Vale Bob Schmidt

SANFL is mourning the passing of Player Life Member Bob Schmidt.

A member of South Adelaide’s 1964 premiership team, Bob played a total of 164 League games from 1962 to 1971.

Described as a disciplined half-back flanker, Bob was selected in this position in South’s Greatest Ever Team while also being inducted into the Panthers’ Hall of Fame in 2002.

Awarded SANFL Player Life Membership in 1972, Bob also represented South Australia on 11 occasions, including a memorable victory against Victoria at Adelaide Oval in 1965.

In that match, Bob produced an outstanding display opposed to Footscray great Ted Whitten, who had to be shifted away from Schmidt during the Croweaters’ 64-point win against the Big V.

This came in the same year Bob won the Knuckey Cup as South Adelaide’s best-and-fairest.

Panthers 1964 premiership coach Neil Kerley described Bob as: ”The best half back I have seen in the League and its most efficient player, with no weakness in his game.”

SANFL expresses its deepest sympathies to Bob’s family while honouring his outstanding contribution to the game in South Australia.