Australian Football

William Caldwell McClelland CBE, medical doctor and an Australian rules football player and administrator, was born at Buninyong, on Victoria's goldfields, to an Irish-born father (David) and his Victorian-born wife (Mary). McClelland went to Brighton Grammar School and then to the University of Melbourne, where he was awarded a BA in 1899, MA in 1901 and MB, BS in 1905.

McClelland joined the Melbourne Football Club in 1898 and was an often brilliant centre half-back. He played in the club's surprise 1900 premiership triumph and was elected as captain the following year, a position he filled for four seasons. Retiring at the end of the 1904 season with 75 games to his credit, McClelland focussed his energies on his medical career and he was medical officer to the Brighton City Council for more than four decades.

In 1912, McClelland became president of the Melbourne Football Club, a position he relinquished when elected to the presidency of the Victorian Football League (VFL) in 1926, succeeding Baldwin Spencer. He served in this capacity for two decades and from 1944 was also the president of the Melbourne Cricket Club, simultaneously holding the two highest profile sporting positions in Victoria for 12 years.

McClelland was granted a CBE for his services to both games in 1955. At the age of 81, he handed over the leadership of the VFL to Kenneth Luke, who was a more vocal opponent of the hold exerted by cricket clubs over the finances of VFL clubs. McClelland continued as president of the MCC until his death in 1957. He was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996.

In 1950, the VFL instituted the McClelland Trophy, awarded to the club with the best overall home-and-away record across the three levels, seniors, reserves and under 19s, over the course of the season. Since the abolition of the reserves and under 19s, the trophy has been awarded to the AFL's minor premiers each season.