Bob Rose (footballer)
Encyclopedia
Robert "Bob" Rose was an Australian rules football
er and coach in the VFL. He is widely regarded as the greatest player ever to play for Collingwood
.
career, but decided to play the game of football. Rose was courageous in the midfield, and was very skillful on both sides. His honours included four best and fairest
awards, was a leading goalkicker in a premiership season, including All-Australian honours. Rose however didn't win the Brownlow Medal
despite being up in the mix on several occasions, coming second in 1953. Rose also, as an icon of the club, never was given the role as captain due to the strong leaders playing for the Pies.
Rose played in 3 Grand Finals, in years 1952–1953 and 1955, including 1 premiership, in 1953. Injuries had got the better of him though, and retired in 1955 after 152 games, and kicked 214 goals, with the losing Grand Final being his last match.
Rose was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. He was selected as the centre in Collingwood's
Team of the Century, and the AFL Players' Association's annual award
for Most Courageous Player, struck in 1991, is named in Rose's honour.
, Rose had moved to Wangaratta to open a sporting goods store. He led the Wangaratta Rovers
to premierships in 1958 and 1960. Rose was the Leagues
leading goalkicker in 1960. Rose was also the Leagues
Morris Medal winner in 1958 and 1960.
Rose returned to the VFL
in a coaching capacity, taking over from Phonse Kyne
in 1964 as Collingwood Football Club
coach. He led the side to the Grand Final
in 1964, 1966 and 1970, losing each time by a handful of points. He continued to coach Collingwood until 1971 (apart from one game in 1967 when Neil Mann, who later became his successor as coach, took the reins), before coaching Footscray Football Club between 1972 and 1975. His final stint as coach of Collingwood was in 1985–1986, where he held the reins for a brief period before the introduction of Leigh Matthews
. He continued to remain around the club behind the scenes right up until his death.
In 2009 The Australian
nominated Rose as one of the 25 greatest footballers never to win a Brownlow medal
.
, paid a visit to Rose in the final week before his death. Rhyce Shaw
was the man who wore Rose's no.22 during the time of illness, and would occasionally have initialed B.R above the number in dedication to Bob.
"The first practice game I played I couldn't find the right gate to get into the ground. I was there about two hours before anybody else. One of the really strong things was about my third year of playing for Collingwood, and I walked into the ground at about 11 o'clock, to watch the reserves play. (By this time I was in the seniors.) And I just saw all these Collingwood supporters. It was a cold, middle-of-the-winter, rainy day, and they had taken up every seat available in the ground, and it was mainly standing room in those days. And I thought then, it really hit me, that these people are there to support people like me, all the players, so it was a real lesson that I would, and I swore to myself, that I would never let the people down, that I would give 100% all the time. And it was really an inspiration to me..."
On his first day of training at Victoria Park aged 18:
"So when we got to Melbourne on the Thursday, he took me out to Collingwood, and I trained out there for the first night and that was unbelievable. I was 15 at the time, and to be with the Lou Richards and Colliers (the Colliers had finished playing, but they were always at the Club) Phonse Kyne and those great players, Fothergill, I could hardly believe it, and I was in some pretty shabby old gear because the war had just finished and things were pretty tough in Nyah West, so yes, Lou Richards and the boys have let me know over the years about that silly-looking green and white guernsey that I was wearing, with motheaten holes in it. But it was really a bombshell to be able to run out on to the nice green grass, because droughts were pretty prominent in the Mallee at that time, and we were almost playing on clay grounds..."
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 and coach in the VFL. He is widely regarded as the greatest player ever to play for Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
.
Playing career
A Collingwood legend, he has had achievements of the many including the greatest honours for a club, and in the VFL/AFL. From country club Nyah West, Rose debuted in 1946. He was a genuine all-round sportsman, who was looking down the path of a professional boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
career, but decided to play the game of football. Rose was courageous in the midfield, and was very skillful on both sides. His honours included four best and fairest
Copeland Trophy
The E.W. Copeland Trophy is an Australian rules football award given by the Collingwood Football Club to the player adjudged Best and Fairest for Collingwood during the year....
awards, was a leading goalkicker in a premiership season, including All-Australian honours. Rose however didn't win the Brownlow Medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
despite being up in the mix on several occasions, coming second in 1953. Rose also, as an icon of the club, never was given the role as captain due to the strong leaders playing for the Pies.
Rose played in 3 Grand Finals, in years 1952–1953 and 1955, including 1 premiership, in 1953. Injuries had got the better of him though, and retired in 1955 after 152 games, and kicked 214 goals, with the losing Grand Final being his last match.
Rose was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996. He was selected as the centre in Collingwood's
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
Team of the Century, and the AFL Players' Association's annual award
AFLPA Awards
The AFL Players' Association Awards are a group of awards given annually to players in the Australian Football League, voted for by all AFL players.-Leigh Matthews Trophy:...
for Most Courageous Player, struck in 1991, is named in Rose's honour.
