Mark Robinson pays tribute to long-time Essendon doctor Bruce Reid after his death aged 74
A tearful James Hird has paid tribute to long-time Essendon doctor Bruce Reid after his death at the age of 74. Mark Robinson remembers a man every Bomber has a positive story about.
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Everyone who met Brue Reid has a positive story to tell.
That says what you need to know about the character of the bloke they called ‘’Reidy’’.
He was not only the Essendon team doctor for 36 years, but also the club doctor, and there is a difference.
Believe it when you’re told everyone loved Bruce Reid.
He was caring and engaging and infectiously funny and outside of the business of doctoring Essendon players and staff, and their families and the wider community, perhaps the best of times was had in his company when sharing stories over a glass of red wine.
He was fond of a Penfolds 389.
Tributes arrived on Wednesday laden with deep affection, love and sadness, and also with genuine hilarity.
For sure, he had an impish grin, but it was always rascal and not devil.
And in death, Reidy still made people smile.
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“Reidy gave more to the world than he took,’’ Bombers great James Hird said.
“Reidy and I formed a bond through 25 years of the ultimate highs and in the end terrible lows.
“He was not only my doctor but a man who enabled me to be the best I could be.
He was surrounded by his amazing wife Judy and five adoring children and they helped make him who he was.
“A few red wines with Reidy was one of the things I have enjoyed the most in my life.
“He loved to bring the cheap stuff, but we always upgraded to a Penfolds 389. That was his sweet spot.
“Occasionally when he felt generous he bought over the 707.”
In tears, Hird said: ‘’He was father figure for me for 25 years and I will miss terribly. He was my best mate.’’
Former Essendon staffer Sue Anderson posted this on Wednesday:
“You were a highlight in my 17 years at Essendon. Your sense of humour, your support during that horrible saga, and our day to day highly inappropriate conversations were always a highlight.
“I shall crack open my 2012 389 and drink in memory of a wonderful man
“The corridors of Essendon have lost a legend.’’
Bruce Reid pic.twitter.com/DryYiA14sr
— Sue Anderson (@sueanderson56) October 27, 2020
Kevin Sheedy said Reidy always believed red wine was a different kind of medicine.
“He’d say, that was medicine in the old days .. he was a very funny guy.’’
Reidy joined Essendon in 1982 and was, with Dr Ian Reynolds, Sheedy’s first major — and best — recruits and together they delivered to Essendon four premierships.
‘’He was just a fun guy … he and Rubber (Reynolds) … Rubber never spoke and Reidy never stopped.’’
On Sunday, Sheedy and wife Geraldine visited Reidy at his home in the inner east of Melbourne and on Monday, Sheedy tried to organise to have the four premiership cups visit Reidy for a final photo. It wasn’t to be.
“When we were there, he said: ‘Mate, I’m stuffed, it’s been a great life’ and was thankful for getting to Essendon.”
Reid, who was 74, was elevated to legend status on Monday his week..
“You talk about the heart and soul of a footy club, he’s definitely in the ball park,’’ Sheedy said.
“To become a legend at Essendon means we rate him with John Coleman and Dick Reynolds.
“Everybody rates him, there’s not one negative about Reidy, never will be.
“We had a 45-year friendship.
“I could talk about Bruce Reid and make everyone laugh all night.
“I always feel that when I talk about Bruce … he will live with me forever.
“It was great to see him Sunday, it was the best thing I’ve done this year.’’
At Essendon, Reidy worked hamstrings and groins, wives and babies, and the bigger stuff, too.
Like, side-by-side with Adam Ramanauskas when had cancer, with Mark Harvey when he battled bulimia and with Hird when Hird’s face caved in.
There would be countless other stories of people’s private hardships.
Personally, I called him on the Friday before a Diamond Valley league preliminary final on the Saturday in ’95 because my knee had swollen. He said get to Windy Hill pronto, where he sucked the fluid out with the biggest needle I had seen.
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Another time, I had a fever before a pre-season night game in Darwin in 2004, after having recently been back from Africa, and he drove me to hospital. About midnight after the game, he came back to the hospital to check-in.
No red wine that night, just care and concern.
Reidy was a player before he was a doctor. He played a handful of games at Hawthorn and then was a runner-up in the Liston Trophy while playing at Preston.
‘‘He got beaten by two very good rovers called Peter Crimmins and Leigh Matthews,’’ Sheedy said.
For his size, he had to be goer and that was on display yet again when, at the end of the drugs saga and the AFL tried to hang him high, Reidy was all in on his innocence and reputation. The AFL folded.
His final public offering, just when cancer had gripped him again, was part of an Essendon podcast with Hird, Jobe Watson and Bombers chief executive Xavier Campbell.
“I miss Essendon ... I miss taking the mickey out of each other and I miss being a doctor,’’ he said.
Likewise, everybody will miss everything about Bruce Reid.
Goodbye my old friend - RIP Dr Bruce Reid pic.twitter.com/Um2MjyEKSU
— John Quinn (@JQuinn_01) October 27, 2020
"If I have seen further, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants"
— Robert Shaw (@shawry_analyst) October 27, 2020
Bless you Bruce Reid
💔 pic.twitter.com/Yy3zYLn732
Absolutely shattered to hear of the passing of Bruce Reid. Some ppl just leave a lasting positive mark on u and that to me is the meaning of life. My heart goes out to his family and all my ex teammates and other Essendon players and staff who love him so much. #valebrucereid
— Scotty Cummings (@ScottyCummings_) October 27, 2020
The fabric of our club.
— Essendon FC (@essendonfc) October 28, 2020
A great of our game.
Rest in peace, Reidy. We'll miss you.
RIP Bruce Reid- a truly great man and doctor for Essendon but also Victoria and Australia on so many occasions- our family doctor and mate for over 30 years pic.twitter.com/n8Glxrh4to
— Kevin Sheehan (@AFL_Shifter) October 27, 2020
Originally published as Mark Robinson pays tribute to long-time Essendon doctor Bruce Reid after his death aged 74