Former Carlton centreman Leon Berner, who made his senior debut for the club nearly 70 years ago, has passed away at the age of 88.
Recruited from Melbourne High School, Berner joined Essendon’s Under 17 team at just 13 in 1949. Four years later, he moved to Carlton, playing for the Under 19s under coach and former forward Harvey Dunn. This team, which included future senior players like Brian Buckley and Vic Garra, as well as Olympic and Commonwealth Games high jumper and Dallas Cowboys punter Colin Ridgway, reached the Grand Final in 1954 but narrowly lost to Footscray.
Berner made his senior debut for Carlton under coach Percy Bentley at 19 years old in Round 11 of the 1955 season against Richmond at Punt Road Oval, coinciding with the last games of Keith Warburton and Dave Browning.
Berner’s 18th and final senior game for Carlton was in the 4th Round match of 1957 against Geelong at Princes Park, although he was named as 19th or 20th man five times without getting on the field.
In 1958, Berner joined Coburg in the VFA, coached by former Essendon player Doug Bigelow. He then moved to Deniliquin in the Murray League in 1959, playing in the Grand Final against Cobram. Berner later played for Richmond and Carlton Rovers in the Sunday League, and in 1962, for Vermont under former Carlton teammate Doug Beasy.
In 1964, Berner became captain-coach of Fairfield in the Metropolitan League, but his tenure was cut short by a knee injury in 1966. Five years later, he shared his football expertise with Heatherdale Juniors. Outside of football, Berner worked as Chief Clerk for the Melbourne Harbor Trust.
Berner’s daughter, Joanne Bloomer, remembered him as a loving, caring, and thoughtful man who was deeply loyal to Carlton. “Family was everything and Carlton was everything,” she said. Despite his brief three-season stint as a senior player for Carlton from 1955 to 1957, Berner’s support for the club never wavered, a passion passed down to his children and grandchildren.
Bloomer fondly recalled attending a past players gathering at IKON Park with her father, where he was photographed with his old No. 20 locker, later used by Premiership players and currently by Elijah Hollands.
Berner, who passed away at Rowville Manor after a short illness, is survived by his daughters Julie and Joanne, son-in-law Glen, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. His wife of 65 years, Dawn, died in 2020.
Leon Berner was the 694th player to represent the Carlton Football Club at the senior level since the VFL was formed in 1897.
