By David Nagel
Since 1954 the Norm Walker Medal has been the highest individual honour bestowed on a player in the South West Gippsland Football League (SWGFL) – and adaptations of the league there after – but just who is the man this highest accolade in football is named after?
Norm Walker was born in Camberwell in 1918, the son of Edmund Walker and Jeanette Young, had a brother called Jack and they both went to school in Gardiner.
Edmund passed away in 1928, just five years before Norm was named best player for Victoria at the Australian Junior Championships in Brisbane.
Norm moved to the region as a 17-year-old, working on his Aunt Mable Young’s farm in Wenn Road Cardinia.
He played his early football for Cranbourne but transferred to his local club Rythdale-Cardinia when it was formed on April 5, 1938.
The then 20-year-old married Mona Bould and they had four children Beverley, Irene, Norma and Geoff. He continued to farm the district and was contracted by the army as a food supplier.
But it was on Saturday’s when his food truck transformed into a people mover, transporting players to and from games after his family removed the sides of his truck and given it a good clean.
Norm was a very talented sportsman, representing the district in country week cricket and playing for West Gippsland in interleague football in 1945.
His family remembers his playing style as having a lot in common with Leigh Matthews.
Tough and uncompromising at the contest with the ability to let what happened on the field stay on the field.
He was captain/coach of Rythdale-Cardinia in 1947, and a year later combined his on-field and off-field activities – having a huge impact in both spheres of the game.
As a player he won the club’s best and fairest award in 1950 and finished second in the Dandenong and District Football League’s top individual award.
He played a huge part in Rythdale-Cardinia playing its first ever final that year. He was vice-captain and among the best players in a semi-final victory over Dandenong that saw his team through to the preliminary final.
The team finished fourth in 1951, making its way through to the grand final where it lost to Cranbourne by 19 points. Walker was named in the best players in all three finals and finished fourth in the league medal count.
One of Norm’s great memories as a leader was coaching Bill Morris, who would go on to win the 1948 Brownlow Medal with Richmond.
But it’s as an administrator where Norm Walker made his biggest mark.
At club level he was secretary of Rythdale-Cardinia from 1948 to ’51, he was president from 1954 to ’59 and a selector from 1950 to ’58. He was the club’s delegate to the league from 1950 to ’54.
Norm was the inaugural president and a founding member of the South West Gippsland Football League – founded in 1953 and commencing in 1954.
He was president of both Rythdale-Cardinia and the SWGFL when the club won its first premiership in 1955 and was league president until 1958.
His services were recognised at all levels, becoming a life member of the SWGFL in 1955 and life member of the Rythdale-Cardinia Football Club in 1960.
The family sold its property in 1960 and made the move to Leongatha.
SOUTH WEST GIPPSLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE (SWGFL) – LEAGUE BEST AND FAIREST WINNERS
NORM WALKER MEDAL
1954 Norman Jackson Rythdale-Cardinia
1955 Gil Savory Rythdale-Cardinia
1956 Gil Savory Rythdale-Cardinia
1957 Gil Savory Rythdale-Cardinia
1958 Herbert Williams Cranbourne
1959 E. Lewis Beaconsfield
1960 Ian Watson Rythdale-Cardinia
1961 Rob Porter Officer
1962 Steven Greenwood Berwick
1963 Ian Banks Rythdale-Cardinia
1964 Merv Brown Lyndhurst/Hampton Park
1965 Barry Obst Narre Hallam
1966 Tony Jenner Tooradin-Dalmore
1967 Leo Kubiel Rythdale-Cardinia
1968 John Martello Cranbourne
1969 John Martello Cranbourne
1970 Frank Clifford Doveton
1971 William Morrison Tooradin-Dalmore
1972 Larry Childs Narre Hallam
William Morrison Tooradin-Dalmore
1973 Terry Davey Beaconsfield
1974 William Morrison Tooradin-Dalmore
1975 Kurt Oswald Hampton Park
Michael Lambert Hampton Park
1976 Keith Robins Chelsea Heights
1977 Peter Oakes Chelsea Heights
1978 Peter Oakes Chelsea Heights
1979 Keith Robins Chelsea Heights
Peter Da Rose Cranbourne
1980 Lyn Studham Beaconsfield
1981 Kevin Gehling Berwick
1982 Steve Fanning Chelsea Heights
1983 Barry Frazer Doveton
David Wade Narre Hallam
1984 David Wade Narre Hallam
1985 Peter Lindsay Narre Hallam
1986 Trevor Thompson Cranbourne
1987 Ian Hunter Keysborough
1988 David Wade Narre Hallam
1989 Paul Smit Chelsea Heights
1990 Pat McGavigan Beaconsfield
1991 Peter Lindsay Narre Hallam
1992 Darren Lunt Hampton Park
1993 Stephen Jackson Keysborough
1994 Tom Fowler Keysborough
MORNINGTON PENINSULA NEPEAN FOOTBALL LEAGUE
1995 John Cayhan Doveton
1996 Daniel Watts Karingal
1997 Darren Hamilton Keysborough
1998 Chris Garrett Cranbourne
Leigh Clifford Doveton
1999 Leigh Capsalis Cranbourne
2000 Brad Molineaux Berwick
2001 Leigh Stewart Frankston
2002 Lincoln Withers Pakenham
2003 Dan O’Loughlin Pakenham
2004 Robert Taylor Beaconsfield
CASEY CARDINIA FOOTBALL LEAGUE
2005 Daniel Charles Beaconsfield
2006 Dan O’Loughlin Tooradin
2007 Beau Miller Tooradin
2008 Brad Scalzo Narre Warren
2009 Russell Gabriel Doveton
2010 Michael Henry Doveton
2011 Beau Miller Tooradin
2012 Marc Holt Cranbourne
2013 Scott Meyer Beaconsfield
2014 Dom Paynter Pakenham
Scott Meyer Beaconsfield
SOUTH EAST FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
2015 Madi Andrews Berwick
Russell Gabriel Doveton
2016 Scott Meyer Beaconsfield
2017 Madi Andrews Berwick
2018 Madi Andrews Berwick
