Australian Football

John Halbert was a copybook footballer who did almost everything with almost exaggerated correctness. A centreman for most of his league career, he was one of few consistently shining lights in an under-performing Double Blues team as well as a key player for South Australia, often on a half forward flank, in 17 interstate games over the better part of a decade.

Halbert made his league debut with Sturt in 1955 and was an immediate success, so much so that he finished runner-up in that year's Magarey Medal to Lindsay Head of West Torrens. Unfortunately for Halbert, coming second was something he would have to get accustomed to; three years later, he was runner-up to Head once more, and in 1960 he was bested by North Adelaide wingman Barrie Barbary. 

Finally, following a stellar 1961 season that had also seen him procure selection in the All Australian team after the Brisbane carnival, Halbert broke through for a richly deserved and extremely popular Medal triumph. The Double Blues themselves had endured a nightmare season, winning just three of their 19 minor round matches to plummet to the wooden spoon, but their extraordinarily gifted centreman was in a class of his own, and was chosen by the umpire as one of the top three players in a game nine times. He finished with a total of 20 votes, two more than Haydn Linke of Glenelg, and five ahead of the pre-count favourite, West Adelaide’s Neil Kerley.

In 1962, Halbert took over from Glyn Williams as Sturt captain, and with the arrival at the club as coach of Jack Oatey, his career was about to enter a whole new phase. Under Oatey, the Blues’ performances gradually improved, with one of the most significant factors in propelling them from also-rans to champions being the coach’s inspired decision, in round fifteen 1964, to transform his star centreman into the focal point of his team’s attack. Somewhat short for a centre half forward at only 179cm, Halbert more than compensated for this with his formidable physical strength and tremendous leaping ability. “Oatey saw something that no one had picked up before,” Halbert later recalled.¹

In 1965, with Halbert firmly installed in his new position, the Blues reached their first Grand Final since 1941, losing by just three points against Port Adelaide. The following year, following the acquisition from West Torrens of star centreman Bob Shearman, Sturt went top, and Halbert’s illustrious footballing portfolio was complete.

The final two seasons of John Halbert’s league career saw him beset by injuries, and although he remained as club skipper he was forced to miss the Grand Finals of those years, both of which Sturt won. Nevertheless, when he retired he had established a new record for the Blues of 244 games played.

Halbert later returned to the SANFL as coach of Glenelg (1979-82) and Sturt (1983-4), but although he was able to steer both clubs as far as the Grand final a total of three times, he was unable to secure the ultimate prize. Halbert's playing achievements received the ultimate acknowledgement when he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2017.

Author - John Devaney