Cyril James ‘Bill’ McMaster remembered as a pioneer and devoted Cats man
A key component of Geelong’s back-to-back premierships in the early 1950s has been remembered as a “true gentleman”, a lover of horses and a loyal servant of the game of Aussie Rules.
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A footballing pioneer and two-time Geelong premiership player has been remembered as “a true gentleman” who selflessly served the game of Aussie Rules and possessed a great love of horses.
Some Cats greats were in attendance at a memorial service for the late Cyril James “Bill” McMaster OAM at Kardinia Park on Thursday afternoon, from Barry Stoneham, Bill Brownless, Joel Selwood to current club chief executive Steven Hocking.
The Lake Bolac-born Cats life member, former coach and recruiter, lovingly known as “Bronco” by those who knew him best, died at the age of 94 on January 7.
On Thursday, former Geelong vice president Bob Gartland said McMaster had faithfully served the hoops for decades, rightfully earning multiple accolades for his dedication to the game.
“Bill McMaster’s name will forever be written into the pages of the history of our club, his footprints are everywhere,” Gartland said.
“He will remembered as a player, a coach, a recruiter and historian, but most importantly Bill McMaster will be remembered as a true gentleman.
“A good and humble man, who selflessly served and loved this club and who truly loved the game of football.”
Family friend and host Lou Mitchell said she had known the McMasters for 30 years.
“To know this family is to love them, especially ‘Bronco’,” Mitchell said.
“Celebration is the key word here today, of a life incredibly well-lived.
“It was a crackin’ life.”
Grandson Ashby Smith said McMaster and his four “busy and active” brothers grew up playing cricket, kicking a footy, catching eels and riding horses at Lake Bolac — Bill even learned to knit woollen socks for the war effort.
“For pa, farm life and sport were part of the fabric of his early years,” Smith said.
Smith said the graft and toil of those two pursuits built McMaster’s character and forged his identity and values.
McMaster would first learn the game of footy in primary school, unaware the profound impact it would have on him in future years.
“Football stayed with pa, and his life never ventured far from it,” Smith said.
“It was easy to see why we all loved him, he was a good man.”
The service heard McMaster would later board at St Joseph’s College, watching his boyhood idol, full forward Lindsay White play at Kardinia Park on weekends.
Returning to the farm at 17, McMaster would play at centre half forward in a losing grand final by just three points.
They were different days then, with some players enjoying a sherry during games if the weather was chilly enough, or a smoke, while training sometimes involved a few laps before getting to the local pub before it closed at 6pm.
However, he would soon play in Lake Bolac’s first flag in 19 years in 1948 — the first of many premiership in his footy life.
In all, McMaster was part of eight premiership teams, and his skills initially caught the attention of Melbourne recruiters in the summer of 49-50, but he had no interest in moving to the big smoke.
However, his sporting life would change when legendary Geelong coach Reg Hickey rang up the family home hoping McMaster would come down to Kardinia Park for a run.
“Bill had finished milking when his mother said: ‘There’s someone on the phone called Reg Hickey’,” Gartland said.
Knowing that Leo Turner was playing for the Cats, who he knew from his time at St Joseph’s, McMaster agreed on the spot, and later asked for the number seven, just like his hero, White.
Despite further overtures from the Demons, and later Collingwood, McMaster would remain committed to the hoops for the rest of his life, playing his part in the back-to-back flags of 51-52.
McMaster would remain on the family farm and commute to games on weekends during those years, playing 61 games for the Cats and booting 75 goals.
And he would put his body on the line, too, once having his ankle pinned together with screws during a mid-season exhibition match in Ballarat in 1954, his last campaign with the Cats.
He would return as coach in 1971, before making way for Polly Farmer and in turn became the first VFL recruiting officer to be paid.
McMaster would hold the position for 21 years, famously securing the services of Gary Ablett Snr.
“Bill McMaster remained closely connected to the club for an amazing 75 years,” Gartland said.
“Bill never imagined the impact football would have on his life.
“And the profound impact he would have on football.”
Originally published as Cyril James ‘Bill’ McMaster remembered as a pioneer and devoted Cats man
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