Bernie Naylor
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Bernie Naylor (19 April 1923 – 26 September 1993) was an Australian rules footballer who was one of the most successful full-forwards in the history of the West Australian Football League. The WAFL now awards the leading goalscorer each year the Bernie Naylor Medal.[1]
Naylor made his debut for South Fremantle in 1941, but the Second World War caused the competition to revert to an underage competition, he didn't play again until he has returned from military service in 1946.[2] In ten seasons and 194 games with South, Naylor kicked 1034 goals, as well as another 45 goals in 16 games for Western Australia.[3] He holds the WAFL records for most goals in a game with 23 goals vs Subiaco in 1953 (including 12 in a quarter) and in a season with 167, also in 1953.[4] He was the leading goalkicker for South Fremantle in all ten seasons that he played at the club, kicking over 100 goals in five seasons.[5] He was only held goalless in a match of 4 occasions.[4]
He won South Fremantle's best and fairest in 1953 and was a member of their premiership teams in 1947, 1948, 1950, 1952, 1953 and 1954. He was the leading goalscoring in the WAFL six times, 1946 to 1948 and 1952 to 1954. He was inducted to the Fremantle Football Hall of Legends in 1996 and the West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004.[6] He was inducted into the WA Hall of Champions in 2005.[7]
