| Billy Picken | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Personal information | |||
| Date of birth | 7 June 1956 | ||
| Original team(s) | Macarthur | ||
| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | ||
| Weight | 81 kg (179 lb) | ||
| Playing career1 | |||
| Years | Club | Games (Goals) | |
| 1974–1983 | Collingwood | 207 (44) | |
| 1984–1985 | Sydney Swans | 28 (0) | |
| 1986 | Collingwood | 5 (2) | |
| Total | 240 (46) | ||
| 1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 1986. | |||
| Career highlights | |||
| |||
| Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com | |||
Billy Picken (born 7 June 1956) is a former Australian Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club and the Sydney Swans. Picken who was still at school arrived at Collingwood in 1974 from Macarthur as a forward but developed into one of the game's finest centre-half backs.
Despite playing in four losing Grand Finals Picken maintained his reputation as a finals performer & was recognised for his fine contributions when named in the Collingwood Team of the century.
Picken was a dashing defender, capable of taking a spectacular mark and dashing off with the ball turning defence into attack in an instant. A kink in his ability was his awkward kicking style and its lack of direction and penetration.
When Picken controversially moved to the Swans in 1984 he was hit by a succession of injuries for the first time in his career. He later returned to Victoria Park to captain-coach the reserves.
Picken is the father of former Western Bulldogs player, Liam Picken and former Brisbane Lions player Marcus Picken, and also the uncle of former Brisbane Lions captain, Jonathan Brown.
He also played first-grade cricket for Collingwood Cricket Club and had the dubious distinction of being the first first-grade cricketer ever to be suspended by the Victorian Cricket Association for striking an opponent during a cricket match.
External links
- Billy Picken's playing statistics from AFL Tables
- Collingwood Website
- Archived 4 December 2007 at the Wayback Machine