Coaching career
In 1956 Rose was appointed Captain-coach of Wangaratta RoversWangaratta Rovers Football Club
The Wangaratta Rovers, officially known as the Wangaratta Rovers Football & Netball Club are an Australian rules football club based in Wangaratta, Victoria. They play in the Ovens & Murray Football League, which they joined in 1950. Their nickname is the Hawks. Their home ground is WJ Findlay Oval...
, Rose had moved to Wangaratta to open a sporting goods store. He led the Wangaratta Rovers
Wangaratta Rovers Football Club
The Wangaratta Rovers, officially known as the Wangaratta Rovers Football & Netball Club are an Australian rules football club based in Wangaratta, Victoria. They play in the Ovens & Murray Football League, which they joined in 1950. Their nickname is the Hawks. Their home ground is WJ Findlay Oval...
to premierships in 1958 and 1960. Rose was the Leagues
Ovens & Murray Football League
The Ovens and Murray Football League, often referred to locally as the O&M, is a semi-professional Australian rules football league based around ten clubs in north-eastern Victoria and the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, and affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League...
leading goalkicker in 1960. Rose was also the Leagues
Ovens & Murray Football League
The Ovens and Murray Football League, often referred to locally as the O&M, is a semi-professional Australian rules football league based around ten clubs in north-eastern Victoria and the southern Riverina region of New South Wales, and affiliated with the Victorian Country Football League...
Morris Medal winner in 1958 and 1960.
Rose returned to the VFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
in a coaching capacity, taking over from Phonse Kyne
Phonse Kyne
Alphonsius E. "Phonse" Kyne was an Australian rules footballer who played for and coached Collingwood in the Victorian Football League. He is an inductee of the Australian Football Hall of Fame and a member of the official Collingwood Team of the Century...
in 1964 as Collingwood Football Club
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
coach. He led the side to the Grand Final
AFL Grand Final
The AFL Grand Final is an annual Australian rules football match, traditionally held on the final Saturday in September at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne, Australia to determine the Australian Football League premiership champions for that year...
in 1964, 1966 and 1970, losing each time by a handful of points. He continued to coach Collingwood until 1971 (apart from one game in 1967 when Neil Mann, who later became his successor as coach, took the reins), before coaching Footscray Football Club between 1972 and 1975. His final stint as coach of Collingwood was in 1985–1986, where he held the reins for a brief period before the introduction of Leigh Matthews
Leigh Matthews
Leigh Raymond "Lethal Leigh" Matthews AM is a former player and coach of Australian rules football. He played for Hawthorn in the Victorian Football League from 1969 to 1985, coached Collingwood from 1986–1995, and coached the Brisbane Lions from 1999 to 2008...
. He continued to remain around the club behind the scenes right up until his death.
In 2009 The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
nominated Rose as one of the 25 greatest footballers never to win a Brownlow medal
Brownlow Medal
The Chas Brownlow Trophy, better known as the Brownlow Medal , is awarded to the "fairest and best" player in the Australian Football League during the regular season as determined by votes cast by the officiating field umpires after each game...
.
Death
Rose died at Cabrini Hospital after a short battle with cancer on 7 July 2003. A small group of Collingwood players, including Nathan BuckleyNathan Buckley
Nathan Charles Buckley is a former professional Australian rules football player, commentator and coach, best known for his time as captain of the Collingwood Football Club in the Australian Football League ....
, paid a visit to Rose in the final week before his death. Rhyce Shaw
Rhyce Shaw
Rhyce Shaw is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Career:Shaw, son of former Collingwood captain Ray was drafted to Collingwood in the 1999 AFL Draft under the father-son rule at pick no.18...
was the man who wore Rose's no.22 during the time of illness, and would occasionally have initialed B.R above the number in dedication to Bob.
Quotations
On his relationship with Collingwood supporters:"The first practice game I played I couldn't find the right gate to get into the ground. I was there about two hours before anybody else. One of the really strong things was about my third year of playing for Collingwood, and I walked into the ground at about 11 o'clock, to watch the reserves play. (By this time I was in the seniors.) And I just saw all these Collingwood supporters. It was a cold, middle-of-the-winter, rainy day, and they had taken up every seat available in the ground, and it was mainly standing room in those days. And I thought then, it really hit me, that these people are there to support people like me, all the players, so it was a real lesson that I would, and I swore to myself, that I would never let the people down, that I would give 100% all the time. And it was really an inspiration to me..."
On his first day of training at Victoria Park aged 18:
"So when we got to Melbourne on the Thursday, he took me out to Collingwood, and I trained out there for the first night and that was unbelievable. I was 15 at the time, and to be with the Lou Richards and Colliers (the Colliers had finished playing, but they were always at the Club) Phonse Kyne and those great players, Fothergill, I could hardly believe it, and I was in some pretty shabby old gear because the war had just finished and things were pretty tough in Nyah West, so yes, Lou Richards and the boys have let me know over the years about that silly-looking green and white guernsey that I was wearing, with motheaten holes in it. But it was really a bombshell to be able to run out on to the nice green grass, because droughts were pretty prominent in the Mallee at that time, and we were almost playing on clay grounds..."
Further reading
- Strevens, Steve. Bob Rose: A dignified life. Sydney: Allen & Unwin, 2004. ISBN 1741144655