The Australian Football League offers its sincere condolences to the family and friends of the late Ron Joseph, after the long-time club administrator died overnight at the age of 77.
Joseph, a life member of the game, was one of the central figures in the emergence of North Melbourne in the 1970s while serving as club secretary, along with other key roles in football across the past 50 years.
AFL Chief Executive Gillon McLachlan said Joseph had devoted a lifetime to the game.
"Ron Joseph had football in his blood as an administrator determined to win for his club. He was smart and canny, working the rules to his advantage every time, and was central in North Melbourne's rise to power," Mr McLachlan said.
"After more than two decades with the Kangaroos, he then took on a huge task for the game in Sydney, working again with Ron Barassi, and setting the foundations for its success today. He was bold, loud and combative, sometimes fiery, but built relationships everywhere with his football knowledge and a network that stretched through every part of the game.
"But beneath the loud exterior was a man who cared deeply about his family and friends and the players whose career he guided, the clubs he worked for and the code. He was deeply loyal to all of them.
"Ron was central to the fabric of the game for five decades and we send our condolences to his family, many friends, and all at North Melbourne. Vale."
Most famously, Joseph was part of the three-man group with Allen Aylett and Albert Mantello that landed Ron Barassi as senior coach, leading to the club's maiden VFL premiership. Joseph finalised the coaching contract to sign the Hall of Fame Legend on the back of a serviette, but also led the recruiting drives that both identified outstanding local talent (Keith Greig and Wayne Schimmelbusch included), raided rival clubs (John Rantall, Doug Wade and Barry Davis) as well as luring big-name recruits from across the border (Malcolm Blight, Jim and Phil Krakouer, Ross Glendinning and others).
Joining the Kangaroos at Arden Street as a teenager out of school, Joseph was appointed club secretary (nowadays Chief Executive) in 1964 and served in the role from 1964-74 and again from 1977-86 and 1988-89.
He was also appointed as Chief Executive at the Sydney Swans in 1994 when the club was at a low ebb, and was instrumental in bringing Tony Lockett to the Harbour City, turning around its fortunes. He was a long-time player manager after his club administrative career and then latterly rejoined North Melbourne as a club director, working to keep the club based at Arden Street.