The Sydney Swans are saddened by the passing of former Swans coach and Australian Football Hall of Fame Member Bob Hammond, who died on Saturday after a long battle with illness. He was 78.
Recognised as one of the greats of South Australian football across six decades, Hammond coached the Sydney Swans for eight games in 1984.
It was at SANFL clubs North Adelaide and Norwood where Hammond began his football journey. Debuting as an 18-year-old for North Adelaide in 1960, he went on to play 234 games for the club before moving to Norwood.
Initially captain-coach of the Redlegs, he coached Norwood to the 1975 and 1978 premierships.
Later, he coached South Australia to State of Origin victory over Victoria in 1983, before taking the reins of the Swans in 1984. Despite the club wanting Hammond to remain as coach, his flourishing business interests took precedence and required him to move back to Adelaide.
As an administrator, Hammond was the inaugural chairman of the Adelaide Crows, overseeing the 1997 and ‘98 premierships, before serving as an AFL Commissioner for a decade from 2001-11.
He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2015.
The Sydney Swans extend their condolences to Bob Hammond’s wife Jill, their children and family.
