Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Robert Williams

Known as
Bob Williams

Born
14 April 1913

Died
30 June 2004 (aged 91)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 19y 142d
Last game: 31y 99d

Height and weight
Height: 175 cm
Weight: 73 kg

Senior clubs
Hawthorn

Jumper numbers
Hawthorn: 27, 31, 3, 33

Bob Williams

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
HawthornV/AFL1932, 1934-19441361100.8129%3
Total1932, 1934-19441361100.8129%3

AFL: 3,989th player to appear, 1,553rd most games played, 977th most goals kickedHawthorn: 163rd player to appear, 84th most games played, 59th most goals kicked

Originally from Canterbury, Bob Williams was a dependable wingman and half forward flanker who was a mainstay of generally poor Hawthorn sides in the 1930s and early 1940s. He made his senior league debut in 1932 but then missed the entire 1933 season after his employer threatened him with dismissal if he continued playing football. The matter must have been resolved because Williams resumed with Hawthorn in 1934 and continued with the club for another eleven seasons. He retired in 1944 with 136 VFL games and 110 goals under his belt. He skippered the club in 1943.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby & Jim Main; Wikipedia article

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.