Barrie Robran
There have been many champion footballers who have played our great game, but none better than the mercurial Barrie Robran. Robran had speed, agility, lightning reflexes, a magnificent leap and an uncanny ability to read the game better than those around him. Those who were lucky enough to see him play were awestruck by his brilliant performances and ability to profoundly influence the course of a game.
Recruited from North Whyalla, Barrie joined North primarily because he idolised Don Lindner. He debuted for North’s Seconds during the finals campaign of 1966, and left an indelible mark. The next year he made his senior debut at Unley Oval against Sturt and he stunned onlookers with his masterful display as he led North to victory. His debut season was so good (he shared North’s Best and Fairest with his hero Lindner and was third for the Magarey Medal) that it prompted League officials to subsequently introduce new awards to recognize outstanding new talent.
Robran's First League Game at Unley, 1967
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Robran dominated football in South Australia for the next six years, winning the Magarey Medal in 1968, 1970 and 1973, the Club's Best and Fairest award in each of those years (and for seven consecutive seasons in total) and numerous media football awards. He played a major role in North's premiership teams in 1971 and 1972. His best-on-ground performance in helping North to the Championship of Australia against Carlton in 1972 earned him many accolades in Victoria, and he resisted many overtures to play in that State. Robran was an automatic selection in South Australian State teams from his first season in league football.
Robran’s career was cruelly curtailed in 1974 during a State match when, captaining SA for the second time, he was hit late by Leigh Matthews and his knee buckled beneath him. He faced operations in hospitals in three States in the ensuing years but his agility had suffered greatly and it was only his enormous courage and desire to play the game he loved so much that allowed him to continue at all.
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Robran's 200th Game at Prospect, 1980
The following detailed summary of Barrie's football career and life has been compiled by Bruce Pointon:
| DATES | DETAILS |
| 25 Sep 1947 | Born in Whyalla. 1st child of Colin ‘Tack’ and Glad Robran. |
| 1954-59 | Attended Whyalla South Primary School |
| 1960-64 | Attended Whyalla Technical High School. School Prefect in 1964 (Leaving Honours). Played school and/or district football, cricket, basketball and table tennis. Also, participated in cross-country running and baseball. Member of North Whyalla U 17’s 1964 premiership side in Whyalla Football League. Also won premierships in Junior International Rules Basketball and B-Grade Table Tennis. |
| 1965 | Commenced work with BHP ‘Steel division’ as a Junior Clerk in the Cost Accounting Department. At age 17, played ‘A’ Grade football for North Whyalla ‘Magpies’ in the Spencer Gulf League. Played ‘A’ Grade cricket for NWCC season 1965-66. |
| 1966 | Played in four pre-season trials for North Adelaide FC. Played for NWFC during season including the SGL Grand Final. In September, played centre for North Adelaide Seconds at Adelaide Oval in both Second Semi-final and Preliminary Final; NA lost both matches but Barrie played very well. Member of the North Whyalla Cricket Club’s ‘A’ Grade premiership side for 1966/67 season. |
| 1967 | Moved to Adelaide in January; entered Wattle Park Teachers’ College; boarded with Harley & Ivy Hammond (Bob’s parents). Left WPTC. Employed by British Tube Mills (Bundy Tubing) in Sales/Personnel Section. Made outstanding League debut along with Dennis Sachse vs Sturt @ Unley. First game with ‘hero’ Don Lindner. Played 18 minor round games + 2 Finals. Tied with Don Lindner (but lost on count-back) for the NAFC Best & Fairest (awarded retrospectively in 2003). 3rd in Magarey Medal, 1 vote behind T. Obst & Lindner (tied). Selected in SA State team and in Advertiser ‘Team of the Year’. |
