DOB: 28 June 1879
Died: 2 March 1953
Debut: Round 1, 1900 against St. Kilda at Junction Oval
Last Game: Round 17, 1908 against Collingwood at MCG
From: Brighton/St. Kilda
Honours:
Premiership Player - 1900
Victorian state player - 1901, 1904
Games: 109 (110 total)
Goals: 12
Career Statistics
| Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
| 45 | 1 | 63 | 41.28 |
The younger brother of Hugh Purse played one game with St. Kilda in 1898 before being cleared to the Fuschias in 1900. He had been forced to sit out all of 1899 to qualify to change clubs.
Immediately recognised as one of his side's best defenders he was centre-half back of the shock premiership victory. The only game he missed that year had been when he had decided that he needed a holiday and took a week in the country.
Served as vice-captain in 1905. He retired in mid-1906, before returning in 1908.
| Year | Games | Goals | |
| 1900 | 18 | 0 | |
| 1901 | 16 | 2 | |
| 1902 | 18 | 2 | |
| 1903 | 13 | 1 | |
| 1904 | 15 | 0 | |
| 1905 | 13 | 1 | |
| 1906 | 7 | 6 | |
| 1908 | 9 | 0 | |
Media
Leader - 28/04/1900
Prahran Telegraph - 13/05/1905
Herald - 15/06/1906