Australian Football

Popularly known as ‘Stumpy’ because he was only 170cm in height, Herb Turner had the satisfaction of playing in two Carlton premiership teams over the course of a comparatively brief career. That career commenced in 1944 and by the following season he was a regular senior player. Speedy, tough, brave and boasting good evasive skills, he played mainly either on the wing or as a rover. He was a wingman in the notorious ‘Bloodbath grand final’ of 1945, in which the Blues defeated South Melbourne and no fewer than ten players were reported. Turner’s direct opponent, Frank Whitfield, was one of the prime instigators of the on-field mayhem.

A second premiership followed for Turner two years later, when Essendon provided the opposition, and the laws of the game were somewhat more strictly adhered to than in 1945. Turner started in the forward pocket and shared roving duties with Jack Conley.

The last of Frank Turner’s 86 games in a dark navy blue jumper came in the 1949 grand final, in which Essendon obtained revenge for their loss of two years earlier. Always a danger near goal, he amassed 101 goals over the course of his time with Carlton. He spent the 1950 season with Hawthorn where he added a final 10 games and 10 goals to his respective career tallies.

Author - John Devaney