Bob Smithies

[Das Hassler]

News today that Bob Smithies passed away....for the youngsters here he was Balmain FB from '69 into the early 70's. He took over from Keith Barnes who came out of retirement to play out the second half of the '68 season as captain coach. I was lucky enough to see pretty much every game he played for us. ..even as a young teenager went to every game in my Tigers jersey proudly displaying his No 1 on my back. He was a bit of a mini Gary Jack ( only quicker) and returned the ball in similar long sweeping runs......real bummer hearing he's gone...probably only half of those golden old guys left if that.
RIP Bob Smithies

 

[axl rose]

Rest easy Bob.

 

[Das Hassler]

 

[Das Hassler]

Rest easy Bob.

Had that card.....chewed one helluva lot of gum collecting those things

 

[Tigers Tale]

Pretty sure Bob end his career playing with Dapto in the Wollongong comp with Alan Fitzgibbon (also from the 69 Balmain side). Shame to hear.

 

[super_coach]

Back when Bob came on the scene, every no1 had to be able to punt the ball a mile, as kicking duals were all the go. The game would stop for a few minutes while rival no1s would kick to each other repeatedly. Anyway, Bob could not kick to save his life, so he would run the ball and basically forced a rethink on how a no1 should play.

RIP Bob...great player and great bloke

 

[axl rose]

Getting ready for the 69 GF

 

[Old Time Tiger]

Remember him well, was great to watch him running the ball back, Gary Jack reminded me of Bob.

Nothing better than to watch him at old Leichhardt Oval (back before it ran north/south).