1950's
The most successful decade in the Club’s history opened with the controversial appointment of playing captain-coach Adrian Dullard, who replaced the 1949 premiership coach Gordon Ogden, leading to Team of the Century half-back flanker Colin Wilcox immediately leaving the Club. Champion goalkicker Ron Todd had also retired after the previous year’s grand final success, so the team was severely weakened and lost the opening match at home to Brunswick after the unfurling of the flag. Fortunes improved for the team despite the loss of quality players and a bad run with injuries, to finish the season in third place with 13 wins from 19 games, but went down to Brighton in the first-semi final by 38 points to finish the season. The Seconds lost the grand final by a solitary goal in a low-scoring game.
1951 saw the recruitment of future VFL star Bill Gunn along with Club legends Gerry Callahan and Ray Smith but the team had a poor season and finished in seventh position with ten wins, nine losses and a draw, despite a 20-point defeat of eventual premiers, Prahran, in the last home-and-away round. The Seconds made the finals but were eliminated in the first semi, and the Thirds commenced playing in this season, usually appearing as a curtain-raiser to the senior game in place of baseball.
1952 saw the appointment of South Melbourne champion Bill Williams as playing coach, with Adrian Dullard remaining on to play. Bill Gunn crossed to the Swans, while future champions Harry Simpson, Max Munday and Johnny Martin made their debuts. A particularly wet winter made things difficult and the side not only ended out of the top four for the second successive season but was pushed down to tenth position with just eight wins from 20 games, the worse result since 1938. The only highlight of the season was the 103 goals kicked by star full-forward Johnny Walker, including 16 in the last game of the season against Box Hill. The Seconds finished sixth while the Thirds narrowly missed the finals, with Peter Barnes taking out the competition best & fairest award.
1953 saw the recruitment of several players who would go on to become Club greats, including Alby Linton ands Len Kent. The team finished in second place at the end of the home-and-away rounds, but went down to Port in the second-semi by 10 points and to the Gordon Ogden-coached Yarraville in the preliminary by four points. Johnny Walker finished the year stranded on 99 goals. The Seconds made the final four but were bundled out in the first-semi, while the Thirds finished in fifth position.
The appointment of Wally Carter in 1954 to replace Billy Williams would prove the catalyst to a remarkable period in Williamstown’s history, with five premierships being won over the ensuing six seasons. John Ramsay and Reg Fisher bolstered the playing list and Gerry Callahan became captain. 16 victories and only four defeats over the 20 game home-and-away series saw the team finish in second position, before going down to Port by two goals on a wet day in the second-semi. This match was the final appearance of Johnny Walker after 127 games. A comfortable win in the preliminary final against Northcote saw the Seagulls meet Port in the grand final. Led by big-man Harry Simpson, Williamstown were victorious by five goals in front of a crowd of 30,000. The Seconds finished runners-up earlier in the day, while the Thirds finished sixth.
Future Team of the Century back-pocket Eric Beitzel joined the Seagulls in 1955, and sixteen wins from the twenty home-and-away rounds saw the team finish in third position. A 15-point victory in the first-semi against Moorabbin saw the Seagulls take on Preston in the preliminary, which ‘Town were lucky to win by nine points. The grand final against Port looked grim with the old rivals leading by more than seven goals early in the second quarter, which had been reduced to 31 just before three-quarter time. A late goal and several more in the last saw Williamstown hit the front at the 17-minute mark, and they hung on to win by 9 points, with Linton kicking six goals. The Seconds went one better than the previous season and took the flag, while the Thirds headed the ladder but lost the grand final to neighbouring Yarraville.
1956 produced a third successive senior flag, the undefeated Reserves second premiership in a row, Johnny Martin’s Liston Trophy win and Brian Stafford being judged the best player in the Thirds competition. The Seniors lost the second-semi to Port by 14 points before overcoming Box Hill in the preliminary final to again face old foes Port Melbourne in the grand final. With scores level at the 19 minute-mark of the last quarter, the Seagulls added four late goals with the breeze to run out comfortable winners. This meant that Port finished runners-up for the sixth time in seven seasons.
The Senior team was undefeated during the home-and-away rounds of season 1957, which featured night football for the first time. 22 consecutive victories since the 1956 second-semi came to an end at the hands of Moorabbin by two points in the second-semi, followed by a 12-goal defeat by Port in the preliminary to end the season and also the coaching career of Wally Carter after 76 wins, just 15 losses and three premierships. The Seconds were similarly bundled out of the finals in straight sets whilst the Thirds finished seventh.
