Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Robert Syme

Known as
Bob Syme

Born
30 November 1924

Died
19 December 1993 (aged 69)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 19y 179d
Last game: 28y 279d

Height and weight
Height: 188 cm
Weight: 86 kg

Senior clubs
Essendon

Jumper numbers
Essendon: 34, 26, 30

Bob Syme

Advanced stats
Club
League
Career span
Games
Goals
Avg
Win %
AKI
AHB
AMK
BV
EssendonV/AFL1944-1945, 1947-1953116590.5166%14.00—3.004
Total1944-1945, 1947-1953116590.5166%14.00—3.004

Pre 1965 stats are for selected matches only

AFL: 5,320th player to appear, 2,049th most games played, 1,826th most goals kickedEssendon: 580th player to appear, 140th most games played, 151st most goals kicked

A resolute, pacy, hard hitting ruckman, Bob Syme struggled initially to hold down a regular senior place but once he established himself there were few better. Originally from Moonee Ponds YCW, he made his VFL debut in 1944 and had played 116 games and kicked 60 goals by the time he hung up his boots nine years later. Perhaps his most noteworthy displays both came in grand finals: in 1949 when the Bombers overcame Carlton, and the following year when North Melbourne were put to the sword. He was also among the Dons’ best players in the losing grand finals of 1948 against Melbourne and 1951 against Geelong.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers by Russell Holmesby & Jim Main; Wikipedia article; Those Magnificent Men 1897-1987 by Michael Maplestone

Footnotes

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