Australian Football

Doug Bourne was an exceptionally pacy wingman who also competed as a professional sprinter. He joined St Kilda from Armadale in 1930 but struggled for two and a half seasons to nail down a regular place in the team. His six year stint with the Saints ultimately saw him play 48 VFL games and score two goals. The 1936 season found him lining up for Prahran in the VFA where he enjoyed premiership success a year later as the Two Blues accounted for the grand final challenge of Brunswick by two points. He had actually been coaxed out of retirement late in the season to replace star wingman Dan Murray who had incurred a lengthy suspension. Bourne had spent most of the 1937 season umpiring so there could be few doubts as to his fitness. He ended up producing a superb performance in the grand final, which may have been the difference between the team’s winning and losing. He continued playing until 1941, by which time he had given the Two Blues excellent service in 74 senior appearances in which he kicked nine goals.

Author - John Devaney