Roy Harper (footballer)

Roy Harper
Personal information
Full name Roy James Harper
Date of birth (1929-03-29)29 March 1929
Date of death 15 August 2023(2023-08-15) (aged 94)
Original team(s) Sandringham
Height 183 cm (6 ft 0 in)
Weight 86 kg (190 lb)
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1949–51 Sandringham (VFA)
1952–55 Footscray 40 (26)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1955.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Roy James Harper (29 March 1929 – 15 August 2023) was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League (VFL).[1]

A centreman and half forward from Hampton, Harper started his senior career with Sandringham in the Victorian Football Association in 1949, and built a strong reputation as he won the Sandringham best and fairest in each of 1949 and 1951.[2] He was cleared to Footscray in the VFL in 1952; he played 34 games in his first two seasons with Footscray, but only six games in from 1954 to mid-1955. He was cleared back to Sandringham in mid-1955, and played there again until 1957.[3]

Harper's brother Bruce Harper was also an Australian rules footballer, who kicked 534 goals in 155 games for Sandringham and was a two-time VFA leading goalkicker.[4]

  1. ^ Holmesby, Russell; Main, Jim (2014). The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: every AFL/VFL player since 1897 (10th ed.). Seaford, Victoria: BAS Publishing. p. 366. ISBN 978-1-921496-32-5.
  2. ^ Marc Fiddian (11 May 1980), "Zebra star recalled", VFA Recorder, Blackburn, VIC: Hall's Sporting Publicity, p. 5
  3. ^ Dave Andersen (2 July 1955). "Sandringham has eyes on 'four'". The Argus. p. 34.
  4. ^ "Bruce Harper". AustralianFootball.com. Retrieved 28 March 2020.