Welshpool Football Club was an Australian rules football

Australian rules football

Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...

 club that participated in the Alberton Football League

Alberton Football League

The Alberton Football League is an Australian rules football league covering the South Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia.-History:The Alberton Football League was formed in 1946, replacing the earlier Alberton Football Association, and comprised eight clubs—Carrajung, Devon, Foster, Ramblers,...

 from 1946 up until 1994. With the continual struggle to entice outside players to the club and a constant strain in retaining local juniors due to lack of employment opportunities, the club ventured into amalgamation talks with neighbouring football clubs Devon and Toora. The outcome would eventually see the club join forces with the Devon Football Club prior to the start of the 1995 Alberton League season.
The newly formed Devon-Welshpool Football Club would experience immediate success by claiming the 1995 Alberton League premiership with a six-point triumph over Won Wron-Woodside, winning 11.8 (74) to 10.8 (68) in the last Grand Final played at Yarram.

Early history

Welshpool's earliest history dates back to 1895 but an official date of when the club was formed is not known but there are reports that the club was active during this period. In fact, Welshpool's first known premiership came when it defeated Foster for the 1912 South Gippsland Football Association premiership. However, the club withdrew from competing in random seasons on numerous occasions and a true gathering of the early history is hard to report on. After a very poor start to the 1911 season and only four wins, Welshpool withdrew from the Association. Even after winning the 1912 premiership, Welshpool again withdrew from the 1913 season and many of the clubs leading players joined neighboring rivals. Much of the local football played between 1915 and 1917 was junior matches due to World War I.

1946: Entry to the AFL

At the clubs annual general meeting in 1946, the WFC decided to join the reforming Alberton Football League

Alberton Football League

The Alberton Football League is an Australian rules football league covering the South Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia.-History:The Alberton Football League was formed in 1946, replacing the earlier Alberton Football Association, and comprised eight clubs—Carrajung, Devon, Foster, Ramblers,...

, and was a part of the competition up until its independent demise in 1994. The team became known as the "Tri-colours" and was later changed to become the Bulldogs.

In the early season upon the reformation of the league, Welshpool were a regular finalist and made it to the 1949 Grand Final. However, the dominant Woodside combination of this era would deny the Bulldogs of a premiership by 16 points and two years later would again prevent the club from attaining the ultimate success by claiming another AFL flag, this time by nine points.

Welshpool's great players of these earlier years of the AFL were Robert "Bob" Roberts, Alec Grossman, Keith Forbes, Ken Macphail, Robert Sutherland and Les Murray to name a few. Roberts, who came close to winning the League Best & Fairest award in 1950, would win the club's top honour an unprecedented four times during his illustrious career with the Bulldogs.

1969–1971: Premiership years

With former North Melbourne player Adrian Beer taking over as coach, Welshpool went 15–3 in 1969, finishing as the minor premiers for a second consecutive year. Rover, Paul Sutherland claimed what no other Welshpool player had been able to do since the re-formation of the AFL in 1946 and that was to win League Best & Fairest award. Ron Tibballs was the club's leading goalkicker for the sixth time with 99 goals, also winning his second AFL goalkicking award. The Bulldogs then went on to win their first premiership in seven years and inflict their second Grand Final defeat over Fish Creek in as many years.

Welshpool again dominated throughout 1970 and were able to produce what no other club has been able to do and that was sustain an unblemished record for the duration of the home and away season with 18 wins and 0 losses in an extraordinary accomplishment. The season included their greatest ever comeback from three-quarter time as the Bulldogs reeled in a 31-point deficit to eventually prevail over Devon by the narrowest of margins, winning 13.9 (87) to 13.8 (86). This time Ron Tibballs was able to achieve 100 goals in the home and away season, which he reached in round 17 against Won Wron before finishing the year with 117 – surpassing Won Wron's Ben "Sonny" Davis' record of 105 in 1957.

