Rupert Balfe
University
AFL career
7 games2 goals
- Debut
- R3 1909 v STK15 May 1909
- Most recent
- R18 1911 v GEE2 Sept 1911
Stats
Bio
A brilliant all-rounder whose potential was cut short by the tragedy of war, Rupert Balfe was a standout athlete long before he pulled on the University guernsey. The son of a Brunswick mayor, he initially made his mark in the VFA with his local club Brunswick, where he famously played on the wing in the 1908 Grand Final alongside his two brothers, suffering a broken arm in a match-turning incident. While studying medicine at Melbourne University, Balfe managed just a handful of VFL games between 1909 and 1911, his footballing output limited by his demanding academic schedule and his concurrent status as a state-level track and field star. His promising life ended at just 25 when, as a lieutenant in the 6th Battalion, he was killed in action during the landing at Gallipoli on Anzac Day 1915, a loss so profound it inspired his close friend and future Prime Minister Robert Menzies to pen a published poem in his honour.
Profile
- Full name
- Joseph Rupert Balfe
- Born
- 09 Mar 1890
- Died
- 25 Apr 1915 (aged 25y 47d)
- Birthplace
- Brunswick, Australia
- Deathplace
- Gallipoli, Turkey
Teams
Bio
1 revisionA brilliant all-rounder whose potential was cut short by the tragedy of war, Rupert Balfe was a standout athlete long before he pulled on the University guernsey. The son of a Brunswick mayor, he initially made his mark in the VFA with his local club Brunswick, where he famously played on the wing in the 1908 Grand Final alongside his two brothers, suffering a broken arm in a match-turning incident. While studying medicine at Melbourne University, Balfe managed just a handful of VFL games between 1909 and 1911, his footballing output limited by his demanding academic schedule and his concurrent status as a state-level track and field star. His promising life ended at just 25 when, as a lieutenant in the 6th Battalion, he was killed in action during the landing at Gallipoli on Anzac Day 1915, a loss so profound it inspired his close friend and future Prime Minister Robert Menzies to pen a published poem in his honour.