Robert Walter Henry Sayers (26 October 1917 – 28 November 2016) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

Bob Sayers
Sayers in September 2016
Personal information
Date of birth (1917-10-26)26 October 1917
Place of birth Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia
Date of death 28 November 2016(2016-11-28) (aged 99)
Place of death Blackburn, Victoria, Australia
Original team(s) Fitzroy Sub Districts
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 70 kg (154 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1938–39 Fitzroy 4 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1939.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

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The son of Henry William Arthur Sayers (1888-1934),[2] and Ruby May Sayers (1889-1971), née Rice, Robert Walter Henry Sayers was born at Fitzroy, Victoria on 26 October 1917.

He married Doreen Sarah McClure (1920–2009) on 16 March 1940. They had three children.

Football

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In 22 April 1938, Sayers was granted a clearance to Fitzroy from Fitzroy Sub-District.[3][4]

With his First XVIII debut delayed by an injury, he played his first match for the senior side, on the wing, against Richmond at the Brunswick Street Oval on 4 June 1938.[5] He was injured during the third quarter of the match, and was not selected on the following Saturday.[6]

In his last First XVIII match for Fitzroy, he was 19th man, and replaced Len Smith (footballer, born 1912), who had broken his hand, at half time of the match against Hawthorn, at the Brunswick Street Oval, on 13 May 1939.

On 21 July 1939, he was cleared from Fitzroy to East Brunswick in the Sub-District Football League.[7]

Death

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He died at Regis Aged Care, Blackburn, Victoria, on 28 November 2016.[8]

Notes

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  1. ^ Holmesby & Main (2014), p.787.
  2. ^ Deaths: Sayers, The Age, (Friday, 16 March 1934), p.1.
  3. ^ Strang, Crowe Cleared: Many Football Permits, The Argus, (Saturday, 23 April 1938), p.15.
  4. ^ "The failure of Fitzroy District Club to maintain its affiliation with the Sub-District League has enabled Fitzroy League club to secure two really worthwhile players in (Gordon) Dennis and Sayers. The latter, though light, is a footballer above the ordinary, Dennis, too, can expect inclusion in the final [training] list [for 1938].": The (Melbourne) Herald, Wednesday, 30 March 1938), p.2.
  5. ^ New Wing Man at Fitzroy, The Argus, (Friday, 3 June 1938), p.20.
  6. ^ Reville at Fitzroy, The Argus, (Friday, 10 June 1938), p.20.
  7. ^ Sub-District Permits, The Argus, (Thursday, 22 June 1939), p.23.
  8. ^ "SAYERS. Robert Walter Henry". Herald Sun Tributes. Retrieved 8 April 2017.

References

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