Gerry Callahan took over as captain-coach for the 1958 season and the team headed the list at the conclusion of the home-and-away fixtures. They again went down to Moorabbin in the second-semi before overcoming Port in the preliminary, denying Port the chance of playing in its ninth consecutive grand final. The following week culminated in the one and only draw in VFA history against Moorabbin before Williamstown triumphed by 32 points in the following week’s replay, bringing the ninth premiership to Pt Gellibrand. The Seconds finished seventh while the Thirds won their first flag under the coaching of 1949 premiership winger Bill Sheahan.
Four-time premiership player and Liston Medallist John Martin departed the Club after 133 games before the 1959 season, which saw the re-introduction of sixteen-a-side football. Seventeen wins saw the side finish on top of the ladder, and a 22-point second-semi win over Sandringham saw them advance to the grand final where they met Coburg which was in its first play-off since 1928. Although trailing by two goals at the last change, Williamstown stormed home with nine last quarter goals to comfortably take the title again, its fifth flag in six years. This was Club legend Gerry Callahan’s last game for the Seagulls, although he would continue coaching until 1967. John Ramsay and Len Kent also retired. The Thirds made the finals but were knocked out in the preliminary final, and Graham Clough took out the Competition best and fairest award.
Season by Season Summaries
|
Year |
President |
Coach |
Captain |
Best & Fairest |
Leading Goalkicker |
|
1950 |
Harold Hosking |
Adrian Dullard |
Adrian Dullard |
Jack Danckert |
Johnny Walker (71) |
|
1951 |
Harold Hosking |
Adrian Dullard |
Adrian Dullard |
Gerry Callahan/Gordon Williams |
Johnny Walker (84) |
|
1952 |
Harold Hosking |
Billy Williams |
Billy Williams |
Don Rogers |
Johnny Walker (103) |
|
1953 |
Harold Hosking |
Billy Williams |
Billy Williams |
Harry Simpson |
Johnny Walker (99) |
|
1954 |
Harold Hosking |
Wally Carter |
Gerry Callahan |
Harry Simpson |
Alby Linton (46) |
|
1955 |
Jack Carter |
Wally Carter |
Gerry Callahan |
Alby Linton |
Alby Linton (84) |
|
1956 |
Jack Carter |
Wally Carter |
Gerry Callahan |
Johnny Martin |
Alby Linton (59) |
|
1957 |
Jack Carter |
Wally Carter |
Gerry Callahan |
Gerry Callahan |
Alan McPherson (62) |
|
1958 |
Arthur Johnson |
Gerry Callahan |
Gerry Callahan |
Johnny Martin |
Roy Cullinan (63) |
|
1959 |
Arthur Johnson |
Gerry Callahan |
Gerry Callahan |
Ray Smith |
Roy Cullinan (60) |
|
Year |
Best & Fairest Runner-Up |
Advertiser Award |
Chronicle Award |
Most Consistent |
Best Utility |
Most Improved |
Most Serviceable |
Most Effective |
Best First-Year |
|
1950 |
John Molyneux |
Alf Sampson |
John Molyneux |
Alf Sampson |
Gordon Williams |
Norm Bernard |
Ken May |
Sid Wookey |
|
|
1951 |
Sid Wookey |
John Molyneux |
John Molyneux |
Alf Sampson |
Cliff Poole | John Molyneux | Keith Abberton | Bill Gunn | |
|
1952 |
Johnny Walker |
Johnny Walker |
Noel Allanson |
Adrian Dullard |
Gordon Williams | Ray Smith | Harry Simpson | Noel Allanson | Max Munday |
|
1953 |
Gordon Williams |
Billy Williams |
Billy Williams |
Max Munday |
Len Kent | Johnny Martin | Reg Harley | Alby Linton | Frank Sims |
|
1954 |
Alby Linton |
Harry Simpson |
Harry Simpson |
Johnny Martin |
Reg Fisher | Jack Curran | Ray Smith | Max Munday | Ian McLeod |
|
1955 |
Johnny Martin |
Alby Linton |
Alby Linton/ Johnny Martin |
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|
