Welcome to “Blast from the Past”. Our aim is to cover off on past players, coaches and support staff of The Western Magpies from all over Australia and we trust that you find it interesting reading. This week we feature recently retired (from QAFL anyway) in and under dual premiership player Reid “Dobbo” Dobson. Reid was a decorated junior who graduated to senior footy at Mayne then Mt Gravatt via the Western Taipans. A well recognised name at the club his family has had significant impact at the clubs with his father Les filling many game day roles and brother James playing senior footy for the club before succumbing to injury. Renowned for his tenacity, speed and game sense Reid played over 200 senior games for the club and played in the 2006 (Best on Ground) and 2012 Premierships. An injury plagued 2008 season limited his ability to play regular senior footy, but he made significant contribution as a game day assistant coach in the clubs comeback Grand Final victory over Palm Beach. Today we revive the career of long time club leader and midfield dynamo of the 2000s, Reid “Dobbo” Dobson.
Name:
Reid Dobson
Details of Playing / Coaching Career:
About 215 Senior Games for the Magpies
About 40 twos games
Awards / Medals Received /:
Senior Runner Up Best and Fairest
Multiple Club Best Midfielder Award
2 x Senior Most Consistent
2 x Reserve Best and Fairest
Bill Clerk Medal – League Medal – Reserves
Bill Ryan Medal 2006 Best on ground in the GF
2006/2012 Premiership player
Club Vice Captain (leadership group) 2005, 2006, 2007,2008,2012,2013
Favourite Playing Position:
Rover changing on the pine, didn’t mind a rest in the fwd line either.
Most Respected Opponents (in QLD)
Matthews and Isles from Noosa were always good value: good players, hard at it but fair and decent blokes.
Best Player played with at the club:
Probably Chris Mihalopoulos (when he was good) and Tim McEvoy (sorry Noodles) backbone of the club for 10 years, were great players, reliable and well respected.
Biggest Character at the club:
Footy wise I’d say Matt Thompson and Richard Wenham – both “parrots” but good value and always up for a beer.
AFL Club I Follow:
Always Hawthorn
Current Occupation:
High School Art Teacher
Are you still involved in footy?
Yeah, having a kick on Friday nights with Mica, Noodles and a few old boys for the Woodsmen.
Where do you see local QAFL heading in the future?
Not sure. But they need to stop messing around with the competition. We moved up and down several times, with varying success, while I was playing and it seemed that every time we began to get comfortable, building a playing list, developing crowds and collecting sponsors we would be moved around and placed in a different division – and the process would start again. The current QAFL is a similar setup to what we had in ‘98 when I started playing and it was a great competition with an even spread of teams from all areas of Brisbane and the Gold Coast. The challenge will be how this competition is effected by possible changes to the NEAFL setup. With an opportunity to grow I think the QAFL has a heap of potential to be a high quality league that players and supporters alike will get behind.
Reid Dobson played as an inside midfielder for The Western Magpies after brief stints at Mayne and Mt Gravatt Football Clubs. A Sherwood junior Dobbo played for the state at various junior levels and moved through The Western Taipans ranks onto QAFL footy. Dobbo has played a variety of roles including small back and forward as well as the occasional tag in his journey but it is the roving position that Reid flourished. He was instrumental in the clubs 2006 flag kicking multiple goals including one monster bomb from 55m (does get longer at club functions),in the 2012 he was rock solid in the engine room against Palm Beach and was willing to put his body on the line in extremely trying conditions. A loyal and popular member of the club Art Teaching Reid is now settled just up the road from the club and was recently married to long term girlfriend Jessica, he is still passionate about his footy and his club and a possible coaching path may lure him back to senior football down the track. You can often see Reid having a kick and a laugh with his old teammates Micka and Noodles for the clubs Association affiliate The Woodsman and he always makes his way down to Chelmer to catch up with past teammates and watch the latest generation of Magpies run around if you do see him at one of these games make sure you go and say g’day and tell him you enjoyed his blast from the past!
Last Modified on 09/06/2014 00:16
