Injuries had got the better of him by the latter stages of his league career, and Rose retired in 1955 after 152 games and 214 goals, with the losing 1955 grand final being his last match.

[2][3] Rose returned for a second and final stint as senior coach of Collingwood from 1985 to 1986, where he replaced John Cahill at the end of the 1984 season.

[2] In the 1985 season, Rose guided Collingwood to finish seventh on the ladder, missing out on the finals with ten wins and twelve losses.

A small group of Collingwood players, including Nathan Buckley, paid a visit to Rose in the final week before his death.

Rhyce Shaw was the man who wore Rose's no.22 during the time of illness, and would occasionally have initialed B.R above the number in dedication to Bob.

In 2006, a memorial statue of Rose was unveiled outside the main entrance of the Melbourne Sports and Entertainment Centre, the home of the Collingwood Football Club.