Interview with George Bisset

[The Coon Dog]

George Bisset – Footscray 1963-1972, 166 games, 288 goals & Collingwood 1973-1974, 41 games, 49 goals.

Western Bulldogs Team of the Century
Best & Fairest 1969
Runner up - Brownlow Medal 1969


*Thanks to THE DOGS BOLLOCKS who was able to get me a number of phone numbers of former players at the recent Past Players Lunch.




TCD: Hi George & thanks for your time.

GB: Yeah, no worries.

Where did you grow up George?

Initially Williamston, but I moved to Braybrook when I was young.

Who did you follow in the VFL?

Essendon.

Why Essendon?

Because my Dad used to take me to watch the Bombers & I played for Braybrook & they wore the same colours.

Gee, Braybrook has been good to the club over the years.

Yeah, 4 players in the Team of the Century.

So how did you come to play with Footscray?

I was spotted by Joey Ryan who was a recruiter & he invited me down in 1962.

Did you start off in the Under 19’s.

I played the first 3 games in the Under 19’s, but then played the rest of the season in the reserves. We beat St.Kilda to win the Premiership that year.

When did you make your senior debut?

In 1963 against North Melbourne at Arden Street. I played on Allen Aylett.

The club wasn’t overly successful in your time there, consequently we got to play regularly in the night series at the old South Melbourne ground (sides that didn’t make the finals got to play in the night series). Any memories?

4 flags! Also there was a dark pocket where the lights didn’t shine too well. I used to hide in that pocket. They couldn’t see me because of my dark skin.

You finished runner up in the 1969 Brownlow Medal to Kevin Murray. Some say it was controversial.

Yes. I got reported against Carlton & in those days if you got reported you couldn’t receive Brownlow votes. I kicked 6 goals & was voted best on ground by most people but couldn’t get any votes, even tho I was cleared at the tribunal. I saw in the paper recently that the umpire who reported me said he wouldn’t have given me votes anyway.

Seems hard to believe.

Yeah, that’s what I thought too.

Who were your league coaches?

• Ted Whitten Snr – Good coach, should have had more success, really supported his players.
• Charlie Sutton – Tough, very tough. Charlie felt if you got the ball you got the results.
• Bob Rose – I only had one year with him, so it’s a bit hard to comment.
• Neil Mann – A very good coach & a nice man too.

Did you ever receive any form of sponsorship in your playing days?

Yes, I got offered a contract by EJ to wear Adidas boots. It was a bugger actually as I had just spent a small fortune of a couple of tailor made Hope Sweeney boots, genuine kangaroo hide & they were just so comfortable.

Anyhow, I wasn’t getting rid of them so I painted the 3 stripes on them so they looked like Adidas boots. I had to look after them myself & keep them away from the boot studder. Teddy busted me one day; it was raining & the paint washed off. He just said, ‘You’ll be wearing Adidas boots next week Georgie.’

Who were some of the better players you played with?

• Ted Whitten Snr – He was the best I ever saw, could do anything. Won games off his own boot.
• John Schultz – A gentleman & a very good ruckman who was so supportive.
• Graham Ion – Very good player for his size.
• Ian Bryant – One of the best kicks I ever saw. A long kick too.

What about opponents?

• Peter Crimmins – He was tough & skilful. Never let you get an easy ball.
• Bob Skilton – He had everything. I never knew which foot he kicked with, he was so good on both feet.
• Kevin Bartlett – He was super quick.
• Leigh Matthews – He was just starting out, but he was tough.

Why did you leave to play with Collingwood?

The league had introduced the 10 year rule which meant players like me who had been at the one club for 10 years were free to go to the club of their choice. I just thought there was a greater chance of success at Collingwood.

I remember when you played a game against Footscray. It was at the scoreboard end & Gordon Casey chased a dribbling ball towards the goals & instead on taking it through for a point, he just bent down & stopped it & you trailed in behind & soccered through the easiest of goals.

