History
Bill Walker is one Swan Districts identity who has done just about everything possible in the game of football.
He was a champion rover, registering a record 305 games between 1961 and 1976 and won a number of awards along the way.
Walker was 19 when he first arrived at Bassendean from the country town of Narembeen to try his luck at league football. The year was 1961 and Swans had finished last the previous year. When he pulled on the now famous number 29 for the first time he had no idea what the future held for him.
That year the club won the first of three consecutive premierships. Walker having had a taste of success was keen to play in more winning grand final teams.
When Bill finally retired as a player in July 1976 he had earned every accolade possible in West Australian football. He had won three Sandover Medals in 1965, 66 and 67 (he was later awarded retrospectively another medal after losing on a countback in 1970), played in three premierships and won a Simpson Medal in 1967 playing against South Australia in a state match and became an All-Australian player in 1969.
He also kicked 456 goals and is third on the list of Swans players to have kicked 200 goals or more.
Walker also won five club fairest and best awards on five occasions, was captain of the club for three years and captain for an additional four years. In 1982 he was also awarded the Order of Australia for his services to football. He also served as President of the club between 1983 and 1995 overseeing premierships in 1983, 84 and 90.
In 1985 Walker was honored with life membership of the WAFL in 1985 and was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 1996.
There is no question that Bill Walker is one of the club's favourite sons.
In 2004 Walker was an inductee to the inaugural WAFL Hall of Fame.
