George Bruce (footballer)

George Bruce (5 August 1879 – 5 June 1928) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the Victorian Football League (VFL) during the 1900s.

George Bruce
Bruce during his Carlton career
Personal information
Date of birth 5 August 1879
Place of birth Adelaide, South Australia
Date of death 6 June 1928(1928-06-06) (aged 48)
Place of death Carlton, Victoria
Original team(s) West Adelaide (SAFL)
Debut Round 5, 1903, Carlton
vs. South Melbourne, at Lake Oval
Height 174 cm (5 ft 9 in)
Weight 74 kg (163 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1898–1902 West Adelaide (SAFL) 43 (1)
1903–1913 Carlton (VFL) 181 (30)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
1900-1902 South Australia
1905, 1908 Victoria
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1913.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Family

The son of George Bruce and Annie Bruce, he was born on 5 August 1879. Bruce's older brothers, Jim and Percy, also played for West Adelaide.[1] Married to Grace Bennett Bruce (1881-1945), née Murie,[2] he had three children, Grace, George and Donald. He died on 5 June 1928.[3]

Football

Bruce was a wingman and was cleared to Carlton from South Australian Football League club West Adelaide in 1903.[4]

He was a member of three successive premiership sides from 1906 to 1908, the last of which came in a year when he represented Victoria in 1905 and at the 1908 Jubilee Carnival.

George Bruce, of Carlton, was the first player to introduce the tricky dodge of bending down, touching the ball on the ground, and then shooting past the man playing against him.
Many have imitated him, but none has equalled him in this move. (The Herald, 1 August 1913)[5]

See also

References

Sources

  • Atkinson, G. (1982) Everything you ever wanted to know about Australian rules football but couldn't be bothered asking, The Five Mile Press: Melbourne. ISBN 0 86788 009 0.
  • George Bruce's playing statistics from AFL Tables
  • Boyles Football Photos: George Bruce.


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