1940's
Season by Season Summaries
|
Year |
President |
Treasurer |
Secretary |
Assistant Secretary |
|
1940 |
Fred Harsley |
C.B. Ferguson |
Jim McConville |
Albert Wilkins |
|
1941 |
Percy Masters |
Albert Wilkins |
Jim McConville |
Jack Lee |
|
1942 |
Bill Dooley snr |
Albert Wilkins |
Jim McConville |
Jack Lee |
|
1943 |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
|
1944 |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
|
1945 |
Bill Dooley snr |
Jim McConville |
Larry Floyd |
Tom Hernan |
|
1946 |
Bill Dooley snr |
Jim McConville |
Larry Floyd |
Harry Black |
|
1947 |
Alf Urban |
Jim McConville |
Harry Black |
Tom Hernan |
|
1948 |
Alf Urban |
Jim McConville |
Larry Floyd |
George Abberton |
|
1949 |
Alf Urban |
Jim McConville |
Larry Floyd |
George Abberton |
|
Year |
Coach |
Captain |
Vice-Captain |
Leading Goalkicker |
|
1940 |
Gordon Ogden |
Gordon Ogden |
Harry Vallence |
Harry Vallence (111) |
|
1941 |
Gordon Ogden |
Gordon Ogden/Des Fothergill |
Des Fothergill |
Harry Vallence (93) |
|
1942 |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
|
1943 |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
|
1944 |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
|
1945 |
Maurie Hearn |
Maurie Hearn |
Eric Glass |
Ron Todd (188) |
|
1946 |
Allan Williams |
Allan Williams |
Ron Todd |
Ron Todd (114) |
|
1947 |
Allan Williams |
Allan Williams |
Ron Todd |
Ron Todd (82) |
|
1948 |
Gordon Ogden |
Ron Todd |
Lou Salvas |
Mal MacPherson (59) |
|
1949 |
Gordon Ogden |
Ron Todd |
Colin Wilcox |
Ron Todd (95) |
|
Year |
Best & Fairest |
Best & Fairest Runner Up |
Best First-Year Player |
Most Consistent Player |
Most Improved Player |
|
1940 |
Norm Chisholm |
Colin Wilcox |
Ted Ryan |
Eric Glass |
Reg Thomas |
|
1941 |
Des Fothergill |
Colin Wilcox |
Andy Taylor | Eric Glass | Cliff Johnson |
|
1942 |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess | World War II Recess | World War II Recess |
|
1943 |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess | World War II Recess | World War II Recess |
|
1944 |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess | World War II Recess | World War II Recess |
|
1945 |
Fred Matthews |
Colin Wilcox |
Reg Harley Geoff Spring |
Norm Chisholm | Bruce Chapman |
|
1946 |
Reg Harley |
Fred Matthews |
Harold Peacock | Dick Harris | Ian Stewart |
|
1947 |
Reg Harley |
Doug Dowling |
Henry Taylor | Colin Wilcox | Murray McRae |
|
1948 |
Colin Wilcox |
Allan Williams |
Johnny Walker | Mal MacPherson | Murray McRae |
|
1949 |
Reg Featherby |
Alf Sampson |
John Molyneux | Jack Danckert | Keith Abberton |
|
Year |
Seconds Coach |
Seconds
President |
Seconds
Treasurer |
Seconds Secretary |
Seconds Asst. Secretary |
|
1940 |
Norm McDonald |
|
|
||
|
1941 |
Jim Quinn | Percy Masters |
Gordon Drew |
|
|
|
1942 |
World War II Recess | World War II Recess | World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
|
1943 |
World War II Recess | World War II Recess | World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
World War II Recess |
|
1944 |
Gordon Ogden | Peter McIntyre | Dave Palmer |
Gordon Drew |
|
|
1945 |
Jim Quinn | Claude Tomkins | Dave Palmer | Gordon Drew |
Jack Smith |
|
1946 |
Eric Glass | Claude Tomkins | Dave Palmer | Gordon Drew |
Jack Smith |
|
1947 |
Jack Vinall | Claude Tomkins | Dave Palmer | Gordon Drew |
Jack Smith |
|
1948 |
Jack Vinall | Claude Tomkins | Dave Palmer | Gordon Drew |
|
|
1949 |
Jack Vinall | Claude Tomkins | Dave Palmer | Gordon Drew |
|
|
Year |
Seconds Best and Fairest winner |
|
1940 |
Ron Lowe/Andy Taylor |
|
1941 |
Tom New |
|
1942 |
World War II Recess |
|
1943 |
World War II Recess |
|
1944 |
Bill Evans |
|
1945 |
Reg Featherby/Len Reid |
|
1946 |
Les Goding |
|
1947 |
Stan Kellett |
|
1948 |
Leo Tweedly |
|
1949 |
John Leonard |
Competition Award Winners
1940 - Harry Vallence runner-up VFA goalkicking 111 goals
1940 - Ron Todd third place VFA goalkicking 99 goals
1941 - Des Fothergill Recorder Cup & VFA Medal
1945 - Ron Todd VFA leading goalkicker & Australian goalkicking record 188 goals
1946 - Ron Todd VFA leading goalkicker 114 goals
Sporting Globe, April 3 1940.
