Fremantle and North Melbourne. Glendinning represented Western Australia and Victoria in interstate football and was later commemorated by the Ross Glendinning Medal awarded in an interstate rivalry. His post-playing career included coaching at West Coast and media work in Australian sport.
Born in Mount Lawley, Western Australia, Glendinning developed as a junior in Perth suburb competitions associated with the Western Australian Amateur Football League and local clubs feeding into the WAFL. He played school football in the Perth region and progressed through junior ranks linked to East Fremantle Football Club and metropolitan talent pathways that also produced players for Fremantle Football Club and West Coast Eagles. Early coaches and scouts from the WAFL, including talent staff from Subiaco Football Club and Claremont Football Club, noted his marking and athleticism, prompting senior selection for East Fremantle as part of Western Australia's talent pipeline to the national leagues.
Glendinning moved to Victoria to join North Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football League in the late 1970s, later becoming a cornerstone of North Melbourne's forward line alongside notable teammates recruited from interstate and through the VFL draft era. He won the Brownlow Medal while at North Melbourne and claimed club best and fairest honours as part of an era featuring contemporaries from Hawthorn Football Club, Carlton Football Club and Essendon Football Club. After a decorated stint in the VFL, he returned to Western Australia to join the newly formed West Coast Eagles in the early years of the Australian Football League, participating in the expansion of national competition alongside clubs such as Sydney Swans, Brisbane Bears and Adelaide Crows.
Glendinning was a regular selection for Western Australia state of origin team and featured in multiple interstate carnivals and State of Origin matches against teams representing Victoria and South Australia. He earned individual match honours in clashes with players from Vic powerhouse squads including Geelong Football Club and Richmond Football Club, contributing to Western Australia's competitive standing in fixtures involving the Australian National Football Council era representative structure. His performances in interstate football led to the later establishment of a medal bearing his name, awarded in high-profile matches such as the annual clash between Western Australia and Victoria.
Following retirement from playing, Glendinning transitioned into coaching, serving in assistant and senior roles connected with West Coast Eagles and other WA-based clubs, working alongside coaches who had links to Sydney Swans, Adelaide Crows, and former VFL mentors. He also embarked on a media career as a commentator and pundit across television and radio networks covering the AFL, contributing to broadcasts alongside presenters from Seven Network (Australian TV network), Nine Network, and sports programs associated with major publications like The West Australian and national outlets that cover Australian rules football. His media work placed him in the public eye during major events including AFL Grand Final coverage and State of Origin specials.
A key position forward and occasional ruck target, Glendinning combined aerial prowess with pace and contested marking ability, frequently matchup up against leading defenders from clubs such as Hawthorn, Carlton, and Collingwood Football Club. He was recognised with major awards including the Brownlow Medal and club awards during his VFL tenure, and his career achievements earned him induction into halls of fame and life membership acknowledgements from both WAFL and AFL institutions. His name was given to the Ross Glendinning Medal, an honour presented in interstate fixtures similar in profile to other awards such as the Norm Smith Medal and Leigh Matthews Trophy.
Off the field, Glendinning maintained ties to Western Australian community organisations and sporting institutions, contributing to youth development pathways linked to clubs like East Fremantle Football Club and mentorship programs associated with the West Coast Eagles Academy. His legacy is preserved through awards, hall of fame listings, and ongoing recognition in media retrospectives covering the evolution of the VFL into the AFL and the rise of Western Australian impact on national football. Glendinning's career is often cited alongside other prominent Australian rules figures from the 1970s and 1980s era, whose cross-state moves influenced recruitment and the national expansion represented by clubs such as Fremantle Football Club and Adelaide Crows.
Category:Australian rules footballers Category:North Melbourne Football Club players Category:West Coast Eagles players Category:East Fremantle Football Club players Category:Brownlow Medal winners