Past player - Rob Wiley (1987)

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Miguel Sanchez

Miguel Sanchez

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Aug 10, 2006
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Rob Wiley​
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DOB: 24/3/55

Height: 178cm

Weight: 80 kg

Playing number: 2

Arrived: As a foundation signing at the end of the 1986 season, from Perth.

Debut: Round 3, 1987 vs Sydney– 26th Eagles player.

Games: 18

Goals: 24

Departed: Retired at the end of the 1987 season.

A champion WAFL and VFL footballer long before West Coast came along, Rob Wiley won five consecutive best and fairest awards and two premierships with Perth in the 1970s before heading to Victoria to play for Richmond. The speedy rover played 95 games at Tigerland and won a premiership medal in 1980 before heading back to Perth for the 1984 season.

After three years at Perth yielded three more best and fairests, West Coast had little hesitation in adding him to its foundation squad despite Wiley turning 32 before the start of the season. The move paid off, with Wiley’s footy smarts proving invaluable in his 18 games.

Unfortunately, West Coast only saw a season of him (as a player at least) with Wiley stepping down at the end of the 1987 season to serve as playing coach of Perth.

Wiley returned to the club to serve as assistant coach under former Richmond teammate Mick Malthouse, staying with the club for a considerable period before moving on after the 2006 grand final. After a stint coaching junior state sides, Wiley has rejoined Malthouse at Carlton where he is currently the Director of Coaching and Development.
 
Not many words can describe how much of a gun this guy was as a footballer. In terms of goalkicking rovers, there hasn't been anyone like him since, and it's hard to think of many in our state's history who were any better at finding the ball and the big sticks on a regular basis.

Kicked 1.8 for Perth in his first WAFL match, and backed it up with 8.3 in his second game. Won the B&F and kicked 6 goals in the grand final... all in his first season.

In the space of four weeks in 1977, he had two 10-goal hauls. Apart from Noel Carter's 11.4 in 1981 against West Perth, no rover has bagged 10 goals in a WAFL match since then.

And these hauls weren't in crappy Perth teams like we're used to. When they won the 1976 flag, it was Wiley and Murray Couper leading the way in a high-scoring era. The next season Peter Bosustow came in to the mix and the trio each bagged 60+ goals in 1977 and 1978. Wiley himself had three straight 70-goal seasons.

When he came back from Richmond he wasn't as much of a goalscorer (100+ over three seasons), but he was still a ball magnet. Averaged 29 touches a game over his final three seasons.

Highest praise I can give the guy is that I wish he was an East Perth player!
 

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UpForGrabs said:
Not many words can describe how much of a gun this guy was as a footballer. In terms of goalkicking rovers, there hasn't been anyone like him since, and it's hard to think of many in our state's history who were any better at finding the ball and the big sticks on a regular basis.
Click to expand...

As a rover, I have him rated way above the Krakeours. Just to give the "ankle biters" some idea of where he should be viewed.

Boy, he could play.
 
masai said:
As a rover, I have him rated way above the Krakeours. Just to give the "ankle biters" some idea of where he should be viewed.

Boy, he could play.
Click to expand...


Not to mention Wiley was facing the seemingly impossible task of taking over at Perth from Barry Cable, a legend who'd won seven B&Fs, three Sandovers, a truckload of Simpson Medals and three premierships.

That's ok, Wiley came out and won 8 B&Fs (in his first 8 seasons at the Demons, no less) and two flags (plus another at Richmond).

Although some people seem to rate John Gerovich taking over from Bernie Naylor at South Fremantle as a pretty good passing of the baton, it hasn't really got anything on the transition from Cable to Wiley.

PS. Have to admit, it's weird talking about successful Demons teams.
 
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