That was funny. I yelled out to Gordon to tap it back. He knew my voice, only he had forgotten I wasn’t on his team anymore.

Do you regret leaving Footscray?

Looking back, I wish I was a one club player.

You had 2 years at Collingwood & played in 2 finals in 1973, what did you do after you hung up the boots?

A bit of coaching at St.Albans, Braybrook & then Portarlington.

You were known to be a bit cheeky on the ground. Is that true?

Yes. I used to love it when we played against St.Kilda. I always gave it to Carl Ditterich & used to call him Marlena. You knew if you got him riled & it didn’t take much, he’d spend the day trying to get you.

Did he ever get you?

Once, this great big pile driver on the top of my head. I went 3 feet into the turf!

You were invited back to the club by Terry Wheeler when he coached to assist. What did you do.

I just worked with the smaller guys, like Libba & helped them out, just taught them what I knew about roving.

Do you still get to the footy to watch the Bulldogs?

Oh yeah! I’m a member of the Past Players Association & we have a room at Telstra Dome, so it’s great, not only to watch the team, but catching up with former team mates.

How will we go this year?

Pretty good I reckon. I still think we need Westy out there & Williams in the backline. We’re going to finish top 4, so anything’s possible.

Thanks’ George.

[wonnydog]

Great read TCD. Top little fella Wee Georgie!! Excellent to see the great Graham Ion gets a mention!!

[LostDoggy]

Great interveiw. Too bad that he was a few years before my time.

[GetDimmaBack]

Great read TCD. Top little fella Wee Georgie!! Excellent to see the great Graham Ion gets a mention!!

Ah, Graham Ion...the only player with enough footy "smarts" to read Teddy Whitten's next move. Whitten thought too quickly for most, but he knew Ion was with him, especially on the forward line. Their understanding was a big part of the Dogs success in 1961. Good to see his old number 17 lives on proudly.

Actually, I remember a day at the Western Oval when Georgie tried to get between Big Carl and the boundary line, but Carl put him right into the fence - dead in front of the grandstand crowd. George flew through the air, fist swinging and mouth going off, and the crowd baying for Carl's blood! George got up and threw himself into Carl, who held the little fella at bay with one hand. Great comedy! All of us kids loved George - he was the only player we could look straight in the eye!

Boy, those were the days for Dogs supporters...in front of the old stand rivalled anything that might have happened in the "Animal Enclosure" at Moorabbin!

Another winner, TCD!

[The Dogs Bollocks]

Thanks TCD good read!

[Sockeye Salmon]

There's a piece of footage that channel 7 drags out every so often where Ditterich belts, I think, Greenwood and Georgie is straight into him. George was 5' 6" and Ditterich was 6' 6".

[strebla]

Good work TCD never saw him play but remember him in a legends match at skinners

[bornadog]

I was pretty young when Georgie was playing. I remember my old man told me that he coped alot of racial abuse from not only other players but team members. He was a great player and really should have the Charlie hanging around his neck. I remember listening to the brownlow count in 1969 on the radio (yes those days no telecast) and being so dissapointed.

I was a student at Sunshine West High School and one year he made a trip out there. Those days players rarely visited schools and George was invited out, I was rapped to see him.

If you watch the Melbourne game (I think its Melb), there is a shot of George in the crowd.

[aker39]

If you watch the Melbourne game (I think its Melb), there is a shot of George in the crowd.

Yes it was the Melbourne game, he was sitting directly behind me.

[bornadog]

Yes it was the Melbourne game, he was sitting directly behind me.

Must go back and see if I can see you as well

[merantau]

Wee Georgie Bisset - what a bundle of mischief! A real Bulldog. Tons of courage, tons of cheek but he could walk the walk make no mistake about that. Was a very good wet weather footballer too. We don't see much wet weather football these days but back in Georgie's day grounds were often water logged mud heaps. A great pity he never got the Brownlow he so richly deserved. A Bulldog legend.