AFL Commission Chair Richard Goyder today announced that Swan Districts’ great Bill Walker – the only man in WA football history to have won four Sandover Medals – would be elevated to Legend Status at the Hall of Fame induction in Melbourne on June 9 later this year.
Mr Goyder made the announcement in Perth, joined by Walker, in the lead-up to tomorrow’s return of AFL Origin with Western Australia to host Victoria at Optus Stadium.
Walker debuted for Swan Districts in 1961, in the era of representative football before State of Origin, and played in premiership sides in each of his first three seasons at senior level.
Across 305 games in the WAFL, as well as 21 games for WA, he was a five-time best and fairest winner and claimed the Sandover Medal a record four times in 1965, 1966, 1967 and 1970.
“Bill Walker was an incredible player, one of the greatest in West Australian football history, and I’m delighted to announce the AFL Commission has endorsed the recommendation of the Hall of Fame selection committee that he be elevated to Legend Status later this year,” Mr Goyder said.
“We have made this announcement today so that Bill can be celebrated tomorrow and through the course of the season.”
Walker said he was told of his honour personally by Mr Goyder last Sunday and had been both shocked and thrilled with the news.
“I have had a wonderful time in football and loved the game for as long as I can remember. It’s a great great honour and I was a bit lost for words at what to say when he came to visit to tell me.”
Mr Goyder said Walker would toss the coin before tomorrow’s game, having been an All Australian carnival selection, in the days before State of Origin football, among the many honours in his career.
“It is not usual practice to announce a Legend elevation before the induction ceremony but, with the eyes of the football world on Perth this week for an Origin game, we felt it appropriate that the wider footy community be able to celebrate Bill’s incredible career and legacy for the coming season,” Mr Goyder said.
“As a Carnival All Australian in 1969 and first rover in the Swans’ Team of the Century, Bill was simply an incredible player who could find the ball, deliver it impeccably and he was deadly up forward, with 456 goals in his time at the top between 1961-76.
“He remains the only four-time winner of the Sandover Medal and was a five-time club best and fairest. By any definition, he is a Legend of Australian Football,” Mr Goyder said.
Mr Goyder said the induction class for this year’s ceremony in June would remain confidential to be announced on the night at the function at Crown in Melbourne.
Bill Walker’s career record:
305 games for Swan Districts 1961-76, 456 goals
21 games for WA, 29 goals
1965, 1966, 1967, 1970 Sandover Medal
1961, 1962, 1963 premierships
1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970 Best and Fairest
1967 Simpson Medal
1969 Carnival All Australian
1969-75 Captain
1969-71 Coach
Swan Districts Team of the Century (First Rover)
Legend, WA Football Hall of Fame