Bob Pratt - Move To Coburg

Move To Coburg

In 1940 Pratt sought a clearance to fellow VFL side Carlton. When told that he would have to stand out of VFL football for three years to do so, he signed with Coburg Football Club in the VFA; although fellow VFA side Port Melbourne, much of whose territory was shared with South Melbourne, had offered Pratt substantially more.

Also transferring to the VFA for the 1940 season was Collingwood full-forward Ron Todd, who moved to Williamstown. With former South Melbourne team mate Laurie Nash at VFA club Camberwell (and still considered amongst the best footballers in the country), there was talk that the VFA, traditionally the lesser of the two leagues, would now match the VFL for crowds.

In that time he continued his incredible goal scoring record, booting 183 goals during 1941 (a mark bettered only once in VFA/VFL history, by Ron Todd in 1945), including 22 goals in a game against Sandringham. In all, Pratt played 40 games for Coburg, kicking 263 goals.