Jump to content

Demons mourn premiership hero Bobby McKenzie

Wilson7

By Wilson7
in Melbourne Demons

 Share

Recommended Posts

Bobby McKenzie Redleg

Bobby McKenzie   2,401

Posted
Posted

Don't believe the story, here I am! No, seriously, very sad news. Bobby was my childhood hero and one of most exciting players I have seen. His pace, elusiveness and goal kicking ability had to be seen to believed. Even the great Ron Barassi marvelled at Bobby's deeds. He was a bit of a larrikin but that added to his personality. A wonderful article is on the MFC website. Thanks Bobby, you were a real champion. Only wish most of the posters here could have seen you play. RIP mate.

Whispering_Jack Legend

Whispering_Jack   30,949

Posted
Posted

Don't believe the story, here I am! No, seriously, very sad news. Bobby was my childhood hero and one of most exciting players I have seen. His pace, elusiveness and goal kicking ability had to be seen to believed. Even the great Ron Barassi marvelled at Bobby's deeds. He was a bit of a larrikin but that added to his personality. A wonderful article is on the MFC website. Thanks Bobby, you were a real champion. Only wish most of the posters here could have seen you play. RIP mate.

Had to let you go first Bobby.

I never saw him play as he retired at the end of my first year as a supporter of the MFC and I never went to the footy while he was playing. But I knew him by reputation and from the radio broadcasts of the time as a clever forward whose career interestingly, spanned the end of the Checker Hughes era and the beginning of the Norm Smith era so he played together with the Red Fox in the '48 premiership and under him in '55. Like many Demon stars of the era he retired at far too young an age (26) and he could have played on till the end of the decade but it was not to be. Ironically, we picked up another sensational forward flanker at the beginning of 1957 in Geoff Tunbridge who was 25 on debut. Imagine the brilliance of those two on opposite flanks!

Bobby McKenzie's reputation never diminished and I remember the excitement around the club when his son Robert McKenzie Junior made his debut for the club in 1969 under the father/son rule (just missing the end of the Norm Smith era but he would probably have played against him as coach of South Melbourne). Wore number 50 in his first game, changed to 10 and finished with #2. He showed a bit of promise but lasted only 42 games and, after he left the club, the number 2 went to another bloke who made his mark on the club in much the same vein as his father as a skillful winger/flanker.

We mourn Bobby McKenzie, a link between the club's two great eras. Condolences to the family.

Bobby McKenzie Redleg

Bobby McKenzie   2,401

Posted
Posted

Had to let you go first Bobby.

I never saw him play as he retired at the end of my first year as a supporter of the MFC and I never went to the footy while he was playing. But I knew him by reputation and from the radio broadcasts of the time as a clever forward whose career interestingly, spanned the end of the Checker Hughes era and the beginning of the Norm Smith era so he played together with the Red Fox in the '48 premiership and under him in '55. Like many Demon stars of the era he retired at far too young an age (26) and he could have played on till the end of the decade but it was not to be. Ironically, we picked up another sensational forward flanker at the beginning of 1957 in Geoff Tunbridge who was 25 on debut. Imagine the brilliance of those two on opposite flanks!

Bobby McKenzie's reputation never diminished and I remember the excitement around the club when his son Robert McKenzie Junior made his debut for the club in 1969 under the father/son rule (just missing the end of the Norm Smith era but he would probably have played against him as coach of South Melbourne). He showed a bit of promise but lasted only 42 games.

We mourn Bobby McKenzie, a link between the club's two great eras. Condolences to the family.

Tunbridge and Mckenzie on opposite flanks and both on their preferred side. (Tunbridge was a left footer). Mouth watering indeed.

DemonWA Redleg

DemonWA   3,936

Posted
Posted

Way before my time, but that article is great - really paints a picture of one of the greats of the club at that time. RIP

Bobby McKenzie Redleg

Bobby McKenzie   2,401

Posted
Posted

Way before my time, but that article is great - really paints a picture of one of the greats of the club at that time. RIP

Way before my time, but that article is great - really paints a picture of one of the greats of the club at that time. RIP

A great article on Bobby. A real down to earth, modest champion. Interesting that his full name was Robert Davis McKenzie when his main rival as an elite half forward flanker was none other than Geelong champion, Bob Davis.


Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    TRAINING: Wednesday 22nd January 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force for training at Gosch's Paddock on Wednesday morning for the MFC's School Holidays Open Training Session. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS REHAB: TMac, Chandler, McVee, Tholstrup, Brown, Spargo Brown might have passed his fitness test as he’s back out with the main group.  Sparrow not present. Kozzy not present either.  Mini Rehab group has broken off from the match sim (contact) group: Max, Trac, Lever, Fullarton

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Monday 20th January 2025

    Demonland Trackwatcher Gator attended training out at Casey Fields to bring you the following observations from Preseason Training. GATOR'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS There were 5 in the main rehab group, namely Gawn, Petracca, Fullarton, Woewodin and Lever.  Laurie was running laps by himself, as was Jefferson.  Chandler, as has been reported, had his arm in a sling.  Lindsay did a bit of lap running later on. Some of the ''rehab 5'' participated in non contact drills and b

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Wednesday 15th January 2025

    There were a number of Demonland Trackwatchers at Gosch's Paddock this morning to bring you their observations from Preseason Training. KEV MARTIN'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS They were going hard at each other. The sims were in two 15 minute blocks. The second block finished a few minutes early, they gathered and had another 7 minutes at it. I think they were asked to compete, as they would play against an opposition. There was plenty of niggle, between some of them. At the end o

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Monday 13th January 2025

    Better late than never … and quite frankly, there’s very little to report other than that training took place at Casey Fields this morning, that Tracc was there nursing his rib injury and that some photographs are on the club’s social media including this one of Clarrie in Raging Bull stance that gives rise for confidence. The other news is that the club has a new train on player in 185cm Dandenong Stingrays midfielder Noah Hibbins-Hargreaves (love the hyphenated name which is just so fitti

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Thursday 9th January 2025

    Welcome back to Demonland for those like me who have been on vacation. I’m posting this with some trepidation because of a certain amount of uncertainty surrounding the return of preseason training in 2025 after a flurry of weddings including those of our coach, one of our superstar players and a former premiership champion player and bloke, not to mention the recent mysterious incident that occurred on the Mornington Peninsula.  I believe that the team reassembles this morning at Casey Fie

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Wednesday 18th December 2024

    It was the final session of 2024 before the Christmas/New Years break and the Demonland Trackwatchers were out in force to bring you the following preseason training observations from Wednesday's session at Gosch's Paddock. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS TRAINING: Petracca, Oliver, Melksham, Woewodin, Langdon, Rivers, Billings, Sestan, Viney, Fullarton, Adams, Langford, Lever, Petty, Spargo, Fritsch, Bowey, Laurie, Kozzy, Mentha, George, May, Gawn, Turner Tholstrup, Kentfi

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Monday 16th December 2024

    Demonland Trackwatchers braved the sweltering heat to bring you their Preseason Training observations from Gosch's Paddock on Monday morning. SCOOP JUNIOR'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS I went down today in what were pretty ordinary conditions - hot and windy. When I got there, they were doing repeat simulations of a stoppage on the wing and then moving the ball inside 50. There seemed to be an emphasis on handballing out of the stoppage, usually there were 3 or 4 handballs to

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 1

    TRAINING: Friday 13th December 2024

    With only a few sessions left before the Christmas break a number of Demonlander Trackwatchers headed down to Gosch's Paddock to bring you their observations from this morning's preseason training session. DEMONLAND'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS PLAYERS IN ATTENDANCE: JVR, Salem, McVee, Petracca, Windsor, Viney, Lever, Spargo, Turner, Gawn, Tholstrup, Oliver, Billings, Langdon, Laurie, Bowey, Melksham, Langford, Lindsay, Jefferson, Howes, McAdam, Rivers, TMac, Adams, Hore, Verrall,

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Wednesday 11th December 2024

    A few new faces joined our veteran Demonland Trackwatchers on a beautiful morning out at Gosch's Paddock for another Preseason Training Session. BLWNBA'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS I arrived at around 1015 and the squad was already out on the track. The rehab group consisted of XL, McAdam, Melksham, Spargo and Sestan. Lever was also on restricted duties and appeared to be in runners.  The main group was doing end-to-end transition work in a simulated match situation. Ball mov

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!
×
×
  • Create New...