by mal » Wed Sep 18, 2019 7:33 pm
Perhaps one of the best coaches never to win a Premiership at Norwood
Was a great tutor and mentor for the players when he took over as coach in 1968 to 1973
I was there for his first game as coach in 1968 , the first time I supported the NW football club
It was a win
NW 19-13
CD 14-17
NW only won 3 games for the season, all 3 wins against CD
They also drew a game with SA
NW finished bottom in Robert Oateys first stint as coach
His dad Jack Oatey was wracking up flags with Sturt at the same times
One particular memory was Robert Oateys uncanny ability to smother a football
That is to smother the ball from the umpires bounce, which is a no no these days
He really was a great footballer, he was 2nd to Barrie Robran in the 1968 Magarey Medal
Barrie polled 22 votes, I have no records of how many votes Robert Oatey polled
NA ended up 3rd in the minor round with 14 wins
Norwood as mentioned last with 3.5 wins
Robert was there4 Captain Coach in his first season for NW and runner up in the medal
Runner up to perhaps the greatest footballer to have played in the SANFL
That shows just how good a rover/forward pocket Robert Oatey was
Been informed that Robert Oatey attended the NW V NA SANFL grand Final last year
His love for football apparent very late in his life
Robert did taste Premiership success playing for Sturt in 1974 and continued with Sturt until 1978
Fittingly his flag honour was with his father Jack Oatey as coach
Robert Oatey excellent coach, great footballer , from a great family of footballers of the Oatey name