Australian Football

A tall, left footed defender, Robert McGhie was a more than serviceable player for Footscray from 1969 to 1972, before being sacked for disciplinary reasons. Richmond snapped him up and he gave the Tigers probably the best football of his career, including playing at centre half back in the grand final-winning teams of 1973 and 1974. He was one of the team’s best players in the latter match.

Midway through the 1978 season, after 81 VFL games (and no goals) for Richmond, McGhie crossed to Brunswick in the VFA first division where he saw out the year.

The 1979 season saw McGhie back at Footscray where he took his final tally of games played with the club to 49, and the number of goals kicked to six. He then finished his playing career at South Melbourne in 1980 and 1981, where he played a final 16 VFL games and kicked one goal.

Unusually for players of his era Robert McGhie boasted tattoos. He also liked a smoke, and famously lit up just after the siren in the 1973 grand final havinvg been handed a cigarette by team boot-studder, Kevin McAvoy.

Author - John Devaney