Harry Harker
Encyclopedia
Harry S. Harker was an Australian rules football
er who originally played for the Brunswick Football Club
in the Victorian Football Association
(VFA) and then played for the Melbourne Football Club
in the Victorian Football League
(VFL).
, Harker played with Brunswick in the VFA for eight years, before making the decision to play for the Melbourne in the VFL, the highest level of Australian rules football competition at the time. He debuted for the Demons on round 2 of the 1920 season
against Essendon
, at 32 years of age, making Harker the oldest player to ever debut for the Melbourne Football Club.
In his first three seasons, in 1920, 1921 and 1922, Harker was Melbourne's leading goal kicker, with 23, 47 and 47 goals respectively. In the 1921 season, in round 21, Harker kicked ten goals against Geelong
, in his best performance in the VFL. Melbourne won the match kicking 16 goals in total. Harker still holds the record for the most goals kicked on the Melbourne Cricket Ground
(MCG) in round 18.
The 1923 season was, however, less successful for Harker, playing only six games, losing all of them and kicking just 13 goals. 1924 would be Harker's last season for Melbourne and his last in the VFL. It was a slight improvement on 1923, as he played seven games and kicked 16 goals, but, ultimately, Harker retired at the end of the season, playing his last game at 36 years of age and "regret[ing] that he had not gone to the VFL in the first place".
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 originally played for the Brunswick Football Club
Brunswick Football Club
Brunswick Football Club was an Australian rules football club which played in the VFA from 1897 until 1990. They were originally nicknamed the Pottery Workers before being renamed the Magpies and were based in Brunswick, Victoria. The club wore black and white guernseys...
in the Victorian Football Association
Victorian Football League
The Victorian Football League which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association , taking its new name as from the 1996 season, is the premier Australian rules football league in Victoria The Victorian Football League (VFL) which evolved from the former Victorian Football Association...
(VFA) and then played for the Melbourne Football Club
Melbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
in the 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...
(VFL).
Career
Originally from GippslandGippsland
Gippsland is a large rural region in Victoria, Australia. It begins immediately east of the suburbs of Melbourne and stretches to the New South Wales border, lying between the Great Dividing Range to the north and Bass Strait to the south...
, Harker played with Brunswick in the VFA for eight years, before making the decision to play for the Melbourne in the VFL, the highest level of Australian rules football competition at the time. He debuted for the Demons on round 2 of the 1920 season
1920 VFL season
Results and statistics for the Victorian Football League season of 1920.-Premiership season:In 1920, the VFL competition consisted of nine teams of 18 on-the-field players each, with no "reserves", although any of the 18 players who had left the playing field for any reason could later resume their...
against Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
, at 32 years of age, making Harker the oldest player to ever debut for the Melbourne Football Club.
In his first three seasons, in 1920, 1921 and 1922, Harker was Melbourne's leading goal kicker, with 23, 47 and 47 goals respectively. In the 1921 season, in round 21, Harker kicked ten goals against Geelong
Geelong Football Club
The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed The Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club, named after and based in the city of Geelong, playing in the Australian Football League . The club has been the VFL/AFL premiers nine times, with a record equalling 3 in the AFL era. Geelong has also...
, in his best performance in the VFL. Melbourne won the match kicking 16 goals in total. Harker still holds the record for the most goals kicked on the Melbourne Cricket Ground
Melbourne Cricket Ground
The Melbourne Cricket Ground is an Australian sports stadium located in Yarra Park, Melbourne and is home to the Melbourne Cricket Club. It is the tenth largest stadium in the world, the largest in Australia, the largest stadium for playing cricket, and holds the world record for the highest light...
(MCG) in round 18.
The 1923 season was, however, less successful for Harker, playing only six games, losing all of them and kicking just 13 goals. 1924 would be Harker's last season for Melbourne and his last in the VFL. It was a slight improvement on 1923, as he played seven games and kicked 16 goals, but, ultimately, Harker retired at the end of the season, playing his last game at 36 years of age and "regret[ing] that he had not gone to the VFL in the first place".