Bob Page 2015 Club Legend

The Perth Football Club is pleased to announce that Bob Page will be the club legend for the 2015 season.

Page who first came to the club in 1965 played 132 games over seven seasons and kicked 76 goals.  He also represented Western Australia eight times.

In only his second year at the club Page won the first of two premierships he would win while playing for the Demons.  However he should have been a three time premiership player if not for an unfortunate incident.

A couple of weeks before the 1968 grand final at a Sunday training session, Page kicked the ground with his left foot and strained his achilles tendon.  Malcolm Atwell, who was coach at the time, nursed him through the remaining part of the season to make sure that if the team got there, Page would be right to play in the final.

Despite being extra cautious on the morning of the game, as soon as Page ran down the race he tore his achilles tendon.  The man who replaced him in the side, Noel Wilson, to this day still remains the only player in Western Australian Football League history to play in two grand finals on the same day after previously playing in the seconds premiership win.

When Page found out that he would be the club legend he admits to being somewhat surprised due to the amount of great players that have been through this club but said it is a tremendous honour and he is very much looking forward to the year ahead.

“I am very overawed and hope to represent the club the best I can throughout the following year.”

One thing Page holds close to him from his time at the Demons is the friendships that were forged over his seven seasons that were then galvanised through premiership success.

“Over a period of seven years in my career to play in four grand finals, winning three of them was exceptional and this created great friendships.

“These friendships have never waned and we can all get together as a group and it’s just like yesterday.”

As club legend for 2015, Page wants to spend more time amongst the playing group, offering support and letting them know that the past players of Perth are right behind them every step of the way.

“I’m keen to concentrate more on the playing group.  They’re a group of young men that are really trying desperately to lift our profile and get us back up there as a force in the competition.

“I’m hoping to get to know them more and let them know that guys like me are interested and give them some encouragement and be at the games regularly travelling up from Bunbury each week. 

“The players that are there now have a chance to create their own history.”