Geof Motley OAM, a notable Australian rules footballer and coach, graced the ranks of the South Australian National Football League’s Port Adelaide team. His roots were deeply connected to Alberton Oval, the cherished home ground of the Port Adelaide Football Club, and his unwavering support for Port Adelaide shaped his upbringing.
Bio/Wiki
Age-88years
Height- 180 cm
Weight- 85 kg
Born- 3 January 1935
Birthplace-South Australia, Australia
Death- 26 September 2023 (aged 88)
Spouse- Gaynor Flanagan
Profession-footballer and coach
Nationality- Australian
Parents
Details about Geof Motley’s parents are not available in the provided information.
Wife
Motley was married to Gaynor, a multi-talented athlete who not only competed for Australia in basketball, participating in the inaugural world championships in Rio de Janeiro, but also excelled in netball. Additionally, she proudly represented South Australia in softball until her passing on February 21, 1999.
Children
Their son, Peter Motley, chose to pursue his football career with the rival SANFL club Sturt and the Victorian Football League (VFL) team Carlton. In an interesting twist, Motley’s second cousin happens to be the former Port Adelaide captain, Warren Tredrea.
Career
Geof Motley OAM served as captain of the dominant South Australian National Football League team for eight seasons, from 1959 to 1966, and also held the role of captain-coach from 1959 to 1961. He achieved a remarkable feat by being a part of all nine premiership teams of the Magpies between 1954 and 1965. Over his career, he played 258 games for Port Adelaide and represented South Australia on 28 occasions. Remarkably, Motley was never dropped from the league team and never received a report for foul play, a rarity during his era when a certain level of physicality was commonplace in the game.
Motley’s exceptional contributions earned him recognition as Port Adelaide’s best and fairest player in 1958, 1959, 1963, and 1965, along with winning the prestigious Magarey Medal in 1964. He also achieved success as the captain-coach of the Magpies’ premiership-winning side in 1959.
Following his illustrious football career, Geof Motley took on the role of coaching North Adelaide from 1967 to 1969. Under his guidance, the club achieved respectable third, third, and fifth-place finishes. While North Adelaide secured the minor premiership in 1967, they faced stiff competition from Sturt and Port Adelaide in the major round. Motley’s coaching tenure also saw the emergence of Australian Football Hall of Fame Legend Barrie Robran, who debuted and won his first Magarey Medal during this period.
After retiring from active involvement in football, Motley received numerous accolades, including life membership in both Port Adelaide and the SANFL, as well as induction into the South Australian Football Hall of Fame and the Australian Football Hall of Fame. In 2001, he was honored by being named on a half-back flank in Port Adelaide’s ‘Greatest Team of All Time.’
Net Worth 2023
The estimated net worth of Geof Motley was reported to be between 4 to 10 million US dollars.
Cause of Death
Australian football mourns the loss of one of its most celebrated athletes, Geof Motley.
Geof Motley, aged 88, passed away on Tuesday afternoon after a brief illness.This Port Adelaide club icon held a place in both the Australian and SA football hall of fame.
Over his remarkable 14-season tenure with Port Adelaide, he contributed to nine premiership victories, serving as captain for four of them.
The Port Adelaide Football Club conveyed the sad news of his passing, with the 88-year-old departing after a brief illness.
Throughout his illustrious 14-year career at Port Adelaide, Motley played a pivotal role in securing nine premiership titles, an achievement that included four stints as captain.
Despite embracing the robust Magpie spirit, Motley remarkably maintained a flawless record of zero reports in 258 games and refrained from disputing umpires’ decisions, noting, “I have never yet seen one change his decision.”
Motley’s roots were firmly planted in Port Adelaide, where he began his senior career as a 17-year-old in 1953.
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