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Key Facts
Full name
Robert John Wiley
Known as
Robert Wiley
Born
24 March 1955 (age 69)
Place of birth
Kalgoorlie, WA (6430)
Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 24y 14d
Last game: 32y 159d
Height and weight
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 80 kg
Senior clubs
Perth; Richmond; Australia; West Coast
Jumper numbers
Richmond: 2
West Coast: 2
Recruited from
Richmond (1987)
State of origin
WA
Hall of fame
Western Australian Football Hall Of Fame (2004)
Family links
Jacob Brennan (Nephew)Fraser McInnes (Nephew)
Robert Wiley
| Club | League | Career span | Games | Goals | Avg | Win % | AKI | AHB | AMK | BV |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Perth | WAFL | 1974-1978, 1984-1986, 1988 | 179 | 418 | 2.34 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Richmond | V/AFL | 1979-1983 | 95 | 127 | 1.34 | 60% | 17.96 | 5.65 | 3.78 | 25 |
| Australia | IR | 1984 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| West Coast | V/AFL | 1987 | 18 | 24 | 1.33 | 56% | 12.72 | 3.39 | 3.61 | 3 |
| WAFL | 1974-1978, 1984-1986, 1988 | 179 | 418 | 2.34 | — | — | — | — | — | |
| V/AFL | 1979-1983, 1987 | 113 | 151 | 1.34 | 59% | 17.12 | 5.29 | 3.75 | 28 | |
| IR | 1984 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| Total | 1974-1988 | 294 | 569 | 1.94 | — | — | — | — | — | |
AFL: 9,064th player to appear, 2,087th most games played, 645th most goals kickedRichmond: 808th player to appear, 164th most games played, 55th most goals kickedWest Coast: 26th player to appear, 186th most games played, 106th most goals kicked
Possessing great pace, and a first rate reader of the play, lightly built and wispy-haired Robert Wiley was one of a long line of champion rovers to emerge in the west. Successor to Barry Cable in the Perth team, he stepped into his illustrious predecessor's shoes with enormous aplomb and panache:
He was confident as he was skilful, a player of immense class and ability.
He stood out against almost every opponent he played against in both Western Australia and Victoria in a career that spanned fifteen seasons between 1974 and 1988.
Wiley remains the last of Perth's great rovers ...¹
A key member of the Demons'1976 and 1977 premiership teams, Wiley won fairest and best awards in each of his first five seasons with the club. In 1979 he moved to Victoria where he joined Richmond, and after an injury interrupted debut season he emerged as one of the finest rovers in the VFL. The 1980 season saw him sharing roving duties with Dale Weightman in the Tigers' grand final demolition of Collingwood. He was also widely listed as one of the victors' stand-out performers. During his time with the Tigers he was also, somewhat perversely, twice selected to represent Victoria in so-called 'State of origin' games.
In 1984, he returned home to Perth, and promptly picked up where he had left off by claiming fairest and best awards in 1984-1985-1986 to establish a new club record of eight wins in all, one more than both Barry Cable and Merv McIntosh managed. The 1986 season saw him selected as an All Australian after helping Western Australia to the national title.
When West Coast arrived on the scene the following year they had little hesitation in procuring the 32-year-old to add some much needed experience to their youthful squad. Wiley did not let the Eagles down, adding 18 creditable VFL games to his tally before electing to see out the remainder of his career with Perth.
After one last season with the Demons - a season which, uniquely, did not produce a fairest and best award - Robert Wiley decided to hang up his boots. It is doubtful if West Australian football has seen his like since.
Rob Wiley was senior coach at Perth in 1988 and 1989, steering the side to fifth and seventh places respectively. When the Demons chose their official 'Team of the Century' in 1999, Rob Wiley was named in a forward pocket, presumably with a view to taking alternating runs on the ball with first rover Barry Cable.
Author - John Devaney
Footnotes
1. Football Greats of Western Australia Volume One by Anthony James, page 69.