Sporting Globe, April 20 1940.
Ron Todd's first game for Williamstown at Yarraville, round 1 1940, before a crowd of 18,000. Todd kicked four goals from centre half-forward while Harry 'Soapy' Vallence kicked 15 from full-forward in a 148-point victory.
Sporting Globe, April 20 1940
The Age, June 3 1940 - 25yo Bobby Willett had been selected for his first game of the year in the round 7 clash at Sandringham but was sadly electrocuted on the morning of the match.
Bobby Willett joined the Club in 1936 from the Essendon District League and played in 17 of the 18 home-and-away games in his debut season and was awarded the most unselfish player trophy. He would go on to play a total of 61 games and kick 8 goals up until the end of 1939, and was 19th man in the premiership team in his final season. Tragically, he was selected to play his first senior game in 1940 in the round 7 match at Sandringham but was electrocuted on the morning of the match and passed away at the age of 25. He was an SEC linesman and touched some live wires in a street in North Essendon. He left behind a widow and three children.
The 1940 Williamstown team, pictured before the second semi-final at Toorak Park against Port Melbourne, which was lost 24.14.158 to 13.14.92.
Back row: (from left) Arthur Cutting, Ron Todd, Bill Spokes, Ted Ryan, Colin Wilcox, Jack McDonagh, Matt Cave, Hec Neill
Middle row: (from left) Jack Paterson, Eddie Deller, Norm Chisholm, Doug Menzies, Harry Vallence, George Fitch, Eric Glass
Front row: (from left) Cliff Johnson, Reg Thomas, Stan Jamieson
The Age, March 11, 1941
Ron Todd's best friend and Northcote Cricket Club teammate, 20yo Des Fothergill, joined Williamstown without a clearance in 1941 after being joint winner of the Brownlow Medal with South Melbourne's Herbie Matthews the previous season and winning Collingwood's best and fairest 3 times. His first Copeland Trophy was won at the age of 17, making him the youngest-ever recipient. This was the third year running that the Club recruited a high profile VFL player, after luring Harry Vallence from Carlton in 1939 and Todd in 1940.
Des Fothergill of Collingwoood joined his best friend and cricketing teammate, Ron Todd, at Williamstown for the 1941 season. Fothergill was made vice-captain and led the team for much of the year due to captain-coach Gordon Ogden missing half the season through illness, injuries and business reasons. Fothergill had a brilliant season, winning the Recorder Cup and the VFA Medal as well as the Club best and fairest from Colin Wilcox. He also kicked 78 goals.
Sporting Globe, May 31 1941
Sporting Globe, September 17 1941.
Williamstown Chronicle, October 10, 1941.
Williamstown Seconds 1941 premiership team - captain-coach Jim Quinn fourth player from right in the middle row, Stan Jamieson third player from right in the middle row, Dave Harris third player from the right in the back row, John 'Mick' Ryan second player from the left front row.
The Herald, May 13, 1943.