| 1968 | Increased disposals from 312 in ’67 to 576 in ’68. Won NAFC ‘Fairest & Most Brilliant’. SANFL Magarey Medallist. Awarded Mr J.W. Forrester’s President’s Trophy, the H.G. Stock Memorial Medal, the H.C. Nitschke Memorial Trophy and the Harold MacFarlane North Adelaide ‘Player of the Year’ award. Numerous media awards including Channel 7 ‘Footballer of the Year’ award. Member of the SA State Team & the Advertiser ‘Team of the Year’. |
| 1969 | Employed at Featherston Interiors, Norwood. Averaged 29 disposals and 9 marks per game for the season. NAFC ‘Fairest & Most Brilliant’. Equal 3rd in Magarey Medal. Played in S.A. team in National Carnival in Adelaide. Won The Advertiser Trophy, the News-Ampol Trophy, Channel 7 ‘Footballer of the Year’ award and selected in Advertiser ‘Team of the Year’. |
| 1970 | Married Taimi Vestel at the Enfield Methodist Church in January. Father passed away. Brother Rodney played rounds 1, 2 & 7 for NAFC. Kicked 8-0 in round 5. Won Club ‘Fairest & Most Brilliant’ and 2nd Magarey Medal. Also, Channel 7’s ‘Footballer of the Year’ for the 3rd successive year – three cars in three years! Member of SA State team. Selected in Advertiser ‘Team of the Year’. |
| 1971 | First child Matthew born 19 March – a wonderful omen for Barrie’s season. Rodney playing full-time for North. Suffered serious eye injury in round 8 match. Averaged 29 disposals and 9 marks per game. Achieved personal goal of playing in a NAFC League Premiership team (victory over Port Adelaide). Rodney missed finals through injury. NAFC Awards: Club ‘Fairest and Most Brilliant’, H.G. Stock Memorial medal + ‘Player of the Year’ and ‘Best Player in the Finals’ trophies. For NAFC’s ‘F&MB’ award, Barrie polled the amazing total of 78 votes & won from Von Bertouch (50) & Jaworskyj (43). Awarded South Australian Sports Star Award for October. Selected in Advertiser ‘Team of the Year’. |
| 1972 | Round 2 vs Sturt played 100th game for NAFC. Member of NAFC League Premiership team (victory over Port Adelaide). Brother Rodney also in the victorious side. Member Champions of Aust NAFC team with victory over Carlton. NAFC ‘Fairest and Most Brilliant’. Selected in Advertiser ‘Team of the Year’. Second son Jonathon born on 21 October 1972. News-Caltex Sports Star of the Month in same month. Member, Australian ‘All-Stars’ team that played exhibition games in London, Athens & Singapore against VFL Premiers Carlton. |
| 1973 | Ave kicks per game had increased from 17.5 per game in 1967 to 20.2 in ‘73. Ave handballs ’67 = 3.3 per game; ’73 = 9.9 per game. Ave hit-outs 1972-73 = 6.7 per game. In Rounds 10 & 11 Barrie had a total of 91 disposals and took a total of 25 marks. Won NAFC ‘Fairest & Most Brilliant’. Won 3rd Magarey Medal for ‘Fairest & Most Brilliant’ player in SANFL. Selected in Advertiser ‘Team of the Year’. |
| 1974 | Appointed captain North Adelaide League team. Member of North side in first game at Football Park vs Central District. State Captain (2 games). SA (winner) vs WA game was first state match played at Football Park. Rated best for North six times + 2nd + 3rd out of first eight games before career-altering, serious knee injury on June 2nd vs Victoria on SCG. 2nd Best Player (to Barry Stringer) in NAFC B&F count. 3rd in Magarey Medal with 15 votes, despite missing 10 games - top NAFC player in MM count. Selected in Advertiser ‘Team of the Year’. End-of-season knee operation. |
| 1975 | Captain. Missed 5 games including final. Still averaged nearly 23 disposals per game. NAFC ‘Best Team Man’ trophy. More knee operations. |
| 1976 | Captain. Sponsored as a NA player by the ‘House of Lindner’. Missed 8 games. Kicked 6-1 in Round 5. Achieved ‘Player Life Member of SANFL’ & ‘Life Member of North Adelaide Football Club’. |
| 1977 | Captain. Didn’t play any league games due to operations and rehabilitation. |
