GEELONG premiership full-back Roy West has died in hospital in Ballarat after a year-long battle with lung cancer. He was 70.
West, who passed away on Saturday, was renowned for his prodigious drop-kicks. He was strong, he anticipated well, and he had sure hands and great concentration. His most significant trait was his consistency.
Former teammate Bill Ryan said: "He never put in a bad game. He was one of those blokes who was always there."
West won Geelong's best-and-fairest award in his first season and played for Victoria the following year. Former teammate Eric Nicholls described him as underrated.
"He played in only one state game but he deserved more," Nicholls said.
West was a member of the 1963 premiership side and he played in the team that lost the 1967 Grand Final to Richmond.
In that match, West and Richmond captain Fred Swift complemented each other by kicking out from full-back with drop-kicks that almost reached the centre circle. Their kicking duet was said to comprise one of the most glorious sights in football.
West retired from League football after the 1967 Grand Final, aged 26, and returned home. He played with Stawell in the Wimmera League and ran the Post Office Hotel in Stawell before returning to the family farm at Great Western later in life.
West began his football career at Great Western before moving to Stawell as an 18-year-old in 1959. The next year he played at centre half-forward in Stawell's Grand Final team while fellow teenager Doug Wade played at centre half-forward in the opposing team, Horsham.
West and Wade were recruited to Geelong before the 1961 season. Both made their debuts in the opening round against Collingwood at Kardinia Park. Wade played in attack while West played in a back pocket changing on the ball.
He kicked a goal in his third game, against St Kilda, but did not kick another goal in his 108-match career.
In round five, Nicholls was playing at full-back on Essendon's Ron Evans and was unable to curtail him.
Geelong coach Bob Davis moved West from the back pocket to full-back and shifted Nicholls out to half-back. West did so well on Evans that he was named at full-back before the next match, against Richmond.
He went on to be named in the key defence post in every subsequent game in his career. His understanding with back pocket Terry Callan was an underpinning of the Geelong team in this era.
Wade described West as honest and fair, and said he was the David Dench of the 1960s. "He was one of the first full-backs who would grab the ball and run," he said.
West has become the third and final member of Geelong's full-back line in the 1967 Grand Final to die. The others were Geoff Rosenow (1999) and Geoff Ainsworth (2011).
The centre half-back in that team, Peter Walker (2010), has also died.
West is survived by his wife Yvonne, daughter Andrea and son Troy.
