Obituary for Bill Dempsey

Obituary for Bill Dempsey

William Brian Dempsey MBE (born 17 March 1942) sadly passes 15 March 2026

Few football clubs sometimes are fortunate enough to be shaped by a person who represents everything the game stands for. At West Perth Football Club, that person is, and always will be, William Brian Dempsey.

Billy was, without question, one of the greatest players ever to wear the red and blue. From the moment he arrived from the Darwin in 1960, he gave everything he had to the club. Game after game, season after season, he played with courage, heart and an unshakable commitment to his teammates. His record of 343 games for West Perth—second only to Mel Whinnen in the club’s long and proud history—stands as a testament not only to his talent, but to his loyalty and resilience.

On the field he was a warrior of the ruck and a rock in defence. Wearing the Number 12, he will always be remembered. Off the field he was something even greater—a man whose character defined what it meant to be part of the West Perth family. A Breckler Medallist in 1966 and a premiership player in 1969 , 1971 and 1975 as well as the Simpson Medallist(69),as well as Club Captain and the spiritual leader of our club. Billy’s football achievements alone would have secured his place among the club’s legends. His recognition in the AFL, Northern Territory and the West Australian Football Halls of Fame confirm the enormous impact he had on the game across the country.

But statistics and honours only tell part of Billy’s story.

To so many of us, he was more than a champion footballer. He was the greatest clubman you could ever hope to meet, a man whose warmth, humility and generosity left a mark on everyone lucky enough to know him. Though not related by blood, he became family to so many—earning the title that says everything about the man he was: Uncle Billy.

He carried the values of his heritage and his upbringing in Birdum with quiet pride. He treated people with kindness and respect, whether they were teammates, supporters, or strangers meeting him for the first time. In a world where sporting heroes can sometimes feel distant, Billy was the opposite—approachable, genuine, and deeply decent.

Great footballers are remembered for what they did on the field. Truly great men are remembered for how they made people feel.

For those of us who had the privilege to know him, Uncle Billy will always be remembered as both. A champion of West Australian Football League football, a cornerstone of the West Perth Football Club, and one of the most decent human beings you could ever hope to meet.

And long after the final siren of his remarkable career, his legacy lives on—in the club he helped shape, in the people he inspired, and in the countless hearts that will forever call him Uncle Billy.

Legends never leave — they live on in the club they built.

Will always miss you Uncle Billy

Jimmy Caffieri

President West Perth Football Club.