Hamer was a half forward, defender and ruckman, recruited to Geelong from Lemnos, a Shepparton-based club.[1][2]
He made his debut in the opening round of the 1961 VFL season against Collingwood, one of eight appearances he would make that year.[3][a] In 1962 he was one of three Geelong players to appear in all 21 games.[4] This included both the drawn preliminary final against Carlton and the controversial five-point loss in the replay a week later.[3][5][b]
On 6 July 1963 he was a member of the Geelong team that were comprehensively and unexpectedly beaten by Fitzroy, 9.13 (67) to 3.13 (31) in the 1963 Miracle Match. He played eight games in 1963 and didn't feature in Geelong's premiership team, but did play in the Geelong reserves grand final win.[3][6] The following year he again won a premiership with the reserves, after making only five appearances in the seniors.[3][7]
He brought up his 50th league game in the penultimate round of the 1965 home and away season.[8][9][c] At the end of the year, at the age of just 22, Hamer was granted a clearance to join Wimmera Football League side Horsham as playing coach.[10]
Coaching career
From 1966 to 1970, Hamer coached a strong Horsham side, which made the finals each year. In his first season, he finished second in the Toohey Medal and led Horsham to the grand final, which they lost to Nhill, the game decided off the last kick.[11] He then led Horsham to back to back premierships in 1967 and 1968.[12] After leaving Horsham he played with Geelong West, then in 1972 joined Barwon Heads and was best on ground for the club in that year's grand final win.[13][14]
He was considered one of the favorites to fill the vacant position of Geelong senior coach for the 1976 VFL season, having just steered the reserves team to the 1975 premiership, his sixth since he began coaching.[15] The job however went to Rodney Olsson and Hamer remained at the club as an assistant coach in 1976, before joining Barwon.[16][17] He was coach of Geelong West in the 1982 VFA season.[18]
