Australian Football

Harry Lever was an ultra dependable full back whose career tally of 218 VFL games established a St Kilda record which stood for half a century. He actually began his career with Brighton in the amateurs but it was with the Saints that he would achieve virtually everything the game had to offer, bar a premiership. In 1907 he lost a couple of fingers in a buzz saw accident but dealt with the wound himself and lined up for St Kilda as usual that weekend.

Lever's VFL career panned out in three phases: 1905 to 1915, 1918-19 and 1921-22. St Kilda did not field a team in 1916 and 1917 and Lever spent the 1920 season back at Brighton, which by this point in time was a member of the VFA. 

St Kilda were a weak team for most of Lever's career but they did manage to reach a grand final in 1913 when they were captained by Lever. Unfortunately, they lost to Fitzroy.

Regarded as one of the finest kicks in the game, Lever was once credited with a place kick of 72 yards. He typically used either place kicks or drop kicks when kicking off after a behind. He was also rather old fashioned in that he wore a cap whilst playing, a habit which earned him some good natured ribbing. Another career highlight was representing Victoria against South Australia in 1913.

Author - John Devaney