AFL PLAYERS
Most of the below footballers are Bentleigh Federal League players. The Federal was one of the stronger leagues in Melbourne until its demise in the early 1980s, we have a link to them through our colours and ground which you can learn more about here. Although they were an entirely separate club to the current Bentleigh we believe it is important to note the local boys who made good, as long as it is specified that it was a separate entity.
The Bentleigh Methodists of that era played in a church comp that was of a lower standing than the Federal League.
Looking further into the below athletes you will also see references to the Bentleigh McKinnon Youth Centre. That comp fielded teams up to under-15s. It contained teams such as St Peters, St Pauls and McKinnon. Bentleigh was part of that, then divided into Bentleigh Tigers and Bentleigh Bulldogs. The Tigers and Bulldogs later re-combined and became Bentleigh Juniors which is the basis of today’s junior club. You can learn more about the history of our junior club here.
Ern O'Rourke
Melbourne & North Melbourne
Melbourne 1945-48, 39 games, 46 goals.
North Melbourne 1949, 9 games, 6 goals.
Ex Bentleigh (Federal)
Ernie O'Rourke (born 8 April 1926) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne and North Melbourne in the Victorian Football League (VFL)
Maurie Bartlett
Melbourne FC
1964 and 1966, 7 games, 6 goals. Ex Bentleigh (Federal)
Bartlett dominated the Federal League under-17 competition in 1963, kicking more than a hundred goals and once registering 27 in a match. Not surprisingly he won the best and fairest in the league that year and was subsequently recruited by the Demons.
Gregory Parke
Melbourne, Footscray & Fitzroy Melbourne 1968-73, 119 games, 169 goals.
Footscray 1974-75, 37 games, 56 goals.
Fitzroy 1977, 15 games, 17 goals. Ex Bentleigh (Federal)
Parke made his VFL debut in 1968 with Melbourne and finished the season with more Brownlow Medal votes than any other Melbourne player.
John Fidge
Melbourne & Brisbane
Melbourne 1984-86, 32 games, 54 goals.
Brisbane 1987-89, 27 games, 38 goals.
Ex Bentleigh (Federal)
Fidge made his VFL debut as a 17-year-old centre half forward in 1984, starring with four goals and 23 disposals in a loss to Essendon. He finished his first season with 27 goals from 12 appearances, missing games mid year with a knee injury.
