Who Is Billy Picken Wife? Family Life On Former Collingwood Star

William Robert Picken was a professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Collingwood Football Club and the Sydney Swans in the Victorian Football League.

He was born on June 7, 1956, and passed away on July 23, 2022. (VFL). Picken was a striker when he first came to Collingwood in 1974 from Macarthur, but with time Picken evolved into a superb center-half back position.

Picken was still in school at the time. Even though he participated in four grand finals in which his team was defeated, Picken managed to uphold his status as a scorer in the finals. As a reward for his efforts, he was included in the Collingwood Team of the Century.

Picken was a daring defender who could take a fantastic mark and rush off with the ball, converting defense into offense in a heartbeat. He was a speedy defender. His ungainly kicking style, along with the lack of direction and incision, was a weakness in his abilities.

Picken passed away on July 23, 2022, at 66. 

Who Is Billy Picken’s Wife, Julie Picken?

As per reports and sources, Billy Picken was married to Julie Picken, and they were happy in their relationship.

Billy and Julie had three children, Marcus Picken and Liam Picken, who played for AFL, and Sean Picken. Liam was a former player of Western Bulldogs. Marcus, on the other hand, was also playing for Brisbane Lions.

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Picken’s son Liam is wedded to Annie Nolan, who works as a social commentator and blogger. With Annie, Liam has three children – a son and two twin daughters. As a result of the several head injuries he experienced while playing in the AFL, Liam Picken has committed to contributing his brain in the expectation that it would contribute to the advancement of studies into chronic traumatic encephalopathy.

 Bill Picken Passed Away 

Billy Picken was a revered figure in the history of Australian football who passed away on July 23.

The news of his passing has left his followers surprised and saddened. He was a skilled player who represented his nation with distinction in several international competitions and matches.

The AFL team, the Magpies, were already grieving the loss of another former player, Con Britt, when they received the news of Picken’s passing. This made the Magpies’ defeat feel even more profound.

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Remembering Billy Picken: Sympathy And Obituary

Jeff Browne, president of Collingwood, sent his sympathies to Picken’s friends and family after learning of his passing.

Browne remembered Billy as a magnificent player, a sprinter defender who could take a massive grab, and a player who did exceptionally well in finals contests. He further said that Billy was a player who fared amazingly well in final matches. Browne also recalls that Billy quickly became a fan favorite after making his debut, as seen by the number 25 prominently displayed on the back of numerous Black and White jumpers and duffle coats worn by Collingwood supporters.

Picken will be regarded as one of the finest center-halfbacks of his day and one of the greatest players in the history of Collingwood Football Club. He was one of the best players to wear the club’s colors.

Billy Picken’s Career Timeline

When Billy Picken moved from Macarthur to Collingwood, he brought with him a record as a competent forward.

However, his striking was so erratic and lacked precision that he was relegated to the backlines. Throughout his career, Picken became one of the most accomplished center halfbacks in the league, and his exceptional aerial prowess became his signature strength.

Picken was a big-time player who won the title for the Magpies’ “best player in finals” four times, but unfortunately, the grand finals that his team played in but lost in 1977, 1979, 1980, and 1981 were the closest he came to winning a championship.

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Picken first appeared in the Victorian Football League (VFL) with the Pies in 1974. His heartfelt approach to the game and his particular fondness for quickly taking a “screamer” made him a firm favorite among the enthusiasts, who nicknamed him “Bustling Billy.” In 1975, Picken retired from playing in the VFL. Wilbur was the nickname that his colleagues gave him since he was so well-liked by everyone on the squad. In addition to winning the Copeland Trophy twice, he came in second place for the award three times.

It was part of his unique persona to provide commentary on how he was doing throughout a game, which won him the affection of his teammates but did not go down well with some of his adversaries. He was a very memorable figure.

In 1984, he was traded to Sydney for the price of $155,000; however, he could only play in 28 senior games throughout two seasons due to injuries, and his total effect was less than anticipated. In the 1986 season, he returned to the Magpies, presumably as the captain-coach of the twos. However, he also played a bunch of old games, bringing his total number of games played to 212 and the significant number of goals kicked to 46.

Marcus and Liam Picken, sons of Billy Picken, both played Australian Football League football, with Liam Picken winning the championship with the Western Bulldogs in 2016.

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