BIO

On average, only four better

Bruce Schultz kicked 5.4 goals a game for Norwood. That average is the fifth highest in the history of senior mainland Australian football, and ahead of Lockett, Dunstall and Ablett. In 124 games Bruce kicked 669 goals, with his 100th goal for the 1941 season coming as early as round 13. It was to be his last. Minutes later, a knee injury put paid to Bruce’s league career in only its ninth year.

But what a career it had been for Norwood’s greatest goalscorer. Despite playing in the shadow of the North Adelaide legend Ken Farmer, who heads the all-time list with 6.3 goals a game, Bruce shone through in his own right. While that 100 goals in ‘41 was his only century year and the first by a Norwood player, Bruce consistently kicked large double-figure season tallies in tandem with rover Ron Brown.

In the footy language of the day, Bruce was a supreme aerialist. He also went on with it, kicking 10 or more goals in a match 12 times, with a best of 19 and two “posters” the week before his football demise. If there was any satisfaction in his fateful final year, Norwood went top and, despite his early finish, Bruce won the SANFL goalkicking for the only time - at around 8.5 goals a game.

Further honours: SANFL leading goalkicker 1941, 100 goals in a season:  1941