Harry Brereton

Who was Harry Brereton?

Harry Brereton was an Australian rules footballer who played with Melbourne and South Melbourne in the Victorian Football League. Originally recruited from Port Melbourne, Brereton made a startling entry into VFL football in 1909. After a slow start, he kicked nine goals against Geelong in only his seventh match. This was the most goals kicked by a player in a match since Jim McShane kicked 11 against St Kilda in 1899, and Brereton continued to top Melbourne's goalkicking for the year with 34 goals.

After a disappointing 1910, Brereton, who was one of the most accurate kicks in the VFL at the time with the long-obsolete place kick, rebounded solidly in 1911 to kick 46 goals and be second in the goalkicking behind Vin Gardiner. He kicked five of his team's six goals on the coldest-ever match day of 7.1 °C in the twelfth round against eventual premier Essendon. The following year, he did even better, heading the VFL goalkicking with fifty-six goals, but he did not play at all in 1913 and 1914.

1915, however saw him return to the Redlegs and with Roy Park provide a potent forward line that lifted Melbourne into the finals for the first time since 1902.