Bob Davis
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bob" Davis was an Australian rules football
er who played in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
in the Ballarat Football League
and played with the Geelong Football Club
in the VFL from 1948 to 1958, playing off the half-forward line.
At 183 cm (6' 0") in height, Davis was noted for his pace and tenacity, and was one of the fastest players in the league at the time (he was known to the press as "The Geelong Flyer"). This led him to represent Victoria
on 13 occasions, as well as the captaincy of Geelong from 1955–1958. He played in two premierships for Geelong in 1951 and 1952. He also coached the club, first in 1956, and then from 1960 to 1965. He coached Geelong to the VFL premiership in 1963, defeating Hawthorn.
In 1952 after playing only 51 games for Geelong, Davis was offered a coaching job with the South Adelaide Football Club
in the South Australian National Football League
. He moved to Adelaide for the start of the 1952 season, but after Geelong refused to clear him, he returned to Geelong in time for the sixth game of the season and remained there for the remainder of his career.
and League Teams with Lou Richards
and Jack Dyer
.
He died in hospital on 16 May 2011 after a long battle with illness in his last months.. Before the Carlton-Geelong game later that week they held a minute's silence.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played in the Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(VFL).
Playing career
Known as "Woofa", Davis was recruited from Golden PointGolden Point Football Club
The Golden Point Football Club were an Australian rules football club which competed in the Ballarat Football League from 1905 to 2000. Golden Point were based in the Ballarat suburb of the same name....
in the Ballarat Football League
Ballarat Football League
The Ballarat Football League is an Australian rules football competition that operates in the Ballarat region of Victoria, Australia.The competition formed in 1893 as the Ballarat Football Association and was renamed Ballarat Football League in 1908 and was briefly known as the Ballarat-Wimmera...
and played with the Geelong Football Club
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
in the VFL from 1948 to 1958, playing off the half-forward line.
At 183 cm (6' 0") in height, Davis was noted for his pace and tenacity, and was one of the fastest players in the league at the time (he was known to the press as "The Geelong Flyer"). This led him to represent Victoria
Victoria Australian rules football team
The Victorian Australian rules football team, also known as the Big V is the representative side of Victoria, Australia in the sport of Australian rules football....
on 13 occasions, as well as the captaincy of Geelong from 1955–1958. He played in two premierships for Geelong in 1951 and 1952. He also coached the club, first in 1956, and then from 1960 to 1965. He coached Geelong to the VFL premiership in 1963, defeating Hawthorn.
In 1952 after playing only 51 games for Geelong, Davis was offered a coaching job with the South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club competes in the South Australian National Football League . Known as the Panthers, their home ground is Hickinbotham Oval , located in Noarlunga Downs in the southern suburbs of Adelaide....
in the South Australian National Football League
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
. He moved to Adelaide for the start of the 1952 season, but after Geelong refused to clear him, he returned to Geelong in time for the sixth game of the season and remained there for the remainder of his career.
Post-playing career
During his career, Davis was a popular character off the field, with his much-imitated flamboyant voice – in particular the phrase "fair dinkum unbelievable", which has been imitated many times in the football world, usually with humorous but respectful intent. He appeared on many television shows in the 1970s and '80s, including World of SportWorld of Sport (Australian TV series)
World of Sport was an Australian sports program that was broadcast live by HSV 7 in Melbourne from 1959 to 1987 on Sundays between 11am and 2pm...
and League Teams with Lou Richards
Lou Richards
Lewis Thomas Charles "Lou" Richards is a retired Australian rules footballer, who played 250 games with the Collingwood Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1941 and 1955...
and Jack Dyer
Jack Dyer
John Raymond Dyer Sr. OAM , always known as Jack Dyer, was one of the colossal figures of Australian rules football during two distinct careers, firstly as a player and coach of the Richmond Football Club in the Victorian Football League between 1931 and 1952, and later in the broadcast media for...
.
He died in hospital on 16 May 2011 after a long battle with illness in his last months.. Before the Carlton-Geelong game later that week they held a minute's silence.