Life Member
Inducted 2002
Bob (‘Boz’) Maloney was well known to the Adelaide University Football Club members through his efforts with the Adelaide University Cricket Club and St. Peters YCW Football Club long before he joined ‘the Blacks’. Bob joined “the Blacks” at the start of the 1986 season on the insistence of his lecturer Fred Block. Bob had promised Fred that he would join “the Blacks” after he finished his Masters study.
In 1986 Bob just attended the first two A & B Grade matches, doing whatever Chocka wanted, and then was co-opted by Chocka Block as the A Grade Team Manager. Then a few weeks later he was appointed as the Inter-Varsity Coordinator. Bob spent five (5) years as A Grade Team Manager, occasionally doing the B Grade manager’s job when required. Bob did not do the A Grade Manager’s job in 1991 and 1992 seasons returning to the position in 1993.
Bob efficiently undertook this role for over 30 seasons.
The 1986 season was a great introduction to the Club as the A1 side won the Premiership for the first time since 1975 – what an impact ‘the Boz’ had!
Bob joined the Management Committee in 1987 and also served a further term from 1999 to 2003. He organised the Inter-Varsity in Adelaide in 1987, being accorded the accolade of an Outstanding Service trophy and Club Letters for a great year’s effort. and also ontinued in that role for several more years. He also was the Inter-Varsity Co-ordinator in 2002 and 2003.
Bob was awarded the Best Club Man trophy in 1995 in recognition of his outstanding contribution over the previous ten seasons.
In June 2003 Bob passed a significant milestone when he officiated at his 300th A1, Division 1 or Inter-Varsity game as Team Manager. This was a magnificent achievement that has contributed to the efficient management of all aspects of ‘A’ grade home games at University Oval.
Bob Maloney was elected an Honorary Life Member of the Club at the AGM in December 2002 – one of the few never to have pulled on ‘the Blacks’ jumper.
In July 1998, ‘Boz’, celebrated his 200th game managing the ‘A’ grade team. The team won an important game at University Oval against Edwardstown. In June 2003, the next major milestone arrived with the 300th game – again on University Oval against PHOS Camden. To honour this occasion ‘the Blacks’ won the game.
“It was all ‘Boz’s day. The hordes travelled from afar to see ‘Boz’ lead from the front in his 300th game as Team Manager, including 86 premiership players ‘Mums ‘n Dads’, ‘Skittle’ Parker and ‘Casanova’ Kenny, Sturt Coach ‘Sticks’ Phillips, ‘the Ox’, State Prosecutor & former ‘Blacks’ champion Paul Rofe, and most importantly, Bob Neil.
Another collector (in the after game presentation) was 300-game ‘Boz’, whom the players invited to stand in the centre of their circle as they sung the victory song, only to finish by upending a tub of cordial over his head, but soaking wet it still didn’t take the smile off his face.”
During this time Chocka Block also appointed Bob as Ground Manager for all A & B Grade Home Matches. This required Bob to set up the ground before matches and ensure the ground was clean and tidy after matches. Sometimes this took until 8.30 – 9.00 pm after the match.
The Annual Report describes this occasion in some detail in the match report.
Bob continued in his role as A Grade Team Manager until the end of the 2016 season. During that time he was also B Grade Team Manager for several years as well as filling in when the B Grade Team Manager was not available.
Bob Managed the 1986, 1996 and 1999 A Grade Premiership Matches.
It takes a bit to get the ‘Boz’ to smile, but the celebrations on these milestones were worthy of the commitment to ‘the Blacks’ over 30 years.
Bob resigned as A Grade Team Manager at the end of the 2016 Season having managed the A Grade for a total of 555 A Grade Competition Games. From Chocka’s records he also managed 35 Intervarsity Games. He also managed 1 SAAFL Match at Football Park in addition to the many B Grade games that he managed over the many years.
In his fair well speech, in the rooms after his last A Grade Match, he said that he continued for all these years because of the wishes and support of all the coaches he worked with and the players who played in those matches and wanted him to continue.