Bert Renfrey
Encyclopedia
Ethelbert Luxmore "Bert" Renfrey (5 May 1879–1940) was an Australian rules football
er who played in the South Australian Football Association
, Victorian Football League
and West Australian Football Association
.
Aged just 16 on his SAFA debut, Renfrey played for both North Adelaide and Norwood
over six league seasons. During this time he represented South Australia at inter-colonial football.
Renfrey, a two time Stawell Gift
runner-up, then played with West Broken Hill and was a member of their 1901 and 1903 Broken Hill Football League premiership winning teams.
After a season at Goldfields Football Association
club Boulder City, Renfrey joined West Perth
and participated in their 1905 premiership side. The following year, West Perth made another grand final, but Renfrey missed the game through injury.
In 1907 he competed in his fourth state, playing 15 games for St Kilda. His last game was St Kilda's historic semi final against Carlton
, their first ever final.
He returned to West Broken Hill in 1908 and represented New South Wales in the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival
, held in Melbourne that year. The founder of the Sturt Football Club, Arthur Thomas, met Renfrey at the carnival and convinced him to sign with them for the 1909 season.
Having captained Sturt in his first season, Renfrey was made captain-coach in 1910 and remained in that position for the rest of his time at the club.
Renfrey represented South Australia in a total of 11 interstate matches and captained the 1911 Adelaide Carnival
team. The South Australians finished the carnival unbeaten, defeating the VFL representative side by 43 points.
In the 1913 finals series, Sturt were upset by West Adelaide
and following the game several players accused Renfrey of "playing dead". With five members of the team refusing to play with him again, Renfrey was sacked by the committee. He was reinstated the next evening after a vote of confidence was carried and took part in their next next game, a loss to his former club North Adelaide. Following the match he was involved in a fight with prominent Sturt player Albert Heinrichs and never played for the club again.
He joined South Adelaide
as non playing coach in 1914 and the following year guided them to third position on the ladder. The league went into recess during the war and when it returned in 1919, Renfrey coached for one final season.
Despite the bitter end to his time with Sturt, he was later named on the interchange bench in their official "Team of the Century".
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er who played in the South Australian Football Association
South Australian National Football League
The South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
, Victorian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
and West Australian Football Association
West Australian Football League
The West Australian Football League is an Australian rules football league based in Perth, Western Australia. The WAFL is the second-most popular in the state, behind the nation-wide Australian Football League...
.
Aged just 16 on his SAFA debut, Renfrey played for both North Adelaide and Norwood
Norwood Football Club
Norwood Football Club, nicknamed, Redlegs, is an Australian rules football club belonging to the South Australian National Football League in the state of South Australia...
over six league seasons. During this time he represented South Australia at inter-colonial football.
Renfrey, a two time Stawell Gift
Stawell Gift
The Stawell Gift is Australia's oldest and richest short distance running race. It is run over every Easter weekend by the Stawell Athletic Club, with the main race finals on the holiday Monday, at Central Park, Stawell in the Grampian Mountains district of western Victoria.The race is run on grass...
runner-up, then played with West Broken Hill and was a member of their 1901 and 1903 Broken Hill Football League premiership winning teams.
After a season at Goldfields Football Association
Goldfields Football League
The Goldfields Football League is a regional Australian football league based in the Kalgoorlie region, Western Australia. Originally founded in 1896 as Hannans District Football Association, the league enjoyed a seat and full voting rights on the Australian National Football Council until 1919...
club Boulder City, Renfrey joined West Perth
West Perth Football Club
The West Perth Football Club, nicknamed the Falcons, is an Australian rules football club located in Joondalup, Western Australia, competing in the West Australian Football League . It is the oldest existing Australian rules football club in Western Australia. It competes in the West Australian...
and participated in their 1905 premiership side. The following year, West Perth made another grand final, but Renfrey missed the game through injury.
In 1907 he competed in his fourth state, playing 15 games for St Kilda. His last game was St Kilda's historic semi final against Carlton
Carlton Football Club
The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...
, their first ever final.
He returned to West Broken Hill in 1908 and represented New South Wales in the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival
1908 Melbourne Carnival
The 1908 Melbourne Carnival was the inaugural Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian rules football interstate competition. It was known at the time as the Jubilee Australasian Football Carnival as it commemorated 50 years of Australian rules football.-Teams:The Victorian team was...
, held in Melbourne that year. The founder of the Sturt Football Club, Arthur Thomas, met Renfrey at the carnival and convinced him to sign with them for the 1909 season.
Having captained Sturt in his first season, Renfrey was made captain-coach in 1910 and remained in that position for the rest of his time at the club.
Renfrey represented South Australia in a total of 11 interstate matches and captained the 1911 Adelaide Carnival
1911 Adelaide Carnival
The 1911 Adelaide Carnival was the second edition of the Australian National Football Carnival, an Australian rules football interstate competition...
team. The South Australians finished the carnival unbeaten, defeating the VFL representative side by 43 points.
In the 1913 finals series, Sturt were upset by West Adelaide
West Adelaide Football Club
West Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club in the South Australian National Football League . Commonly known as The Bloods and Westies, the clubs home base is City Mazda Stadium located in Richmond, an inner-western suburb of Adelaide.-Early Years :West Adelaide was formed in...
and following the game several players accused Renfrey of "playing dead". With five members of the team refusing to play with him again, Renfrey was sacked by the committee. He was reinstated the next evening after a vote of confidence was carried and took part in their next next game, a loss to his former club North Adelaide. Following the match he was involved in a fight with prominent Sturt player Albert Heinrichs and never played for the club again.
He joined South Adelaide
South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club competes in the South Australian National Football League . Known as the Panthers, their home ground is Hickinbotham Oval , located in Noarlunga Downs in the southern suburbs of Adelaide....
as non playing coach in 1914 and the following year guided them to third position on the ladder. The league went into recess during the war and when it returned in 1919, Renfrey coached for one final season.
Despite the bitter end to his time with Sturt, he was later named on the interchange bench in their official "Team of the Century".