Bruce Thomas Carter

Bruce Carter was the outstanding football personality of his day in Tasmania. He made a life study of the Australian code and no one could pick out a weakness, nor make quicker decisions to remedy it. Carter was a great skipper, a brilliant player, and anything he asked of his men he could always do himself.

Carter began playing football in 1903, with Second City. In 1904 he joined North Launceston, and from then to 1914 he had a remarkable football career. In the four years he played with North Launceston, the Robins won three successive premierships 1904, 1905 and 1906 with Carter as vice-captain and coach.

In 1908 Carter went to the North-West Coast, where he captained and coached the famous Mersey Club to one of its many premierships. It was during this season that he was selected to play for Tasmania in the interstate carnival, and was appointed captain and coach of the state team. Carter played outstanding football during the carnival and won the Bibby trophy for the best Tasmanian player.

In 1909 he went South and joined Cananore. With Carter as vice-captain and coach, Cananore won three successive State premierships: 1909, 1910 and 1911. Returning to Launceston in 1912, Carter again led North Launceston to a premiership. Cananore gained yet another T.F.L. and State premiership in 1913, with Carter at the helm. Carter believed in getting out at his top, and retired in 1915.

Carter had a remarkable record as coach. In the fourteen years of his career he took no fewer than ten teams to premiership honours.