There have been many WAFL players over the years who have experienced a rejuvenation in their career by moving from one club to another, usually because opportunities are better on the other side of the fence.

Ron Skender was a good hardworking ruckman with Swan Districts who had debuted against East Perth on Foundation Day, 1992. After five seasons he had played sixty one games, but the presence of Travis Edmonds and Jason Ball had seen him relegated to third in the pecking order, his prospects of gaining a regular league berth not promising.

A product of the Bassendean juniors, who had progressed through the Swans colts and reserves, Skender was a genuine old fashioned ruckman, whose forte was combining well with his midfielders and rovers. So when West Perth decided that the Swans glut of ruckmen could be an answer to their lack of big men and made him an offer, it wasn't a hard decision to make.

So it was that Ron Skender lined up with the Falcons in 1997. Revelling in the new surroundings, he was number one ruckman with West Perth, and became one of the leading big men in the WAFL. “It wasn't only the more responsibility that helped my game, it was the coaching approach of John Dimmer,” Skender related to us. “I responded well to his coaching and the faith he showed in his players,” he added.

A good mark and a ruckman who liked to team with the smaller players, Skender's deft rucktapping to Christian Kelly and Kim Rigoll was a feature of West Perth's play.

He was a key mover behind West Perth's resurgence, being runners up in 1998, and going one better the following season with a premiership, former Swan Districts team mate ,Christian Kelly, winning the Simpson Medal for his efforts in the 1999 grand final. In 2000, Skender led the Western Australian ruck against South Australia under lights at Adelaide Oval, one of four West Perth players in the side.

His efforts didn't go unnoticed by the men in white, either, and Skender finished third in the 1999 Sandover Medal count, just two votes away from surprise winner, Perth ruckman Gus Seebeck, who ironically had a similar career path to Skender, having moved from South Fremantle in search of ruck opportunity, with another big man, Ryan Turnbull, second.

The appointment of West Perth player Luke Raynor as coach of Victorian country club, Myrtleford, in 2001 was to be a dagger in the heart of the Falcons, with Skender and the Rigoll twins, Kim and Chris, also being signed by Myrtleford. “I was at the stage of my career where I had to think of the future. I needed a break from the WAFL and this was a great opportunity to play in a great country league in Victoria such as the Ovens and Murray with some good mates,” Ron explained.

After a year in Victoria, Skender returned to West Perth, playing for two more seasons, and the return helped the club reach the grand final that year, but it was to be East Perth's flag. His performances in 2002 earned him the Breckler Medal as West Perth's fairest and best player.

Ron Skender retired from league football at the end of the following season, and played at Busselton in 2004, before returning to the Falcons as assistant coach in 2005.

He went for Phil Narkle(Swan Districts), Paul Mifka, and Kim Rigoll(West Perth) as the best he'd played with, and rated Ryan Turnbull as his hardest opponent.

A mortgage broker, Ron is a busy Dad these days, and enjoys spending as much time as he can with his wife, Clare, and their two boys Jye and Aidan. “I'm looking forward to share their junior footy and do all the parent things on weekends as they grow up,” he laughed. In the summer, he is still showing no signs of age as he hits them out of the park for Tuart Hill Cricket Club. He still follows the fortunes of the West Perth Football Club, as well as the Carlton Blues.

Skender was named in the West Perth “Team of the Decade, 1994-2004.” We asked him how on earth he qualified for the “Garlic Munchers Team of the Century, ” of which he was made a member. “Slav's were admitted into the team,”was the laughing response.

Ron Skender played 172 games of league football, was a leading ruckman who represented his State, finished third in a Sandover Medal,, won a Breckler Medal and West Perth premiership player. West Perth's faith in him in 1997 was well and truly justified.