Sid Robins

Born: 26 Feb 1945          Died: 18 Dec 2016

Came from: Beelbangera-Yenda United     Went to: Retired

First game: 14 April 1963     Last game: 29 June 1980

Appearances: 317     Goals: 3

Premierships: 1968     League Rep.: 10

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The Griffith born defender enjoyed a prolific and successful time with the Swans from 1963 to 1980 clocking up a club record 317 first team appearances, and is widely regarded as one of the club's best ever players. He started his early football days playing with Griffith schoolboys. Crossed over to Beelbangera-Yenda United in 1962 and under Bobby Spears  made his senior debut but after one season returned to Griffith before eventually finishing his career back were it all began eighteen seasons later. In subsequent season's 1969-1972 he won the club's best and fairest, South West League's Gammage Medallist in 1972 and was a member of the Swans 1968 premiership side. In 2014 he was selected as centre half-back in Griffith Swans 'Team of the Century'.

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SID Robins was one of the Griffith's gentlemen of Australian Rules. The Griffith Swans great passed away on Sunday at the age of 71 and he left his mark on those around him.

Bob Spears was good mates with Robins for most of his life and persuaded the Gammage Medal winner to start playing Australian Rules. "Sid was going to play rugby - I think he played soccer the year before," Spears remembered.

"He'd never played a game and I played him on the half-back flank. "I had a bit of a chat with him and said 'you'll be right' and after about four games he was telling me what I should be doing."

Robins played more than 300 senior games with the Griffith Swans over a decorated career which spanned from 1963-1980. Four club best and fairest along with a number of representative appearances led Spears to call the centre half-back, the best player he ever played alongside.

"He was a wonderful to play with, he was just a beautiful puncher of the ball," Spears said. "A lot of the time, he'd punch the ball and then go and get it, he was a lot quicker than people thought. You'd get in a bit of a predicament and he'd say, 'I've got him Bob'.

"He was just a marvel, he only weighed about 82 kilos but he just beat whichever centre half-forward he played on."

Spears and Robins were not only mates on the field but also in life. "Terrific guy, you couldn't help but like him. Nature's gentleman, you'd never hear him swear around women," Spears said.

Robins' work effort on the football field crossed over to his working life as well. "He only had about three jobs in his life, just a magnificent worker. I used to get him to drive trucks at harvest time and if we got a bit of rain, he'd get out and clean all the fronts of the trucks, he'd just couldn't stop working," Spears said.

(By Will Jaffrey - The Area News, December 21, 2016).

 

IT IS with sincere sadness that my wife and I pass on our condolences to the Robins family. Because of personal reasons, we were unfortunately unable to attend Sid's farewell.

Over the last five to 10 years, distance prevented us from seeing a lot of each other but that doesn't mean you forget what a gentleman he was.

Socially, Sid was every man's man. On the footy field he was a tradesman, a dedicated player and a pleasure to play alongside.

As an Australian Rules footballer, I rate him as the best centre-half back to pull on a pair of boots. From week to week, he produced consistent, dashing performances. He was a true supporters' player.

On December 23, 2016, in a little church just down the road from where I live, I offered a prayer for Sid. And no, the roof didn't cave in. He was a champion and a true blue.

So old mate, it's time to say goodbye and at night when I see a shooting star in the heavens, I know it will be Siddy dashing out of the back-line, feeding the hungry forwards. Sleep in heavenly peace. - Kath and Trevor Miller. (The Area News, January 13, 2017).

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What The Scribes Said About Him

After a early season team effort that gained a close victory at home over Turvey Park (May 5, 1963) Club Notes commented on Robins' performance: "Sid Robins pleased with some noticeable improvement last Sunday and has only to maintain the same rate of progress to be a regular in the first grade."

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Club Notes reports that with only seven of last year's twenty available, the Red and Whites turn on an astounding team effort to down Leeton (April 11, 1965): "The team had no passengers and the way players such as Sid Robins, Kevin Luhrs and Lachie O'Dwyer lifted their game was a revelation. After much cogitation the selectors awarded Ron Dalla's Whitmont shirt to Sid Robins."

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In Club Notes (Sept. 4, 1966), scribe Neil Griggs had no doubts about his selection for the end of season club award after Sid Robins won the Col Longobardi Point score award .... 1st 18, Sid Robins; runner-up, Mal Russell .:.. "Bones is not a spectacular player and gained only two votes in the Gammage Medal, but it's 'London to a brick' this won't be the only Griffith trophy (with different judging panels) that he will win this season."

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Club notes on the Turvey Park game (April 30, 1967) citation: "After a game that was close and interesting throughout, we just managed to outclass the Bulldogs last Sunday. Sid Robins, once again, was our star, and his sparkling effort won him his second successive major vote in the Co-op - Ernest Hillier suit award."

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Club notes after his performance at Grong Grong on April 21, 1968: "Turvey Park has a 'secret weapon' in the black mud of Gissing Oval but teams visiting Grongie will find the deep sand just as hard to counter. .... One Griffith player, Sid Robins, also proved a beach sprinter. In fact he rated as best afield and as one Griffith player remarked after the game, 'They didn't beat Griffith, they beat Sid Robins. He was the only one playing in our team'."

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From a  Swans Club notes report: "An unfaltering Griffith defence, spearheaded by ever reliable Sid Robins, was the cornerstone of Griffith's good win over Ganmain (May 3, 1970) at the Griffith Ex-Serviceman's Oval. .... Sid Robins played a tremendous game, taking mark after mark, and was ably assisted by Frank Conlan, and Bob Little."

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Club notes report in Grand Final programme on Sept. 17, 1971: "The Swans came through last Sunday's tough game free of serious injury ..... and three training sessions during the week should have them at their top today. Our players, set a brilliant example by Sid Robins, really hit their straps against Grong Grong-Matong and if we can find the same form we will really challenge the Redlegs for the major portion of Amoco's generous prize money."

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Club notes (August 27, 1972) on Sid's SWDFL best & fairest award: The popular Gammage Medal win by Sid Robins called for quite a bit of celebrating which wound up when his First XVIII team mates on the Friday joined in a niner (plus) after training."

　

Club notes scribe 'Chow' Carroll got a bit excited over two big wins over Whitton Tigers (May 27, 1973) with 60 goals being scored by us on the day: "But the one goal that captured the imagination of the crowd was that of Sid Robins. Running 50 yards against a 30 knot breeze and with seven players hanging off him, he kicked the ball 100 yards for a goal - well done Sid."