[2][3] Kruse senior was appointed coach of New South Wales club Leeton in 1957 and his son was born the following year.
[2] In 1978, Kruse kicked 52 goals for Leeton,[4] playing mainly from centre half forward and finished third in the league medal, the Gammage Medal, on 16 votes.
[5] He played in their 1978 premiership when Leeton defeated Turvey Park in the SWDFL grand final.
[6] A thigh injury in 1985 kept him out of the league team for much of the year and he played only three games.
[2][6] It would be Kruse's final season with the Swans, he then spent four years with Glenelg from 1986 to 1989, after moving to South Australia for business reasons.