Vic Belcher
| Vic Belcher | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Victor George Belcher | ||
| Date of birth | 24 August 1888 | ||
| Place of birth | near Launceston | ||
| Date of death | 3 January 1977 (aged 88) | ||
| Place of death | Brunswick | ||
| Original team(s) | Brunswick | ||
| Height | 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) | ||
| Weight | 80 kg (176 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1907–1920 | South Melbourne | 226 (62) | |
| Representative team honours | |||
| Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
| 1919 | Victoria | 2 | |
| Coaching career3 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (W–L–D) | |
| 1914–1917 | South Melbourne | 53 (30–21–1) | |
| 1922–1924 | Fitzroy | 57 (37–19–1) | |
| 1926–1927 | Fitzroy | 36 (12–23–1) | |
| Total | 146 (80–63–3) | ||
| Umpiring career | |||
| Years | League | Role | Games |
| 1921 1930 |
VFL VFL |
Boundary umpire Boundary umpire |
16 1 |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1920.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 1927.
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| Career highlights | |||
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| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Victor George Belcher (24 August 1888 – 3 January 1977) was an Australian rules footballer, coach and umpire in the (then) Victorian Football League.
Belcher was born at Hall's Track near Launceston and his family moved to Brunswick where he played for both All Stars and Coburg (VJFA) before joining his brother, Allan, at Brunswick in August 1905 .
Immediately successful as a defender, Belcher was selected in the back-pocket to represent the VFA in 1906 when they played the Bendigo and Northern District Association. That year he shared club's the best defender trophy. He was recruited by South Melbourne secretary Bert Howson and debuted for them in round 1, 1907. Despite residing in Brunswick, Belcher chose South because he supported them as a youth and cycled to the Lake Oval to train and play.
South made the 1907 grand final but lost to Carlton. Belcher began in defence but was moved to the ruck in the second quarter where he performed creditably. This match was an early indicator of Belcher's career. He was a tireless ruckman who could also play in a key position. South were premiers in 1909 and Belcher rucked the whole match.
In 1913 Belcher was elected South's captain, a position he would hold until 1917 and again in 1920. He 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 also play on each other during the match. Essendon were victors. Two weeks later they met again in the grand final but not as captains as Charlie Ricketts had returned from injury. South lost again and not until 2013, did brothers face each other in a grand final.
Belcher was appointed South Melbourne captain-coach from 1914–15 and 1917, losing the 1914 grand final and finishing fifth and seventh in the other seasons. South had withdrawn from the VFL in 1916 at the height of the First World War.
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