Australian Football

Along with brother Roy, a centreman and utility player, full forward Bruce Harper was a key player for Sandringham during what was a predominantly inauspicious era for the club, the late 1940s and early '50s. Recruited from Hampton Rovers in 1947, Harper topped the Zebras' goal-kicking list on six consecutive occasions, and was the first Sandringham player to 'top the ton'. He was the VFA's leading goal-kicker in 1950 (jointly with Williamstown's Johnny Walker, 71 goals apiece) and 1951, with 104 goals.

Late in the 1955 season, after 155 VFA games during which he kicked 534 goals, Bruce Harper suddenly became seriously ill, and shortly afterwards died, aged just twenty-eight.

Author - John Devaney