Australian Football

A tearaway back pocket player who combined excellent defensive qualities with a fair amount of flair, Geelong's Billy McCarter was without doubt one of the foremost defenders of his generation. He joined Geelong from East Geelong and made his VFL debut in the opening round of the 1913 season at home to Richmond. His sure hands coupled with tremendous anticipation gave him a head start over most resting rovers, and he liked nothing better than to embark on an exhilarating dash downfield which he would typically round off with an accurate pass to a team mate.

Despite standing only 170cm in height, McCarter could spring high for marks, and was not averse to 'mixing it' if the occasion demanded. Always cool and clever under pressure, McCarter rarely put in a poor performance. He missed the five seasons between 1916 and 1920 while on military service, but he had lost none of his sparkle and vim when he resumed in 1921. He continued playing until the end of the 1924 season, by which time he had played 114 matches, kicking seven goals. He also made five interstate appearances for the Big V.

Author - John Devaney