William Ellis Green

LEGENDARY cartoonist William Ellis Green has died, at the age of 85. His iconic footy posters were a Grand Final tradition for more than half a century.

Known to most by his initials, WEG died in hospital, with his wife of 60 years, Joan, at his bedside.

Tributes flowed to a man whose drawing career started at the Melbourne Herald in 1946.

His iconic footy premiership posters became a Grand Final tradition for more than 50 years.

His first poster was in 1954 when Footscray won their first and only premiership.

The posters, originally sold for two shillings by The Herald and later the Herald Sun, raised more than $2 million for the Royal Children's Hospital.

So determined was WEG to contribute to the hospital appeal that he discharged himself from hospital two weeks before this year's Grand Final to make sure he could draw the posters.

It was to be his last major work.

Long-time friend and business partner Geoff Bridgeman said doctors told WEG he would not last more than a day if he left the hospital, but WEG insisted on drawing the posters.

"There were two things he wanted to do. One was to draw the posters and the second was to get to the Herald Sun shop to do the signings the morning after the Grand Final,'' he said.

Mr Bridgeman said WEG was like a father to him.

"Everyone he has touched loved him,'' he said.

"He was very family-oriented. He loved his family, his kids, grandkids and great grandkids.

"I think he just wanted to see Christmas out, to see all the family.''

WEG joined The Herald in 1946, filling in for political cartoonist Sammy Wells who was on six weeks leave. WEG went on to spend 40 years at the paper.

When he retired in 1986, he continued working as a caricaturist and illustrator with his work appearing in cricket books by Max Walker, on stamps and in children's books.

And his premiership posters become so coveted, one collector paid up to $5000 for Collingwood's 1958 premiership poster.

WEG died after suffering from ill-health following two heart attacks in September and pneumonia.

Herald & Weekly Times managing director Peter Blunden paid tribute to WEG, saying the company was proud of its long association with the artist.

"Nothing is more synonymous with Melbourne and football than a WEG poster,'' Mr Blunden said.

"But WEG will be fondly remembered not only as an iconic artist but as a great Australian, generous and loyal.

"Every year he donated his time, effort and talent to the Royal Children's Hospital to produce and help market his famous Grand Final posters.''

The Royal Children's Hospital Good Friday Appeal executive director Christine Unsworth said WEG's posters raised more than $2million for the appeal.

"He was a wonderful supporter of the Good Friday Appeal for decades,'' she said.

"His contribution has been magnificent.

"He never asked for anything and he always came in on the day after the Grand Final to sign the posters.

"WEG will be greatly missed - not just as a great contributor to the appeal but as a good friend.''

Former Sun cartoonist Geoff Hook said he regarded WEG as a mentor.

"He was more of an icon to me than a rival,'' he said.

Herald Sun cartoonist Mark Knight said WEG was a hard act to follow when he started at The Herald in the late 1980s.

"WEG was an institution in this town. Both he and Geoff Hook strode the cartooning landscape like giants. Not bad for a bloke who was only 5 tall!''

"He would get invited to corporate functions and end up drawing all of the guests.

"They would line up in front of Bill, the queue extending out the door, all wanting to go home with a WEG original in their hand.''

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said WEG and his posters were part of the city's footy fabric.
"Everybody from the PM to the captains of industry, everyone has a poster,'' he said.

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou said WEG was part of a great football tradition.

"His Grand Final posters ... have been a staple part of the premiership ritual since 1954,'' he said.

Friend and former Herald colleague George Haddon remembered WEG as a great cartoonist and a kind man.

"When I started at The Herald in 1959 he sat at the desk opposite me.

"WEG would be extraordinarily generous with his time. He was just a great guy.''

Australian Cartoonists' Association patron Vane Lindesay said WEG was the first cartoonist to introduce the "pocket cartoon'', a small topical drawing for the news pages.

"With the passing of WEG, Australia has lost another exceptional talent,'' Mr Haddon said.

In 2001 WEG received the medal of the Order of Australia for his services to art and the community.

In 2003 his drawing skills earned him the Jim Russell lifetime achievement award from the Australian Cartoonists' Association.

He even became a crime-fighter in 2006, when at the age of 82, he confronted a burglar running through his back yard.

WEG called the police and drew a caricature of the offender who was soon identified and arrested.