Bob Merrick

Robert Merrick (24 November 1917 – 25 May 1991) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy in the Victorian Football League (VFL).

He was no relation to the better-known Fitzroy player of the same name who played for the club between 1919 and 1926.

Early career Merrick, who was born in Warragul, played junior football with Don Rovers in the Eastern District Football League, followed by Pascoe Vale. While at Pascoe Vale he was recruited by Richmond scouts and put on their supplementary list for the 1938 VFL season. He did not register a goal but hit the top of the post with one shot. He had just recovered from malaria when he returned to Fitzroy in the 1944 VFL season.

Return to Fitzroy Merrick was again used a forward in his second stint at Fitzroy, starting in a forward pocket for the first two rounds of the season, against St Kilda and Collingwood. He was 19th man in Fitzroy's round three win over North Melbourne and came on in the last quarter to replace and injured Clen Denning. In round four, against Richmond, Merrick played as a centre half-forward, later going to the back pocket to play on Jack Dyer.

Retirement Merrick's war injuries, which left him with shrapnel in his lungs, forced him to retire on the advice of doctors.