Honour roll

Year	'	Coach	Captain	Best & Fairest	Leading Goalkicker	Goals
1946		Hughie Marshall	Hughie Marshall		Harry Leach	26
1947		Keith Forbes Keith Forbes Keith Forbes is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Bombers. A small goalkicking rover, he stood at 171 cm and was runner-up in the 1935 Brownlow Medal. Forbes was twice a best and fairest winner for Essendon.Forbes kicked his 200th VFL goal in 1932 and was the...	Keith Forbes Keith Forbes Keith Forbes is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Bombers. A small goalkicking rover, he stood at 171 cm and was runner-up in the 1935 Brownlow Medal. Forbes was twice a best and fairest winner for Essendon.Forbes kicked his 200th VFL goal in 1932 and was the...		Keith Forbes Keith Forbes Keith Forbes is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Bombers. A small goalkicking rover, he stood at 171 cm and was runner-up in the 1935 Brownlow Medal. Forbes was twice a best and fairest winner for Essendon.Forbes kicked his 200th VFL goal in 1932 and was the...	45
1948		Keith Forbes Keith Forbes Keith Forbes is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Bombers. A small goalkicking rover, he stood at 171 cm and was runner-up in the 1935 Brownlow Medal. Forbes was twice a best and fairest winner for Essendon.Forbes kicked his 200th VFL goal in 1932 and was the...	Keith Forbes Keith Forbes Keith Forbes is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Bombers. A small goalkicking rover, he stood at 171 cm and was runner-up in the 1935 Brownlow Medal. Forbes was twice a best and fairest winner for Essendon.Forbes kicked his 200th VFL goal in 1932 and was the...		Keith Forbes Keith Forbes Keith Forbes is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the Essendon Bombers. A small goalkicking rover, he stood at 171 cm and was runner-up in the 1935 Brownlow Medal. Forbes was twice a best and fairest winner for Essendon.Forbes kicked his 200th VFL goal in 1932 and was the...	32
1949		Alec Grossman	Alec Grossman	Alec Grossman	Les Murray	34
1950		Alec Grossman	Alec Grossman	Robert Roberts	Alec Grossman	20
1951		Alec Grossman	Alec Grossman	Robert Roberts	Alec Grossman	30
1952		Jim Hall	Jim Hall	Bernie Cooper	Bernie Cooper	18
1953		Jim Hall	Jim Hall	Russell McAlpine	Robert Sutherland	33
1954		Harry Dewsnap	Harry Dewsnap	Robert Roberts	Harry Dewsnap	16
1955		Len McCankie Len McCankie Len McCankie was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League during the 1940s....	Len McCankie Len McCankie Len McCankie was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League during the 1940s....	Alan James	Len McCankie Len McCankie Len McCankie was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League during the 1940s....	23
1956		Len McCankie Len McCankie Len McCankie was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League during the 1940s....	Len McCankie Len McCankie Len McCankie was an Australian rules footballer who played with Footscray in the Victorian Football League during the 1940s....	Robert Roberts	Brian Heagney	40
1957		Les Jones	Les Jones	Les Jones	Norm Tibballs	26
1958		Brian Heagney	Brian Heagney	Frank Roberts	Brian Heagney	38
1959		Brian Rogers William Tibballs	Brian Rogers Bernard Cunningham	Jim Roberts	William Hendrie	32
1960		David Morris	David Morris	Ken Macphail	Ian Wood	44
1961		Neville Morgan Ken May	Neville Morgan Ken May	Frank Roberts	Ken May	28
1962		Ken May	Ken May	Brian Daff	Norm Thomas	47
1963		Ken May	Ken May	Roger McNeill	Brian Heagney	39
1964		Peter Hillier	Peter Hillier	Arthur Roberts	Ron Tibballs	44
1965		Peter Hillier	Peter Hillier	Peter Hillier	Ron Tibballs	34
1966		Peter Hillier	Peter Hillier	Ray Warren	Ron Tibballs	38
1967		Wally Mumford	Wally Mumford	Robert James	Ian Wood	27
