Bob Bonnett

Robert "Bob" Bonnett (1933 – 11 May 2018[1]) was a former Australian rules footballer who played with the Port Melbourne Football Club in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) in the 1950s and 1960s.

Bob Bonnett
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1952–1963 Port Melbourne 229 (933)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1963.
Source: AustralianFootball.com

A full-forward from the Port Melbourne area, Bonnett attracted the attention of senior recruiters while playing for the Melbourne Sunday Amateur Football League in 1950, with both South Melbourne (VFL) and City (NTFA) interested in securing his services;[2] but in 1951, at the age of 18, he began playing with Port Melbourne in the VFA.[3] In 1951, he was a leading full-forward in the VFA seconds, kicking 112 goals for the season,[4] and he made his senior debut for Port Melbourne in 1952.

Over the following twelve years, Bonnett was a prolific goalkicker for Port Melbourne, kicking a then-VFA record of 933 goals through his career, passing the previous mark of 880 goals set by Frank Seymour in the 1930s; as of 2014, he is the third-highest goalkicker in VFA history, behind only Fred Cook and Rino Pretto.[5] He was the VFA's leading goalkicker on four occasions: in 1956 (95 goals), 1957 (97 goals), 1958 (84 goals) and 1961 (a career-best 111 goals); many sources also credit him with a fifth title, in 1963 (44 goals),[6] although contemporary sources suggest he was second behind Yarraville's Robert Evans that year.[7] Bonnett was club captain from 1958 to 1959 and in 1962, won a premiership with the club in 1953, represented the VFA in interstate competition on a number of occasions, and was named in the Port Melbourne Football Club team of the century.[6] He spent his entire senior career with Port Melbourne.

Bonnett retired from the seniors at the end of 1963, but continued playing as the captain-coach of the Port Melbourne Seconds team;[8] over the following three seasons, he kicked another 301 goals in the seconds.[9] He coached the Port Melbourne senior team from 1969 until 1971,[6] then returned to coaching the seconds in a non-playing capacity, giving more than thirty continuous years of service to Port Melbourne across his playing and coaching roles.[10]

Bonnett was known by the nickname 'Bonox' from his junior days, named after the beef extract product of the same name.[10] Bonnett's younger brother Barry also spent time at full forward at Port Melbourne after Bob's retirement.[8] In 2014, the Williamstown Rd end of North Port Oval was renamed the Bonnett End in honour of Bonnett's goalkicking achievements.[11]

References
  1. Amy, Paul. "Legendary Port Melbourne goalkicker Bob Bonnett dies after a long illness". Herald Sun. Retrieved 15 May 2018.
  2. "Good men among visitors". Examiner. Launceston, TAS. 22 September 1950. p. 13.
  3. "New men shine at Port". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. 16 March 1951. p. 11.
  4. Peter Banfield (18 April 1952). "Port use seconds forward to strengthen attack". The Argus. Melbourne, VIC. p. 12.
  5. David Eastman (2013). "VFA-VFL records". Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  6. "TOC Players – Bob Bonnett". Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  7. "All the VFA details". The Sun News-Pictorial. Melbourne, VIC. 26 August 1963. p. 40.
  8. "Bonnett again". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. 2 April 1964. p. 10.
  9. Marc Fiddian (1973), Frosty keeps on... and on, Inside Football, retrieved 4 April 2014
  10. Marc Fiddian (26 April 1980). "'Bonox' keeps his steam up". The Age. Melbourne, VIC. p. 32.
  11. "Bonnett & Cook ends at North Port Oval". Sportingpulse. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 13 June 2014.
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