Bob Davis, Australian football player died he was , 82

Robert "Bob" Davis was an Australian rules footballer who played in the Victorian Football League (VFL) died he was , 82.


(12 June 1928 – 16 May 2011)

Playing career

Known as "Woofa"^[1], Davis was recruited from Golden Point in the Ballarat Football League and played with the Geelong Football Club in the VFL from 1948 to 1958,^[1] 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^[2] at the time (he was known to the press as "The Geelong Flyer").^[3] This led him to represent Victoria on 13 occasions,^[3] as well as the captaincy of Geelong from 1955–1958.^[1] He played in two premierships for Geelong in 1951 and 1952.^[1] He also coached the club, first in 1956, and then from 1960 to 1965.^[4] He coached Geelong to the VFL premiership in 1963, defeating Hawthorn.^[1]
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.^[2] He moved to Adelaide for the start of the 1952 season, but after Geelong refused to clear him,^[5] he returned to Geelong in time for the sixth game of the season^[6] and remained there for the remainder of his career.^[7]

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 Sport and League Teams with Lou Richards and Jack Dyer.^[4]
He died in hospital on 16 May 2011 after a long battle with illness in his last months.^[1]. Before the Carlton-Geelong game later that week they held a minute's silence

 

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