Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Robert John Harley

Known as
Reg Harley

Born
19 April 1925

Died
1 February 2014 (aged 88)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 22y 364d
Last game: 27y 21d

Height and weight
Height: 170 cm
Weight: 76 kg

Senior clubs
Williamstown; South Melbourne

Jumper numbers
South Melbourne: 14

Family links
Gary Harley (Son)

Reg Harley

Advanced stats
ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
WilliamstownVFA1945-1947, 1953-1955117190.16—————
South MelbourneV/AFL1948-195261120.2036%———9
Total1945-1955178310.17—————

AFL: 5,761st player to appear, 3,759th most games played, 4,658th most goals kickedSouth Melbourne: 679th player to appear, 266th most games played, 434th most goals kicked

Reg Harley began his senior career with Williamstown and was in a back pocket in that club's 1945 VFA Grand Final win over Port Melbourne. After 68 consecutive games for the Seagulls he moved to South Melbourne in 1948 where he added 61 VFL games over the ensuing five seasons. Powerfully built, Harley took no prisoners and was regarded as one of the toughest defenders around. He kicked and marked well. Harley returned to Williamstown in 1953 and was part of the Seagulls' 1954 premiership team. 

In 2003, Reg Harley was selected on the interchange bench in Williamstown's official 'Team of the Twentieth Century'.

Author - John Devaney, with updates by Andrew Gigacz

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications, Williamstown Football Club

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.