The Argus, December 6 1944
The Seagull emblem was officially adopted by the Club in 1944, after borrowing the idea from the Williamstown Athletic Club.
Ron Todd's post-war contract, signed March 19 1945, for the sum of 5 pounds per match.
The 1945 Williamstown grand final squad v. Port Melbourne at St Kilda's Junction Oval on Saturday, October 6, crowd 40,000 - 42,000.
Ron Todd booted 188 goals in the premiership year of 1945 to set a new Australian record.
The Age, October 8 1945
Both Germany and Japan had surrendered during the season thus making Williamstown's pennant truly a 'Victory Premiership'.
Williamstown senior team 1946, pictured before the round 4 match at Preston, which Williamstown won by 10 points, 15.10.100 to 12.18.90 (Todd 8 goals, Williams best player)
Back row: George Archibald, Reg 'Dodger' Ryan, Hugh McPherson, Lou Salvas, Colin Wilcox, Andy Taylor, Bruce Chapman, Jim Ronald
Centre row: Reg Featherby, Geoff Spring, Fred 'Snowy' Matthews, Alan Williams (captain-coach), Ron Todd (vice-captain), Bill 'Bomber' Wells, Stan 'Nuggett' Jamieson
Front row: Mal Macpherson, Reg Harley, Jack Henry, Dick 'Hungry' Harris
The 1948 team at Williamstown before the round 1 match against Yarraville with captain Ron Todd at the front, followed by vice-captain Lou Salvas, Theo Greenland, Alf Sampson, Colin Wilcox, Murray McRae, Harold Peacock, Alan Williams, Bruce Chapman, Reg Featherby, Jack Danckert, Mal MacPherson, Gordon Williams, Henry Taylor, Gordon Cameron, Danny Knott, Les Gardner and Doug Dowling. 19th man Joe Lyon is not shown. The Seagulls won by 56 points, 18.24.132 to 10.16.76, with Todd kicking 10 goals and Alan Williams best player.
Argus, October 11, 1948
Williamstown Chronicle, October 15, 1948
Back row: Dave Palmer (treasurer), V. Mathews, F. Lange, J. Smith, Sid Gething, K. Rae, G. Croft, Harry Dyson, Bill Lambert, J. Tyrrell
Second back row: G. Mallett, Leo Tweedley, Bill Turnbull, Keith Reitman, Fred Bishop, Norm Bernard, Keith Abberton, Ron Reitman, E. Neenan, M. Grant
Second front row: Fred Bell, K. Ingles, Keith Smith, Jimmy McKnight (vice-captain), Gordon Drew (secretary), Jack Vinall (captain-coach), Claude Tomkins (president), Kevin Maloney, W. Paton, W. Allibon, J. McPherson
Front row: Doug Howard, Les Goding, D. Youens, Arthur Vernon, Henry Taylor, Bill Comben, Mick Keating
Insets: from left, Stan Kellett, A. Warton, P. Allibon, Joe Lyon
Ron Todd flies for a mark in the 1949 second semi-final v. Oakleigh while Lou Salvas #2 looks on.
Williamstown's Norm Bernard attempts a spectacular mark during the grand final.
1949 premiership squad
Back row: Alan Strang*, John Leonard, Theo Greenland*, Bruce Chapman, Gordon 'Kisser' Cameron*, Jack Danckert*, Max Hughes
Third row: Bill Redmond, Keith Abberton*, Norm Bernard*, Fred Bishop, Murray McRae*, Lou Salvas*, Alf Sampson*, Gordon Williams*
Second row: Lou Barker*, Reg Featherby*, Colin Wilcox (Vice-Captain)*, Ron Todd (Captain)*, Bill 'Bomber' Wells*, Johnny Walker*
Front row: Bill Sheahan*, Mal MacPherson*, John Molyneux*, Fred 'Snowy' Matthews*, Kevin Taylor
* Played in the Grand Final v. Oakleigh at St Kilda Cricket Ground, Saturday 1 October, 1949. Scores: Williamstown 10.5.65 to Oakleigh 8.14.62
The 1949 premiership flag, pictured here in 2021.
Ron Todd pictured in front of the grandstand at Williamstown before a game during the 1940's.