1968		Wally Mumford	Wally Mumford	Adrian Beer	Ron Tibballs	37
1969		Adrian Beer	Adrian Beer	Paul Sutherland	Ron Tibballs	99
1970		Adrian Beer	Adrian Beer	Bruce Rickard	Ron Tibballs	117
1971		Adrian Beer	Adrian Beer	Claude Skvor	Ron Tibballs	67
1972		Claude Skvor	Claude Skvor	Paul Sutherland	Ron Tibballs	54
1973		Claude Skvor	Claude Skvor	Graeme Wiggins	Ron Tibballs	44
1974		Michael Loughran	Michael Loughran	Graeme Wiggins	Gary Allott	26
1975		Laurie Rippon	Laurie Rippon	Neil Chandler Neil Chandler Neil Chandler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and St Kilda in the VFL.Chandler played with Carlton during a successful era for the club and was a member of three premiership teams. He was a reserve in their 1968 and 1970 flags but earned a starting spot in 1972,...	Ron Tibballs	59
1976		Adrian Beer	Neil Chandler Neil Chandler Neil Chandler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and St Kilda in the VFL.Chandler played with Carlton during a successful era for the club and was a member of three premiership teams. He was a reserve in their 1968 and 1970 flags but earned a starting spot in 1972,...	Paul Sutherland	Ron Tibballs	28
1977		Neil Chandler Neil Chandler Neil Chandler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and St Kilda in the VFL.Chandler played with Carlton during a successful era for the club and was a member of three premiership teams. He was a reserve in their 1968 and 1970 flags but earned a starting spot in 1972,...	Neil Chandler Neil Chandler Neil Chandler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and St Kilda in the VFL.Chandler played with Carlton during a successful era for the club and was a member of three premiership teams. He was a reserve in their 1968 and 1970 flags but earned a starting spot in 1972,...	Russell Renhard	Gary Allott	26
1978		Chris Aitken	Chris Aitken	Gary Allott	Chris Aitken	21
1979		Chris Aitken	Chris Aitken	Chris Aitken	Gary Allott	51
1980		David Clottu	David Clottu	Trevor Young	Ron Tibballs	19
1981		Chris Aitken	Chris Aitken	David Clottu	Gary Allott	34
1982		Lee Farrell Neil Chandler Neil Chandler Neil Chandler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and St Kilda in the VFL.Chandler played with Carlton during a successful era for the club and was a member of three premiership teams. He was a reserve in their 1968 and 1970 flags but earned a starting spot in 1972,...	Lee Farrell Richard Edwards	Gary Allott	Gary Allott	33
1983		Neil Chandler Neil Chandler Neil Chandler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and St Kilda in the VFL.Chandler played with Carlton during a successful era for the club and was a member of three premiership teams. He was a reserve in their 1968 and 1970 flags but earned a starting spot in 1972,...	Richard Edwards	Robert Radd	Terry Bishop	23
1984		Neil Chandler Neil Chandler Neil Chandler is a former Australian rules footballer who played for Carlton and St Kilda in the VFL.Chandler played with Carlton during a successful era for the club and was a member of three premiership teams. He was a reserve in their 1968 and 1970 flags but earned a starting spot in 1972,...	Glen Davey	Glen Davey	Richard Edwards	34
1985		Glen Davey	Glen Davey Russell Renhard	Russell Renhard	Frank Parry	30
1986		Glen Davey	Glen Davey	Rodney Paragreen	Terry Bishop	26
1987		Ian Mills	Paul Macphail	Paul Macphail	Chris Griffiths	12
1988		Lance Scott	Lance Scott	Rohan Burke	Peter Sutherland	23
1989		Lance Scott	Lance Scott	David Riley	David Riley	35
1990		Lance Scott	Lance Scott	Craig Allott	David Riley	49
1991		Wayne Lynch	Wayne Lynch	Regan Ryan	Wayne Lynch	36
1992		Wayne Lynch	Paul Macphail	Ben Ryan	Ben Ryan	29
1993		Eric Peters	Paul Macphail Dwayne Tibballs	Stephen Hill	Kyron Rendell	41
1994		Eric Peters Peter Sutherland	Regan Ryan	Regan Ryan	Regan Ryan	32

