 The nickname stuck and to many SANFL fans he is only known as "Fred" Phillis rather than by his birth name of Dennis.Phillis is the brother of South Australian rules footballer Wayne "Butch" Phillis, who also played his career at Glenelg, and for many years has run a successful chain of new and used car yards in Adelaide's southern suburbs, primarily "Wayne Phillis Ford" and "Wayne Phillis Kia".Fred Phillis began his senior career with Glenelg in the SANFL in 1966 as a Centre half back under the coaching of Len Fitzgerald.