21 Facts About Vic Belcher

Victor George Belcher was an Australian rules footballer, coach and umpire in the Victorian Football League.

Immediately successful as a defender, Vic Belcher was selected in the back-pocket to represent the VFA in 1906 when they played the Bendigo and Northern District Association.

Vic Belcher was recruited by South Melbourne secretary Bert Howson and debuted for them in round 1,1907.

Vic Belcher began in defence but was moved to the ruck in the second quarter where he performed creditably.

Vic Belcher was a tireless ruckman who could play in a key position.

South were premiers in 1909 and Vic Belcher rucked the whole match.

In 1913 Vic Belcher was elected South's captain, a position he would hold until 1917 and again in 1920.

Vic Belcher had been stand-in captain in the 1912 semi-final against his brother's Essendon side and as a result they became the first brother's to not only captain opposing sides, but to play on each other during the match.

Vic Belcher was appointed South Melbourne captain-coach from 1914 to 1915 and 1917, losing the 1914 grand final and finishing fifth and seventh in the other seasons.

When he began playing senior football, Vic Belcher was a ruckman, being as fine a performer in that position as any man playing.

Vic Belcher possesses fine spring and determination, was a hard man to beat and was a manly opponent.

In 1996, Vic Belcher was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame and in 2003 was named in the Sydney Swans Team of the Century.

Vic Belcher was the last survivor of the 1909 premiership team.

Vic Belcher played regularly until a groin injury in a representative match ended his on-field season.

Vic Belcher returned to Melbourne as non-playing coach of Fitzroy from 1926 to 1927; then, he moved to a junior team, East Brunswick, as playing-coach in 1928.

Vic Belcher had two stints as an umpire with the VFL and a single season with the VFA.

Vic Belcher was accepted and made his debut as a boundary umpire in round two's Melbourne versus Collingwood match earning Heritage Number 134.

Vic Belcher umpired 16 VFL matches during the season, all on the boundary, and was appointed to the 1921 VFL Grand Final.

In 1928, Vic Belcher trialled as a boundary umpire for the VFL but was unsuccessful and instead field umpired in the VFA seconds for the season.

Vic Belcher trialled again in 1930 and was placed on the VFL list as a field umpire.

Vic Belcher was appointed to the Benalla-Mulwala Association grand final which became a particularly violent match.