| 1978 | Coach of NAFC League team. Bohdan Jaworskyj was assistant League and Reserves coach but also played in league team. Captain until acting-captain Barry Stringer appointed captain during season. Barrie played 9 games. League side finished bottom. |
| 1979 | Re-appointed for a second year as League coach with Bob Bussenschutt as assistant. Played only 5 games – rounds 17-21. North Adelaide finished 6th. |
| 1980 | Coached league side for a third season. Brother, Rodney, appointed captain. Barrie played 3 games for season. Superb performance in round 8 vs Norwood – 37 disposals, 11 marks & 7 hit-outs. In round 10, played his 200th game for the North Adelaide Football Club at Prospect Oval on 7 June 1980. The following week against Glenelg, also at Prospect, he played his last league game. Retired as a player after 201 games for North Adelaide. Retired as coach at end of season – 66 matches. North finished 8th. |
| 1981 | Awarded ‘Member of the British Empire’* Medal and Certificate from Queen Elizabeth II on 31 Dec 1981. (*An Imperial award before the Order of Australia was instituted.) The public announcement was made on New Year’s Day 1982. Rodney re-appointed captain but resigned at end of season. |
| 1982 | Barrie appointed U19’s coach & Bob Bussenschutt as U17’s coach. One year only. Barrie Robran MBE opened the new Whyalla City Plaza on 27 March in front of 8,000 people. |
| 1983 | Barrie played for Walkerville FC in SAFA under Maurie Francou as coach. Suffered three bad injuries; played only eight games for year. Broken ankle ended his playing career. |
| 1984 | Another operation on his troublesome knee. |
| 1985 | Sons Matthew 14 and Jonathon 12 play football for Walkerville and are promising tennis players. |
| 1987 | Received a 1987 NFL Champions Medallion for being a Selector with the SA State Team. SA 12.13 d Vic 11.15 (Adelaide); SA 18.16 d WA 9.9 (Perth). |
| 1988 | Mother, Glad, died. Awarded a ‘Sport 1988 NFL Champions Bi-Centennial Championships Medallion’ for being a Selector for the winning state. SA 12.8 d NSW 8.11; SA 15.12 d Vic 6.6. |
| 1996 | Inducted as a Member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame |
| 2000 | Selected as a member of North Adelaide’s Team of the Century. Awarded a ‘Year 2000 Australian Sports Medal’ by the Australian Federal Government. Received retrospective Whyalla News Medal for 1966 – tied with Darrol Foote. |
| 2001 | May: Became 17th ‘Legend’ in the Australian Hall of Fame and first legend without VFL or AFL experience. Matthew and Jonathon receive award in Melbourne as Barrie and Taimi were in Alaska & Canada. Awarded a plaque for being included in the prestigious The Advertiser Golden Jubilee Team for the period 1951 – 2001. Commenced part-time work at North Adelaide Football Club as Membership Development Manager. Role has changed since. |
| 2002 | Inducted to the SA Football Hall of Fame. Announced as being a member of the North Whyalla ‘Team of the Century’ and was awarded a commemorative medal. |
| 2003 | Whyalla News, Monday, 24 March 2003: Moggy Flavel, John Trezise & Barrie opened the renovations to the North Whyalla Football Clubrooms. |
Quotes
‘Rarely, if ever, has SA seen the brilliance in football of Barrie Robran.. But when you couple his brilliance and fairness with his discipline, creativeness and team sense you see the totality of the problem through the eyes of an opposition coach. Put Barrie in any side and it immediately becomes a major round contender as his ability to create openings raises many team-mates to a new level.’
Fos Williams (Port Adelaide and State player and coach).
‘Barrie Robran was definitely the best player I have ever seen or played against.’
Russell Ebert, Port Adelaide and SA champion; multiple Magarey Medallist.
‘There was cricket’s Don Bradman, billiards’ Walter Lindrum and football’s Barrie Robran.’
Jim Deane, former South Adelaide champion and 1953 Magarey Medallist.
Robran flies high against Port
As a footballer Barrie Robran had everything and he remains the best footballer to leave his mark on South Australian football in general and the Prospect Oval in particular.