Ross Straw played for the Melbourne, Essendon, and Preston clubs in the 1950s and 1960s. He was on the Victorian Wartime Team in 1942-43, and represented the Victorian State Team in 1946-47, 1949-51, and 1955 and then captained the team in 1957, and 1959-62. Straw then coached the Victorian State Team from 1963-69. He was on the Australian National Team in 1948, 1952-53, 1956, and 1962, and played in the Australian Olympic demonstration game, captaining the Australian team. He then managed the Australian Nationals in 1968-69, notably when they played Japan in their first international tournament in 1968. He was named Australian national manager in 1975.