Bruce Bentley, son of the renowned 1945 and ’47 Carlton Premiership Coach and Vice-President Perc, and himself a one-game senior player for the club, has died after a short illness at the age of 81.
Bruce, whose Carlton connection can be sourced to his childhood years when he served as the resident mascot in the teams his father coached through the early 1950s, fittingly completed his one and only senior appearance in dark Navy at Princes Park in Round 9, 1964 against Richmond – the club for whom Perc served with distinction as a ruckman in 263 games between 1925 and 1940 - including the 1932 and ’35 Grand Final victories as Captain and Captain-Coach respectively.
In March 1941, in the wake of a pay dispute at Punt Road, Perc parted company with Richmond, never to return. He was subsequently appointed Carlton Senior Coach, and so began a distinguished 15-season career in which he commandeered his teams in 281 matches for 167 wins, 110 losses and four draws through to 1955.
Perc remains Carlton’s longest-serving Senior Coach, and beyond his coaching years one of its longest-serving directors, having also officiated as Vice-President for a 26-year period until his death in office in 1982. Of Perc it could be safely said that none were more Blue than the Tiger of old.
Perc would have proudly watched on from the grandstand as his son followed the then captain Sergio Silvagni down the race and onto Princes Park for his one and only senior appearance in ’64 – as indeed did Melbourne’s Carlton-supporting Lord Mayor Sir Leo Curtis, who would entertain The Beatles the following day on their arrival at the Melbourne Town Hall.
At 19 years, 278 days, Bruce was part of the youngest Carlton team ever to take the field; its players averaging 22 years 15 days of age in that contest. Named 19th man, he first shared the pine with Greg Hardie on a day in which Richmond’s Fred Swift, in grabbing hold of one of the behind posts to halt his momentum, somehow managed to uproot the upright – prompting a Carlton trainer to support the pole on its return to its proper position for the duration of the match.
In the end, Bruce got to sing the theme song with his teammates; the Blues having emerged three-point victors in a typically hard-fought Richmond contest.
When Perc was inducted into the Carlton Hall of Fame in 2023, Bruce was on hand to accept the award on his late father’s behalf. In a memorable acceptance speech, he recounted the days of yore when Perc was the Coach, Ken Hands the Captain.
“I was born in 1944 when Dad was at Carlton, and he was Carlton to the end. He was always there, I was always there with him, and I can always thank him for that,” Bruce said.
Bruce was a boy of seven when this team photo was taken at Princes Park just prior to the Round 6 match with St Kilda on Saturday, May 31, 1952. He is pictured standing proudly amongst his heroes – the likes of Ern Henfry, Ken Hands and Arthur Hodgson – and forever treasured such moments.
“I followed Dad to Carlton from the time I started as a mascot [and] it was a hell of a good gig. I remember sitting in the old tin shed near the race, then going out to Ken Hands to give him the coin to toss,” Bruce said.
“If Dad needed anything he’d put two fingers to his mouth and blow like bloody hell. He’d whistle from the wing and when he did everyone knew Perc needed something.”
In closing his acceptance speech, Bruce thanked the Carlton Football Club for so honouring his father with induction into the Hall – “and I’d also like to thank the Richmond Football Club for not giving him the ten bob to stay . . . ”
Bruce Edward Bentley was the 765th player to represent the Carlton Football Club at senior level since the formation of the VFL in 1897.
Bruce died in Warragul Hospital on January 30. He is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years Vivian, son Scott, daughter-in-law Kylie and granddaughter Imogen.
Another son Jason predeceased him.
Scott remembered his father as “a person who was always trying to help someone”.
“He was a good father and husband. He was never a bother,” Scott said.
“Just as he did with Perc, I grew up with Dad at Carlton. As kids my brother and I were regulars on matchdays at the old ground. We could always get into the rooms when Perc was around, there was drinks in the Social Club and then we collected and bagged the empty cans we found around the ground.”
