1970's

The 1970's saw the Williamstown Football Club return to the top flight of the VFA after its grand final success in Division Two in the previous year. With high hopes of retaining their place in the league for the following season, no one would have believed how it eventually panned out. Williamstown became the first club to come from the second division and compete in the following years Division One grand final where they unfortunately fell to Prahran. The following year the club was dealt a major blow as Max Papley called time on his playing career due to a recurring injury, although he would still continue on as coach. Without Papley's presence on-field the club was left languishing down the bottom of the table

The following year was turned on its head with Papley returning to the field from retirement, as the Seagulls soared up the ladder only to eventually fall in the preliminary final. The following two seasons (1973 & 1974) saw the club battle away in Division One under new leadership finishing mid-table and never looking in contention for finals. A severe blow was dealt in 1975 as once again Williamstown were sent down to Division Two after a disappointing season that resulted in just four wins.

In an attempt to look at the relegation in a positive light, the club looked towards the season as one for the club to regroup and regain confidence by being a force in Division Two. Such was the case that the club came into the finals in a respectable third place but severe underdogs to take out the cup. Through prevailing in some tough, grueling and tightly contested first two finals, the last day of the year was one to remember as Williamstown triumphed over Mordialloc by 57 points.

A disappointing contrast occurred as the club re-entered the top flight of VFA football with the rise coming as quick as the fall, with fans only able to celebrate two wins for the whole year and would therefore be following their team around in Division Two the next year. 1978 & 1979 followed, with the club finishing a disappointing 9th and 4th in the two seasons respectively.

In July 2018, at an event held at the Club's Seaview Function Centre, a Team of the Decade from the 1970's was announced. The team and the individual records of the members selected can be seen below. A report on the night can be viewed at this link: http://www.williamstownfc.com.au/news/10-latest-news/1145-1970-s-team-of-the-decade-announced

Season by Season Summaries

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

Year	President	Coach	Captain	Best & Fairest	Leading Goalkicker
1970	Arthur Johnson	Max Papley	Max Papley	Kevin Jackman	Dallas Patterson (72)
1971	Arthur Johnson	Max Papley	Ken Barnes	Brian Harvey	Bob Svoronich (54)
1972	Arthur Johnson	Max Papley	Max Papley	Les Stillman	Mick Mulligan (75)
1973	Norman Bernard	Barry Gill	Barry Gill	Les Stillman	Les Stillman (37)
1974	Bill Dey	Barry Gill	Barry Gill	John Fanning	Glenn Townsend (48)
1975	Tony Arceri	Ted Whitten	Les Stillman/Bill Thompson	Michael Kelly	Robert Fox (40)
1976	Rex Swann	Mal Allen	Mal Allen	Bob Percy	Michael Brown (67)
1977	Des Luckhurst	Mal Allen	Mal Allen	Frank Pocervina	Brian Lowe (45)
1978	Sid Wookey	John Fanning	John Fanning	Laurie Taylor	Greg Boxall (32)
1979	Sid Wookey	Merv Hobbs	Mark Cross	Neil Courtot	Paul John (59)

Year	Reserves B&F	Thirds B&F	Fourths B&F	Best Clubman	Secretary	Treasurer
1970	Garry Fitch	Phil Humphries	Jim Hynes		Rex Swann	Alec Bell
1971	John James/Graham Salter	Ron Gordon	Graham Dean	J. James	Rex Swann	Alec Bell
1972	Tad Joniec	Keith Robson	Neil Kerss		John Grieve	Bob Cairncross
1973	Robert Scott	Rodney Walker	John Dean		John Grieve	Bob Cairncross
1974	Richard Radziminski	Gary O'Donovan	Eddie Messina		Les Dooley	Bob Cairncross
1975	Peter Gardiner	Neville Kerss	Graham Dean	Ron Page	Bill Pride	Leo Schultz
1976	Bruce Wookey	Laurie Taylor	N/A		Bill Pride	George Smith
1977	Tony McVeigh	Craig Eldridge	N/A		Bill Pride	George Smith
1978	Johnny Coyne	Kelvin Lavelle	N/A	Damien Martin	'Junior' Jackson	Rob Harding
1979	Jeff Dean	Phil Chapman	N/A		'Junior' Jackson	Rob Harding

Competition Award Winners

1970 Western Suburbs League Under 16's (Fourth's) Best & Fairest - Jim Hynes

1972 Western Suburbs League Under 16's (Fourth's) Best & Fairest - Glenn Hancock

1976 Division Two Best & Fairest - J. Field Medal - Colin Boyd

1978 VFA Thirds Competition goalkicking award - Sol Alexander Trophy - Phil Chapman (129)

1979 VFA Thirds Competition Best & Fairest - F. Gomez Medal - Phil Chapman

1979 VFA Thirds Competition goalkicking award - Sol Alexander Trophy - Phil Chapman (132)

Photos

1976 Premiership team

Back row: Peter Kerr, Brian Lowe, Michael Brown, John Fanning, Greg Boxall, Peter Gardner, Rocky Burgess

Centre row: Mick Mahoney, Mal Allen (captain-coach), Robert Percy, Colin Boyd

Front row: Frank Briner, Greg Harley, Mark Cross, Frank Pocervina, Greg Tweedly

Absent: Peter Mildenhall, Bruce Alexander

Action from the Grand Final at Toorak Park

1976 Premiership team

Back row: Peter Kerr, Brian Lowe, Michael Brown, John Fanning, Greg Boxall, Peter Gardner, Rocky Burgess

Centre row: Mick Mahoney, Mal Allen (captain-coach), Robert Percy, Colin Boyd

Front row: Frank Briner, Greg Harley, Mark Cross, Frank Pocervina, Greg Tweedly

Absent: Peter Mildenhall, Bruce Alexander

For more stories on the 1970's from some of the Club identities of the era please click on the following link to one of Bruce Davis' productions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ho-hy2BV_Oo

For more stories on bookmakers involved at Williamstown in the 1970's from some of the Club identities of the era please click on the following link to one of Bruce Davis' productions

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MtO08Tv0f_M

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