| Geof Motley OAM | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Geofrey Peter Motley | ||
| Born | (1935-01-03)3 January 1935 Port Adelaide,South Australia[1] | ||
| Died | 26 September 2023(2023-09-26) (aged 88) | ||
| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Weight | 85 kg (187 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1953–1966 | Port Adelaide | 258 (156) | |
| Representative team honours | |||
| Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
| 1954–1965 | South Australia | 28 | |
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 1959–1961 | Port Adelaide | 62 (48–14–0) | |
| 1967–1969 | North Adelaide | 64 (44–20–0) | |
| Total | 126 (92–34–0) | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1966. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
Club
Representative
Coaching
Honours
| |||
| Source:AustralianFootball.com | |||
Geofrey Peter MotleyOAM[2] (3 January 1935 – 26 September 2023) was anAustralian rules footballer and coach who played forSouth Australian National Football League (SANFL) sidePort Adelaide. Motley was born nearAlberton Oval, the home ground of the Port Adelaide Football Club, and grew up supporting Port Adelaide.[3]
Motley was awarded theMedal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the1992 Australia Day Honours "for service to sport administration and Australian rules football."[2]
For eight seasons from 1959 to 1966, Motley captained the then dominating team of the SANFL,Port Adelaide, including a stint ascaptain-coach from 1959 to 1961. He was the only man to appear in all nine of the Magpies' premiership teams between 1954 and 1965. Motley played a total of 258 games for Port between 1953 and 1966 and also represented South Australia on 28 occasions.[4]
During his career, Motley was never dropped from the team, nor was he reported. In this era, not being reported for foul play was a rarity for a player as having a certain amount of mongrel or thuggery was seen as commonplace.[3]
Motley was named Port Adelaide's best and fairest player in 1958, 1959, 1963, and 1965; and won theMagarey Medal in 1964.[5]
Following his playing retirement, Motley went on to coachNorth Adelaide from 1967 to 1969, taking the club to third, third, and fifth place respectively. The Roosters won the minor premiership in 1967 but were unable to compete successfully againstSturt andPort Adelaide in the major round. Under Motley's tutelage, Australian Football Hall of Fame LegendBarrie Robran debuted and won his first Magarey Medal.
After retiring, Motley was bestowed with several honours including life membership of Port Adelaide and the SANFL, and membership of theSouth Australian Football Hall of Fame and theAustralian Football Hall of Fame. In 2001, Motley was named on a half-back flank in Port Adelaide's 'Greatest Team of All Time'.[3]
Motley was married to fellow sportspersonGaynor Motley (née Flanagan), who represented Australia inbasketball (competing in the first world championships inRio de Janeiro) andnetball, as well asSouth Australia insoftball.[6] The pair were married until Gaynor's death in 1999.[7]
Their son,Peter, played for rival SANFL clubSturt andVictorian Football League (VFL) clubCarlton, while Motley's second cousin was Port Adelaide captainWarren Tredrea.
Motley died on 26 September 2023, at the age of 88.[8]