Bert Renfrey
St Kilda
AFL career
15 games0 goals
- Debut
- R1 1907 v CAR27 Apr 1907
- Most recent
- SF 1907 v CAR14 Sept 1907
Stats
Bio
A true pioneer of the "running defender" role, Bert Renfrey was a powerful, journeyman athlete whose single season at St Kilda was a brief but memorable chapter in a transcontinental career. Originally from Adelaide, Renfrey built a reputation as a footballing nomad, winning premierships in Broken Hill and with West Perth before arriving at the Junction Oval in 1907. Standing 185cm—a giant for the era—he combined significant size with elite speed, having twice finished runner-up in the prestigious Stawell Gift. Renfrey used this athleticism to terrorise opposition forwards, famously tucking the ball under his arm and dashing from half-back deep into attack. His lone VFL campaign was historically significant, as he played a key role in helping St Kilda reach its first-ever final, a semi-final loss to Carlton, before he returned to South Australia to captain-coach Sturt.
Profile
- Full name
- Bert Bert Renfrey
- Born
- 05 May 1879
- Died
- 29 Apr 1940 (aged 60y 360d)
- Birthplace
- Adelaide, SA
- Deathplace
- Dulwich, SA
- Height
- 185 cm
- Weight
- 86 kg
Teams
Bio
1 revisionA true pioneer of the "running defender" role, Bert Renfrey was a powerful, journeyman athlete whose single season at St Kilda was a brief but memorable chapter in a transcontinental career. Originally from Adelaide, Renfrey built a reputation as a footballing nomad, winning premierships in Broken Hill and with West Perth before arriving at the Junction Oval in 1907. Standing 185cm—a giant for the era—he combined significant size with elite speed, having twice finished runner-up in the prestigious Stawell Gift. Renfrey used this athleticism to terrorise opposition forwards, famously tucking the ball under his arm and dashing from half-back deep into attack. His lone VFL campaign was historically significant, as he played a key role in helping St Kilda reach its first-ever final, a semi-final loss to Carlton, before he returned to South Australia to captain-coach Sturt.