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 Born
in Perth, but recruited
from local side
Kilburn, Bob Hammond
spent four seasons
going through the
ranks at North Adelaide
before making his
senior debut in
1960. He could not
have chosen a more
auspicious year,
as the Roosters
put in their best
season since 1952
to lift the premiership,
with Hammond starring
in their grand-final
winning team against
Norwood in the key
defensive position
that, apart from
a brief spell coaching
in Port Pirie, he
would call his own
for much of the
next decade and
a half.
Hefty in build,
Hammond nevertheless
had formidable pace,
and often backed
his judgement to
telling effect.
He was also strong
in the air, and
a prodigious kick.
When South Australia
scored its noteworthy
win over the VFL
at the MCG in 1963
Bob Hammond was
a key member of
the team, charged
with the difficult
job of minding Victorian
sharpshooter Doug
Wade. All told,
Hammond made a total
of 8 appearances
for his state.
Some of Bob Hammond's
best football was
played towards the
end of his career
under the astute
Victorian coach
Mike Patterson.
Under Patterson,
the Roosters won
consecutive flags
in 1971-2 as well
as the 1972 championship
of Australia and
Hammond was heavily
instrumental in
all three wins.
Arguably his finest
ever performance,
however, came in
a match that North
Adelaide failed
to win - the 1973
grand final against
Glenelg.
After 234 games
for North, Hammond
accepted the post
of captain-coach
of the Norwood Football
Club in 1974. Despite
initial misgivings
on the part of many
Redlegs members
and supporters,
Hammond, who retired
as a player at the
end of the 1974
season after adding
a further 14 games
to his tally, proved
himself to be one
of the finest coaches
in the club's history,
overseeing premierships
in 1975 and 1978.
He later had a brief
stint as coach of
Sydney, as well
as leading the South
Australian state
of origin team to
its first ever victory
over Victoria in
1983. Bob Hammond's
last major job in
football was as
inaugural chairman
of the Adelaide
Football Club, in
which capacity he
served from 1991
to 2000.
When North Adelaide
chose its official
'Team of the Century'
in 2001, Bob Hammond
was included in
the back pocket.
*Courtesy
of John Devaney
at www.fullpointsfooty.net
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