North Adelaide Legend Mourned By Football Community
Barrie Robran, Australia, the sport has lost this most honoured person, at the age of 77. By far one of the best players to grace the game, Robran was a triple Magarey Medallist and double that of a SANFL premiership player. During his career at North Adelaide he played 201 games between 1967 and 1980 and later became the captain of South Australia in the 17 internationals.
When it was declared that he had passed away, the North Adelaide Football Club was in deep sorrow saying that he was their most treasured son and a “true gentleman whose presence enriched everyone around him”. Club also added that his exceptional talent, humble nature and selfless commitment were ineradicable marks on our club and the society at large.
Football Legend Barrie Robran [News Corp Australia]
Magarey Medal Triumphs And SANFL Success
Robran was awarded the Magarey Medal (the top individual award in South Australian football) in 1968, 1970 and 1973. He featured as the cornerstone behind consecutive North Adelaide premierships in 1971 and 1972, and his performance was recognised further when the best-and-fairest award of the club was awarded to him on seven subsequent occasions. This list of succession highlighted his continuity as well as his great value to the side.
Roosters CEO Craig Burton said Robran’s standing in the game was unmatched. “We’re pretty bullish about where he sits — we think he’s number one, the greatest-ever footballer to play,” Burton said. “Sure, you’ll get an argument from people in Victoria … but he was definitely right up there.”
Robran’s parade ride after winning the 1968 Magarey Medal
A Respected Figure In The Sport
Port Adelaide assistant and 2018 North Adelaide premiership coach Josh Carr described Robran’s humility as his defining trait. “It’s a sad day for Australian football,” Carr said. “He was probably the nicest man you’d ever meet.”
North Adelaide president Kris Mooney said Robran “was more than just a footballer”. He added, “He was the embodiment of everything North Adelaide stands for — excellence, humility, and unwavering loyalty.” Mooney said, “His legacy will forever inspire us, and his quiet grace touched everyone he met.”
Early Life And Rise To Prominence
Robran was born on 11 May 1947 in Whyalla, South Australia. He attended Whyalla South Primary School and Whyalla Technical High School, and at the same time was regarded as being talented in some physical activities, cricket, basketball and table tennis among others.
He started to work at BHP when he was 17-year old and throughout this time still participated in sports, and in 1967, he was called by North Whyalla Football Club who wanted him to play A-grade football in the Spencer Gulf League. He did very well in the competition and North Adelaide did not take long in acquiring his services, and he played his first match with the club against the Sturt Football Club, and showed an athletic aptitude and a well-developed tactical understanding.
Robran signing an autograph after his first SANFL senior game for the club in 1967
A Family Of Athletes And Humble Beginnings
Robran often spoke fondly of his upbringing in Whyalla. “We had a very humble upbringing in Whyalla,” he said in a 2000 ABC Radio Adelaide interview. “But I’m sure, given the opportunity, we wouldn’t change any of that.”
His family shared strong sporting roots. His brother played for North Adelaide, while his sister captained Australia in netball. “She was the unheralded champion of the family,” he once said.
Career Curtailed By Serious Knee Injury
Robran was the captain of South Australia when in 1974 he suffered a bad knee after a collision with Leigh Matthews. This accident shortened his competitive career; nevertheless, he remained a player until 1980. “It probably cost me about 150 league games here in South Australia because I was 26 when that happened,” he recalled. “My ambition in football was always to play until I was 40 at some appropriate level where I could play and not embarrass myself.”
Robran was famed for his aerial ability and powerful marking
Recognition And Hall Of Fame Elevation
Robran repeatedly rejected offers to play in the VFL. Despite that, his 2001 elevation to legend status in the Australian Football Hall of Fame recognised his exceptional talent. The official citation called him “the best player never to play at AFL level”.
North Adelaide’s website says, “Robran had speed, agility, lightning reflexes, a magnificent leap and an uncanny ability to read the game better than those around him.” It added, “Those who were lucky enough to see him play were awestruck by his brilliant performances.”
Statue Honours Football Greatness
In 2014 an Adelaide artist unveiled a bronze statue of Robran mid-flight to get a mark outside Adelaide Oval. The memorial guaranteed that he is one of the sacred names in the history of South Australian football.
The statue of Robran outside Adelaide Oval
Legacy Lives On Through Family
Robran is survived by his wife Taimi and sons Jonathon and Matthew, both of whom played in the AFL. Matthew was part of Adelaide’s dual premiership teams, continuing the family’s presence in elite football.
A Lasting Influence On The Game
Robran continues to have his influence due to his impact on future generations of players and fans. His achievements are landmarks that direct upcoming Australian football players nowadays. North Adelaide gets the message of his importance in a public statement: “ Barrie was more than just a footballer. He was North Adelaide.”
This is a true loss to the sport, a person who has contributed to the game ineluctably, and never even got to the AFL.
