Rupert James Betheras (born 23 November 1975) is a former Australian rules footballer and a contemporary artist, whose practice has largely been painting-based and also involved installation and sculpture.
He began the season fortunate to make the squad, but ended it as captain and the Best and Fairest winner in the reserves, prompting the club to use the 75th selection of the 1998 National Draft on the ex-surfer.
Betheras made an immediate impact in his first season, making his debut against the West Coast Eagles in the second last game played at Victoria Park in round three.
It was here that Betheras showed his mettle, rebounding to regain selection in the round ten loss to Sydney at the SCG, famous for being the afternoon on which Swans spearhead Tony Lockett booted the 1300th goal of his career, breaking former Magpie Gordon Coventry's record of 1299.
Although the majority of his teammates were swamped by the home team's onslaught, Betheras was unperturbed, hitting the Swans with everything, tackling with vigour and displaying his future trademark endeavor.
Despite his lack of size, Betheras proved himself an excellent mark and more than useful by hand or by foot, and was Nathan Buckley's right-hand man for much of the season underneath the packs.
The 'higher states of consciousness and physical application needed to perform at the highest levels of sport' are, Betheras asserts, also manifest in his artistic process as a painter.
[7] Betheras is represented in the group exhibition Leather Poisoning: Football Possessions, Counihan Gallery, Melbourne, March/April 2017; curated by Victor Griss.