Bill is an icon of Australian Rules Football. He debuted for the West Perth Football Club in 1960, and by the time he retired 16 years later, he had played 343 games for the cardinals. He made some significant history at the club, winning a best and fairest in 1966, the Simpson medal in 1969 and was a member of the premiership teams in 1969,1971 and 1975. The 1975 premiership win is of particular importance as Dempsey was the captain. Dempsey was named in the year 2000, as a back pocket in West Perth’s team of the century. An inaugural inductee of the West Australian Football Hall of Fame in 2004, Dempsey was also named as a back pocket in the AFL Indigenous team of the century in 2005 and in 2010 he was inducted as a legend into the AFL Northern Territory Hall of Fame.
Bill has lived a remarkable life and has some powerful stories to tell, which he’s done in his recently released biography, ‘ The boy from Birdum’, an inspiring read.
Despite all the achievements Bill has conquered through his Football career, he’s always been about helping his people and paving the way for the next generation of kids!
