The South Sydney Rabbitohs are mourning the passing of former second rower and prop forward, Bob Moon, who passed away in November at the age of 90.
Robert Tasman Moon was born in 1933 in Waterloo (Sydney), where he grew up and attended schools in George Street, Gardeners Road and Cleveland Street, Redfern, and quickly learned many life skills there.
Mr Moon played his junior football with Alexandria Rovers and represented Souths in the Presidents Cup in 1952, and the Rabbitohs graded him in the same year. He made his first grade debut the following season against Canterbury in Round 15 at Redfern Oval, to be number 420 on our First Grade Player Register. He scored a try on debut as the Rabbitohs ran riot over Canterbury-Bankstown, winning by 51-15.
He played in 81 grade games with Souths, 19 in first grade, including the 1953 grand final win against St. George in front of 44,581 spectators at the SCG. He was forced to retire owing to a badly dislocated arm. He told Men of League back in 2014 he was sent from the playing field twice during his whole career (both in lower grades), and that he was obviously innocent of both charges. He also noted he still supported the South Sydney Rabbitohs in any way he could and the toughest player he had seen was Kevin Ryan, the dual code Australian international.
Mr Moon first worked as a waterside wharfies labourer. Then he owned and operated a highly successful seafood supplier company with his brother Jack, named Moon Bros, and upon retiring from the business he then worked at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport.
He first met his loving wife Lillian at a South Sydney Club picnic. They lived in Maroubra bringing up their family - daughters Rhonda and Jo-Ann, and son Robert.
He is not related to Ray Moon or Jack Moon, who both played for Balmain in the early 1950s.
Mr Moon spent his last few years residing at Macquarie Lodge Aged Care Residence, Arncliffe, and passed away in November 2023, aged 90.
On behalf of everyone connected to the South Sydney Rabbitohs, we offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr Robert Tasman Moon at this difficult time.
