Bert Johnson (Australian footballer) facts for kids

Bertram Harold "Bert" Johnson (born 8 June 1939) is a former Australian rules football star. He played for West Adelaide in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL). Later, he joined North Melbourne in the VFL.

Bert Johnson's Football Journey

Bert Johnson is an Indigenous Australian from the Nepabunna Mission. This mission is in rural South Australia. People called him one of the most exciting players of his time. He mostly played as a wingman. He was also good as a centreman.

Starting with West Adelaide

After coming to Adelaide, Bert had a trial with West Adelaide. Player Doug Thomas helped him. Bert made his SANFL debut in 1957. In 1961, he played on the wing in the Grand Final. His team, West Adelaide, won the championship. Bert was the first Indigenous footballer to win a SANFL premiership. In 1964, he played for South Australia in interstate games.

Moving to North Melbourne

Bert moved to North Melbourne for the 1965 VFL season. He was ready just in time for the first game. The Age newspaper said he had a "brilliant debut." He was rated North Melbourne's best player in that game. Bert quickly became a fan favorite. He played 16 games for North Melbourne in 1965. He won the club's award for best first-year player. Channel 9 also named him VFL Recruit of the Year.

Challenges and Later Career

In the 1966 VFL season, Bert faced some challenges. He was left out of the team for a few games. This happened after he spoke to the media about being unhappy. He later returned to play 10 games that season.

Bert played only two senior games in the 1967 season. However, he was one of North Melbourne's top players. They won the 1967 reserves grand final against Richmond. He played three more VFL games in 1968. After that, he finished his career in the Victorian Football Association. He played for Williamstown and then Dandenong.