It can never be definitively argued that any particular person was "the first VFL footballer killed in the First World War" due to at least six former VFL footballers being killed during the chaos of the landing at Anzac Cove on Sunday, 25 April 1915 – Lieutenant Joseph Rupert "Rupert" Balfe (University), Private Joseph Alan "Alan" Cordner (Geelong and Collingwood), Private Claude Terrell Crowl (St Kilda), Private Charles "Charlie" Fincher (South Melbourne), Private Fenley John "Fen" McDonald (Carlton and Melbourne), and Corporal Arthur Mueller "Joe" Pearce (Melbourne).