Bernie Jeffrey
South Melbourne
AFL career
4 games7 goals
- Debut
- R13 1956 v COL14 July 1956
- Most recent
- R17 1956 v ESS11 Aug 1956
Stats
Bio
Bernie Jeffrey was a hulking full-forward nicknamed the "Man Mountain" who offered South Melbourne fans a tantalising glimpse of potential during the 1956 season. Standing 193cm and weighing over 100kg—huge for the era—Jeffrey was recruited from the Flinders Naval Base and immediately challenged Bob Pratt Jnr for the key attacking post at the Lake Oval. He made an impressive debut against Collingwood, holding his own against Magpies tough nut Jack Hamilton to boot two goals, but his burgeoning VFL career was famously curtailed by his commitment to the Royal Australian Navy. Despite possessing the contested marking power and accurate boot to be a long-term league footballer, Jeffrey played just four games before active duty called, with his football ambitions ultimately taking a backseat to a distinguished military career that spanned the Korean and Vietnam wars.
Profile
- Born
- 03 Sept 1933
- Died
- 01 Dec 2021 (aged 88y 89d)
- Height
- 191 cm
- Weight
- 96 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionBernie Jeffrey was a hulking full-forward nicknamed the "Man Mountain" who offered South Melbourne fans a tantalising glimpse of potential during the 1956 season. Standing 193cm and weighing over 100kg—huge for the era—Jeffrey was recruited from the Flinders Naval Base and immediately challenged Bob Pratt Jnr for the key attacking post at the Lake Oval. He made an impressive debut against Collingwood, holding his own against Magpies tough nut Jack Hamilton to boot two goals, but his burgeoning VFL career was famously curtailed by his commitment to the Royal Australian Navy. Despite possessing the contested marking power and accurate boot to be a long-term league footballer, Jeffrey played just four games before active duty called, with his football ambitions ultimately taking a backseat to a distinguished military career that spanned the Korean and Vietnam wars.