Melbourne, Victoria, Australia — Oceania
Bob Rose
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, April 14, 2026
1. Bob Rose Marker
One of Collingwood's greatest players and one of the most revered figures in the history of the game, Bob Rose was the heart of the Collingwood Football Club.
A great champion, four-time Copeland Trophy winner, star of the 1953 premiership side, long-serving coach and board member, he was tough, courageous and brilliantly skilled. Humble and proud in the good times, dignified and gracious through the bad, his strength and humility as a leader helped to make Collingwood what it is today.
In his love of his family and the way he cared for his son Robert Rose (who became a quadriplegic in a car accident), he demonstrated kindness and dignity in the harshest of circumstances and left an indelible mark on our club and on the Melbourne community.
A young boy once told Bob Rose that whenever he played football he wrote a message on his hand - Play tough, play brave, play like Bobby Rose! This has become a theme for all Collingwood players.
Career Highlights
Playing Years: 1946-55
Guernsey Number: 22
Games: 152 day games, 15 interstate
Copeland Trophy: 1949, 51, 52, 53
Victoria: 1949-54
All Australian:
this page online
Collingwood Coach: 1964-71, 1985-86
Victorian Coach: 1967
Vice President: 1963 - 71, 1984-1999
Australian Football Hall of Fame: 1996
Collingwood Team of the Century: 1997
Erected by Collingwood Football Club.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Sports. A significant historical year for this entry is 1953.
Location. 37° 49.417′ S, 144° 58.78′ E. Marker is in Melbourne, Victoria. It is on Olympic Boulevard (Victoria Route 20) 0.1 kilometers east of Batman Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 10-20 Olympic Boulevard, Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia. Touch for directions.
Regionally, it is in Oceania, Australasia, the Pacific Ocean, South Pacific, the Pacific Rim, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Melbourne Olympic Swimming Pool (within shouting distance of this marker); Lou Richards (within shouting distance of this marker); Sharelle McMahon (about 120 meters away, measured
Photographed by Dean Barton-Ancliffe, April 14, 2026
2. Bob Rose Statue above the Marker
Also see . . . Bob Rose on Collingwood Forever.
What is it that makes a footballer an inspiration to his teammates? There's no one formula, of course, but it's usually a mixture of qualities such as courage, passion, spirit, leadership, will-to-win and desperation. Combine those with copious amounts of talent and you've got the near perfect footballer.(Submitted on April 28, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria.)
Actually, you've got Bob Rose.
Oddly enough, Bob Rose was never named Collingwood captain. But that didn't stop him being the greatest inspirational force in football during his playing days. He was, of course, probably the best player of his time, and is still regarded among the best two or three footballers the Magpies have ever produced. But his ability to lift his teammates and change the course of games through the sheer force of his will was about much more than talent: this was an almost indefinable extra that lifted an already brilliant footballer into another stratosphere.
Credits. This page was last revised on April 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on April 28, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. This page has been viewed 13 times since then. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 28, 2026, by Dean Barton-Ancliffe of Rowville, Victoria. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
