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Robert Flower

Melbourne

AFL career

272 games315 goals

Debut
R10 1973 v GEE9 June 1973
Most recent
PF 1987 v HAW19 Sept 1987

Stats

1987
MEL
20
10.8
3.0
13.8
4.6
1.4
1.0
1.3
2.4
1.6
71
1986
MEL
16
9.5
4.9
14.4
4.0
0.8
0.8
-
0.9
0.7
-
1985
MEL
3
10.0
5.7
15.7
3.7
1.0
0.0
-
1.0
0.7
-
1984
MEL
21
10.9
7.7
18.6
4.9
1.7
1.3
-
1.3
0.9
-
1983
MEL
20
13.4
7.4
20.7
5.8
1.9
1.8
-
2.0
1.2
-
1982
MEL
21
12.6
9.0
21.5
5.6
2.0
1.8
-
1.2
1.2
-
1981
MEL
16
11.4
7.8
19.1
4.3
1.7
1.1
-
0.3
0.2
-
1980
MEL
22
12.5
9.9
22.4
5.8
1.5
1.1
-
1.0
1.2
-
1979
MEL
21
13.6
9.3
22.9
4.9
2.8
1.7
-
1.6
1.4
-
1978
MEL
22
13.8
5.1
19.0
5.2
2.1
2.4
-
0.8
1.1
-
1977
MEL
20
12.7
7.1
19.8
4.9
2.0
1.6
-
1.2
0.6
-
1976
MEL
19
13.1
6.5
19.5
5.4
1.6
1.6
-
0.9
1.0
-
1975
MEL
20
14.6
3.1
17.6
4.1
2.3
2.4
-
0.7
0.8
-
1974
MEL
18
10.9
3.8
14.7
3.7
1.6
1.5
-
1.2
0.8
-
1973
MEL
13
13.9
3.3
17.2
4.8
2.0
1.3
-
0.3
0.5
-
League
Season
HAW
WP
PF
3
2
5
3
1
0
0
0
0.2
25
SYD
MCG
SF
12
3
15
5
2
0
0
3
4.4
99
NTH
MCG
EF
9
2
11
7
0
1
0
0
5.0
79
FSC
WO
R22
9
1
10
5
1
0
0
1
3.2
69
WCE
MCG
R21
9
2
11
5
1
2
0
3
2.0
65
COL
VP
R20
9
4
13
5
0
0
0
0
3.1
69
RCH
MCG
R19
18
2
20
7
0
1
0
2
1.2
92
BRB
MCG
R18
6
1
7
0
0
0
0
1
2.2
38
GEE
WP
R16
18
3
21
6
2
1
0
3
4.4
117
STK
WP
R17
11
4
15
5
4
3
0
0
1.0
57
NTH
MCG
R15
12
11
23
4
0
2
0
1
2.3
83
FIT
PP
R14
14
6
20
6
1
1
0
1
2.0
86
HAW
PP
R13
13
2
15
3
4
1
0
3
0.1
66
SYD
MCG
R12
10
5
15
4
0
1
0
1
2.3
68
CAR
MCG
R11
11
0
11
2
3
1
0
1
1.1
50
WCE
SUB
R9
12
2
14
5
2
3
0
0
4.0
72
FSC
MCG
R8
12
1
13
5
2
1
0
1
1.2
64
COL
MCG
R7
10
4
14
6
2
1
0
1
6.1
96
NTH
MCG
R2
5
3
8
2
1
0
0
0
1.1
35
FIT
MCG
R1
12
2
14
6
1
0
0
3
3.2
91

Profile

Born
05 Aug 1955
Died
02 Oct 2014 (aged 59y 58d)
Height
183 cm
Weight
75 kg

Teams

  • Melbourne
    272 games, 315 goals
    1973–1987

Honours

  • Hall of Fame1996
  • Melbourne B&F1977
    2nd
    1979, 1980, 1982, 1983
    3rd
    1978, 1981
    Top 10
    1976, 1984
  • Melbourne captain(7×) 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987
  • Brownlow Medal
    3rd
    1979, 1984
    Top 10
    1975, 1978, 1982

Family

Bio

1 revision

Recruited from Murrumbeena, Robert Flower arrived at Melbourne as a slight teenager who defied his fragile build to become one of the most elusive wingmen in VFL history. Renowned for his extraordinary balance and agility, Flower possessed a unique ability to weave through heavy traffic and evade tackles without losing stride, often appearing to glide across the turf while others struggled for footing. He combined this outside run with elite disposal and a strong goal sense, booting over 300 majors as a midfielder and providing a constant attacking outlet during a prolonged period of poor on-field performance for the Demons.

Despite his individual brilliance, Flower's career was characterised by his loyalty to a struggling side, resulting in him holding the record for the most games played before finally reaching a finals series. Serving as captain from 1981 until his retirement, he broke that drought in his final season, helping propel the team to the 1987 Preliminary Final in an emotional swansong. His standing as the spiritual leader of the club during its darkest decades was cemented with his selection on the wing in Melbourne's Team of the Century and his induction into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

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