Gilbert Thomas 'Bert' Thornley (born 3 September 1942) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with Carlton in the VFL.
| Bert Thornley | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Gilbert Thomas Thornley | ||
| Date of birth | (1942-09-03) 3 September 1942 (age 79) | ||
| Original team(s) | East Fremantle (WANFL) | ||
| Debut |
Round 3, 1969, Carlton vs. Footscray, at Whitten Oval | ||
| Height | 178 cm (5 ft 10 in) | ||
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1961–1967 | East Fremantle (WAFL) | 131 (72) | |
| 1969–1970 | Carlton (VFL) | 24 (3) | |
| 1971 | Preston (VFA) | 8 (3) | |
| Total | 163 (78) | ||
| Representative team honours | |||
| Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
| 1966 | Western Australia | ||
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1970. | |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Thornley, a defender who could kick with both feet, was recruited to Carlton from East Fremantle Football Club in the Western Australian Football League,[1] and made his VFL debut during the 1967 season.
Selected as a resting forward-pocket rover, Thornley played in the 1970 VFL Grand Final. He was replaced, at half-time, by eventual match hero Ted Hopkins.[2]
He finished his playing career at Preston Football Club in the Victorian Football Association (VFA) before becoming the coach of Torquay.
Carlton Football Club 1970 VFL premiers | |
|---|---|
Coach: Barassi |
Coaches of the East Fremantle Football Club | |
|---|---|
|
Western Australian squad – 1966 Interstate Carnival | |
|---|---|
Western Australia 26.18 (174) defeated Victoria (VFA) 5.11 (41), at North Hobart Oval, 9 June 1966, crowd: 20,047 Western Australia 13.11 (89) defeated South Australia 10.14 (74), at North Hobart Oval, 13 June 1966, crowd: 13,969 Western Australia 17.13 (115) defeated Tasmania 16.10 (106), at North Hobart Oval, 16 June 1966, crowd: 10,199 Victoria (VFL) 15.10 (100) defeated Western Australia 13.7 (85), at North Hobart Oval, 18 June 1966, crowd: 23,368 | |
Coach: Murray |