1956 |
Len Kent |
Johnny Martin |
Johnny Martin |
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|
1957 |
Len Kent |
Len Kent |
Len Kent |
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|
1958 |
Eric Beitzel |
Johnny Martin |
Johnny Martin |
Col Colquhoun | |||||
|
1959 |
Leo Maloney |
Ray Smith |
Ray Smith |
'Big Bob' Jones | Bob 'Boner' Jones |
|
Year |
Secretary |
Treasurer |
Reserves Captain/Coach |
Reserves B&F |
Thirds Coach |
Thirds B&F |
|
1950 |
George Abberton |
Jim McConville |
Joe Lyon |
Leo Tweedley |
N/A |
N/A |
|
1951 |
George Abberton |
Jim McConville |
Joe Lyon |
Jack Heslop |
Ken Bravo |
Don Carter |
|
1952 |
Stan Whear |
Jim McConville |
Bert McTaggart |
Charlie McLaren |
Ken Bravo |
Fred Grubb |
|
1953 |
Stan Whear |
Jim McConville |
Lou Barker |
Lou Barker |
Jack Vinall |
Keith Stevenson |
|
1954 |
Stan Whear |
Jim McConville |
Lou Barker |
Charlie McLaren |
Murray McRae |
Keith Cameron |
|
1955 |
Stan Whear |
Jim McConville |
Lou Barker |
Lou Barker |
Murray McRae |
Brian Stafford |
|
1956 |
Stan Whear |
Jim McConville |
Lou Barker |
Lou Barker |
Murray McRae |
Harry Wragg |
|
1957 |
Stan Whear |
Jim McConville |
Lou Barker |
John McTaggart |
Murray McRae |
Doug Kellett |
|
1958 |
Stan Whear |
Bob Major |
Norm Garlick |
Neville O’Connor |
Bill Sheahan |
Doug Kellett |
|
1959 |
Stan Whear |
Maurice Power |
Alby Linton |
Alf Woods |
Bill Sheahan |
Graham Clough |
|
Year |
Most Consistent |
Most Improved |
Best 1st Year |
Best Utility |
Most Serviceable |
Most Effective |
|
1950 |
Alf Sampson |
Norm Bernard |
Syd Wookey |
Gordon Williams |
Ken May |
? |
|
1951 |
Alf Sampson |
Cliff Poole |
Bill Gunn |
? |
John Molyneux |
Keith Abberton |
|
1952 |
Adrian Dullard |
Ray Smith |
Max Munday |
Gordon Williams |
Harry Simpson |
Noel Allanson |
|
1953 |
Max Munday |
Johnny Martin |
Frank Sims |
Len Kent |
Reg Harley |
Alby Linton |
|
1954 |
Johnny Martin |
Jack Curran |
Ian McLeod |
Reg Fisher |
Ray Smith |
Max Munday |
|
1955 |
|
|
|
|
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|
1956 |
|
|
|
|
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|
1957 |
|
|
|
|
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|
1958 |
John Ramsay |
|
Col Colquhoun |
|
|
|
|
1959 |
|
Robert Jones |
|
Bob Jones |
|
Competition Award Winners
Firsts
1950 VFA Leading Goalkicker (equal with Bruce Harper of Sandringham) – Johnny Walker (71)
1952 VFA Leading Goalkicker – Johnny Walker (103)
1953 VFA Leading Goalkicker – Johnny Walker (99)
1954 Runner-Up in JJ Liston Trophy – Harry Simpson
1955 VFA Leading Goalkicker – Alby Linton (84)
1955 Third in JJ Liston Trophy – Alby Linton
1956 JJ Liston Trophy winner – Johnny Martin
Seconds
1950 Competition runner-up – coach Joe Lyons
1954 Competition runner-up – coach Lou Barker
1954 Angus McDonnell Trophy (later renamed A. Todd Medal) VFA Seconds Best & Fairest – Charlie McLaren
1955 Angus McDonnell Trophy (later renamed A. Todd Medal) VFA Seconds Best & Fairest – Lou Barker
1955 Roy Smith Trophy, Competition Best Full Back – Dick Roberts
1955 Competition Premiers – coach Lou Barker
1956 Competition Premiers – coach Lou Barker
Thirds
1952 Alec Gillon Medal, Competition Best & Fairest – Peter Barnes
1954 Competition Leading Goalkicker – Laurie Davies (59)
1956 Alec Gillon Medal, Competition Best & Fairest – Brian Stafford
1957 Alec Gillon Medal, Competition Best & Fairest – Doug Kellett
1958 Competition Premiers – coach Bill Sheahan
1959 Alec Gillon Medal, Competition Best & Fairest – Graham Clough