‘Big part’ of Cats history gone with Bert Worner

By Noel Murphy
GEELONG’S Cats will don black armbands in honour of former premiership player Bert Worner when they take on Fremantle in Saturday night’s elimination final.
Bert Worner, a speedster halfback flanker who played in Geelong’s immortal 1951 and 1952 premiership teams, died this week at St John of God Hospital, aged 82.
Worner, who played with Geelong from 1951 to 1955, was presented with life membership earlier this year while in hospital.
Cats chief Brian Cook described him as “a dasher’’ and “a big part of our history’’.
“He was a great bloke,” Mr Cook said.
“He was still very active around the club, certainly while I’ve been here the last decade. He attended every quarterly reunion of the ’51-’52 teams.
“He was a strong, steady sort of guy. He was just a really cool sort of dude; strong, settled in his ways and he liked to be among the boys.’’
Worner was recruited to Geelong from Tyntynder, near Swan Hill. He debuted in round eight of 1951.
At 178cm and 78 kg, he played 65 games and kicked 10 goals.
His funeral service will be at Geelong Crematorium 1pm Friday.