183 cm (6' 1"), Davis was noted for his pace and tenacity, and was one of the fastest players in the league at the time (he was known to the press as "The Geelong Flier"). This led him to numerous appearances for Victoria, as well as the captaincy of Geelong from 1955-1958. He played in 2 premierships for Geelong in 1951 and 1952. He also coached the club, with his first game in 1956, but being officially appointed in 1960. He coached Geelong to the VFL premiership in 1963 defeating Hawthorn.
Post-playing career
During his career, Davis was a popular character off the field, with his much-imitated flamboyant voice - in particular the phrase "fair dinkum unbelievable", which was imitated during a 2006 segment of Street Talk on The Footy Show by Sam Newman. He appeared on many television shows, in the late 1990s appearing on Sportsworld's Footy Panel with Rex Hunt.