Perth: 156 WAFL games, 58 goals
Wim Rosbender was born in the Netherlands and grew up in Perth. A ruckman, Rosbender played for Perth for 9 seasons and was a key member of the Demons premiership sides of 1976 and 1977. Rosbender captained the Demons in 1980 and played for Western Australia 3 times. In 2016 he was made a Legend of the Perth FC.
The 1970s was a good era for the Perth Football Club. Between 1970 and 1978 they won two premierships in succession (1976 & 77) and were runners up in 1970, 1974 and 1978.
One of the men behind the Demons success in those years was ruckman Wim Rosbender. At 6’5 Rosbender wasn’t as heavily built as most players of that height, but his mobility and stamina made him an outstanding ruckman who combined well with the talents of the running players that Perth possessed, such as Wiley, Cable, Mitsopoulos, Brehaut, and Millson.
When Barry Cable took over as playing coach of the Demons in 1972, Rosbender went straight into the league side, and soon established himself as a permanent ruckman.
In 1974 Rosbender saw WAFL grand final action for the first time, and was one of Perth’s best, but it was for a losing cause as East Fremantle took the honours. Two years later, though, the Demons grabbed the flag with a hard fought win over East Perth, with Rosbender once again a target at centre half forward.
1977 was a big year for Wim Rosbender. He made his debut for Western Australia, and played against Victoria and South Australia, showing his versatility in the Victorian encounter by filling in at full back. “I’d never played there before,” he said. “Lining up on Peter Hudson was daunting. I must have done OK though, because he didn’t kick a goal on me.”
Perth went on to a second successive premiership, with a record score of 26.13(169) against East Fremantle, avenging the 1974 result, and ruckman Rosbender won the Simpson Medal. A Subiaco quagmire and a determined East Perth conspired to foil their hat trick attempt in 1978.
Wim Rosbender struck injury trouble three games into the 1979 season, but captained the side in 1980. A sales representative, he was then transferred in his employment to Sydney, which prompted his retirement from league football.
