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| John Halbert | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | John Arno Halbert | ||
| Born | (1937-09-05)5 September 1937 (age 88) Hyde Park, South Australia | ||
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (179 cm) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1955–1968 | Sturt | 244 (253) | |
| Representative team honours | |||
| Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
| South Australia | 16 | ||
| Coaching career | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 1979–1982 | Glenelg | 97 (64–31–2) | |
| 1983–1984 | Sturt | 48 (26–22–0) | |
| Total | 145 (90–53–2) | ||
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1984. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Source:AustralianFootball.com | |||
John Arno HalbertMBEAM (born 5 September 1937) is a formerAustralian rules footballer who played for theSturt Football Club in theSouth Australian National Football League (SANFL).
A member of theAustralian Football Hall of Fame, Halbert has had a long involvement in Australian rules football in South Australia, as a player, coach and administrator.[1]Halbert was also a Bradman Medalist in the 1961–62 and1964–65 seasons, denoting the greatest domestic cricketer in the State for that season. He is the only person in history to claim the title of Magarey Medalist and Bradman Medalist.
Halbert was a centreman and first played for Sturt in 1955. In his debut season he finished second in theMagarey Medal count toLindsay Head and in 1958 was again the runner up with Head winning another Medal. He also polled well in 1960 but again finished second, this time losing toBarrie Barbary. The Medal was finally his in 1961, his 20 votes enough to hold off the challengers. Sturt actually finished with the wooden spoon that season but it was a good year for Halbert: as well as winning that elusive Magarey Medal he was also picked in theAll Australian team after his performances for the South Australians atthe Brisbane Carnival. He represented South Australia at interstate football at total of 17 times during his career. In 1962 he was made captain of Sturt and led them to a premiership in 1966, their first flag since 1940. Injuries prevented Halbert from playing in Sturt's 1967 and 1968 premiership sides, and he was forced to retire. He finished with a then club record 251 SANFL games.
In 1979 he became coach ofGlenelg, leading them to the 1981 and 1982 SANFL Grand Finals where they were beaten byPort Adelaide andNorwood respectively. He left The Bay after the '82 Grand Final and replaced the legendary coach of Sturt,Jack Oatey in 1983. Halbert would lead the Double Blues to his third Grand Final appearance in three years but again luck was against him when Sturt were defeated byWest Adelaide. After the Double Blues could win only eight matches in 1984 and finished seventh, Halbert was replaced as coach byMervyn Keane. It was his last senior coaching position in the SANFL, although he became a state selector during the late 80s and through the 90s.
Halbert was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2017.
He also played twofirst-class cricket matches forSouth Australia in the 1961–62 season.