Highest scores

Score	Opponent	Year
32.12 (204)	Carrajung	1948
30.22 (202)	Won Wron	1979
27.27 (189)	Carrajung	1951
27.25 (177)	Ramblers	1948
26.16 (172)	Fish Creek	1970
26.16 (172)	Won Wron	1981

Lowest scores

Score	Opponent	Year
0.3 (3)	Fish Creek	1992
1.2 (8)	Toora	1952
1.4 (10)	Yarram	1949
1.4 (10)	MDU	1977
2.3 (15)	MDU	1986
1.10 (16)	MDU	1973
2.4 (16)	MDU	1976

Largest winning margins

Margin	Opponent	Year
162 pts	Carrajung	1951
155 pts	Carrajung	1948
155 pts	Won Wron	1969
142 pts	Won Wron	1979
140 pts	Ramblers	1948

Final season: 1994=
Saturday August 20, 1994 would prove to be the final time in the proud history of the Welshpool Football Club that a football team would wear the red, white and blue colours for the beloved Bulldogs. The very last match would be played against neighbouring rival, Toora, with Welshpool winning by two points, 16.10 (106) to 15.14 (104).

Welshpool Season 1994
Round 1	Devon (A)	10.8 (68) – 18.15 (123)	Win
Round 2	Meeniyan-Dumbalk United (H)	10.7 (67) – 17.13 (115)	Loss
Round 3	Yarram (A)	16.15 (111) – 14.14 (98)	Loss
Round 4	Foster (H)	14.13 (97) – 12.7 (79)	Win
Round 5	Tarwin (A)	12.14 (86) – 10.9 (69)	Loss
Round 6	Stony Creek (A)	4.5 (29) – 20.16 (136)	Win
Round 7	Won Wron-Woodside (H)	6.6 (42) – 11.13 (79)	Loss
Round 8	Fish Creek (A)	16.16(112) – 13.10 (88)	Loss
Round 9	Toora (H)	19.15 (129) – 9.9 (63)	Win
Round 10	Devon (H)	16.11 (107) – 16.7 (103)	Win
Round 11	Meeniyan-Dumbalk United (A)	14.12 (96) – 9.7 (61)	Loss
Round 12	Yarram (H)	10.13 (73) – 17.13 (115)	Loss
Round 13	Foster (A)	12.11 (83) – 8.15 (63)	Loss
Round 14	Tarwin (H)	16.16 (106) – 14.20 (104)	Win
Round 15	Stony Creek (H)	14.16 (100) – 11.12 (79)	Win
Round 16	Won Wron-Woodside (A)	23.14 (152) – 9.9 (63)	Loss
Round 17	Fish Creek (H)	3.3 (21) – 16.14 (110)	Loss
Round 18	Toora (A)	15.14 (104) – 16.10 (106)	Win

Neil Chandler

Playing career: 1968–1974 (Carlton

Carlton Football Club

The Carlton Football Club is a professional Australian rules football club based in Melbourne, Victoria. The club competes in the Australian Football League, and was one of the eight founding members of that competition in 1897...

 1968–74, St Kilda 1974)

Games: 82 (Carlton 76, St. Kilda 6)

Goals: 25 (Carlton 22, St. Kilda 3)

A three time premiership player with Carlton, Chandler played 76 games for the Blues including the 1968, 1970 and 1972 premierships. He also played in the 1973 Grand Final team that lost to Richmond by 30 points. In 1974, Chandler played four games with the Blues before gaining a clearance to St Kilda where he added a further six games to his VFL career before returning home to Welshpool in 1975.

Laurie Rippon

Playing career: 1969–1973 (Footscray)

Games: 45 (Footscray 45)

Goals: 4 (Footscray 4)

Another product that came out of the Welshpool juniors to make it to the VFL/AFL. Didn't quite reach the success of Chandler but still managed to be a premiership player for the Bulldogs after Footscray defeated Richmond for the 1970 Night Premiership. In 1975, Rippn returned to his native Bulldogs where he coached the club to a preliminary final loss to Woodside. Rippon eventually moved on to play at Woodside and Devon in later years.

Max Parker

Playing career: 1971 (Footscray)

Games: 5 (Footscray 5)

Goals: 6 (Footscray 6)

Became an inspirational legend of SANFL club, Woodville. Parker was initial recruited by Footscray for the 1971 VFL season and played 5 games during the season as a ruckman but found it hard to crack a regular spot against the likes of Gary Dempsey and Barry Round. He became apart of the Ray Huppatz swap and then forged a remarkable career with Woodville that spanned over 250 games for the Eagles. Captained the club in 1982 and again in 1986–87 under the tutelage of VFL/AFL legend, Malcolm Blight. Max made a short return to the Welshpool Football Club in 1990 with a handful of games played before his career eventually closed.