Australian Football

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Key Facts

Full name
Rochford Devenish-Meares

Known as
Rochford Devenish-Meares

Born
23 March 1948 (age 76)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 20y 28d
Last game: 20y 84d

Height and weight
Height: 187 cm
Weight: 83 kg

Senior clubs
Hawthorn

Jumper numbers
Hawthorn: 24

Rochford Devenish-Meares

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
HawthornV/AFL1968810.1325%6.000.502.000
Total1968810.1325%6.000.502.000

AFL: 8,016th player to appear, 8,828th most games played, 9,277th most goals kickedHawthorn: 586th player to appear, 641st most games played, 679th most goals kicked

Originally from Launceston Grammar, Rochford Devenish-Meares was recruited by Hawthorn and made his senior VFL debut for the club in 1968. During his time with the Hawks his progress was undermined by injury, a broken leg in particular, and he managed just eight games and a goal for the year. He next tried out with Geelong only to encounter further injury problems including a broken arm which prevented him from breaking into the senior side.

Seemingly having given up on a career as a league footballer Devenish-Meares traversed the country and donned the boots for the Pinjarra Football Club of the South West National Football league where he came to the attention of Subiaco. The Lions ‘persuaded him to give it another go’ and, as things transpired, beginning in 1973, he would not disappoint them.

Capable of playing in almost any set position he was regarded by the club as being a ‘bonus’ player, or to use a modern idiom, a classic pinch-hitter. The only downside of this situation from the player’s point of view is that he tended to be named on the bench and then sent into the fray when and where the need arose. A case in point was the 1973 grand final in which Subi faced West Perth, and for which Devenish-Meares started as 20th man. The Lions duly won, but one imagines the player’s satisfaction will have been diluted somewhat by his circumstances.

Devenish-Meares continued with Subiaco until 1978, playing a total of 43 games and kicking 19 goals. One feels forced to the conclusion that the scope of his career achievements were not fully commensurate with his ability.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Publications

Footnotes

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