Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Robert Bonnett

Known as
Bob Bonnett

Nickname
Bonox

Born
1933

Died
11 May 2018 (aged 85‡)

Senior clubs
Port Melbourne

‡ Approximate age

Bob Bonnett


ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
Port MelbourneVFA1952-19632299334.07
Total1952-19632299334.07

Bob Bonnett, who has been scoring heavily for Port Second Eighteen this season, capped previous efforts on Saturday by bagging 10 goals, displaying splendid form. Port senior club supporters are at a loss to understand why this lad has not been brought up to the first eighteen, but Port Seconds, who have won nine successive games, are loath to part with him, as they believe they are certainties for the premiership with such a reliable forward.¹

Only two players have kicked more goals in the VFA/L than Port Melbourne's Bob Bonnett, who amassed 933 over the course of a 229-game career between 1952 and 1963. He was the VFA's leading goal kicker of the season four times, with a best tally of 111 goals in 1961. Captain of the Borough in 1958-9 and 1962, he was a premiership player in 1953, and represented the VFA in the interstate arena several times. In August 2003 he was included in the official Port Melbourne 'Team of the Century'. After his retirement as a player Bonnett spent many years coaching the Port Melbourne seconds and also coached the seniors from 1969 to 1971.

Bob Bonnett's younger brother Barry, also a full forward, played 125 VFA games for Port between 1962 and 1972.

Author - John Devaney

Footnotes

1. “Record”, 30/6/51, page 1.

Sources

Wikipedia article; The Roar of the Crowd by Marc Fiddian, Crème de la Crème

Footnotes

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