When George Hall was a lad he would stand outside the Subiaco gates on match day and wait for Haydn Bunton senior to arrive, then  carry the champion’s case of football gear into the dressing rooms, the reward for which was free entry.It was to be the beginning of a long association in all facets of the game for the youngster, during which he would be involved in several roles in three states.“About the only thing I didn’t do was sell tickets at the turnstiles,” he joked.A true raconteur of the sport, George Hall was a leading athlete in his teens, and in his final two years at Christian Brothers College was champion athlete of six events…..110 metres, 220 metres, 440 metres, high jump, long jump, and hurdles. Captain of the school football team and vice captain of the cricket eleven, he debuted for Subiaco as a seventeen year old in the under age competition during the war years. Hall could play almost anywhere, at five foot eleven almost the original ruck rover, but spent most of his time in defence, at full back or half back.“I remember the day against South Fremantle, when Bernie Naylor had five on the board by quarter time,” he said. “I went onto him then, and I was pretty quick, so was able to match him when he led, and he never scored in the second term. After half time I was joined by burly  “Scranno” Jenkins, whose chest started under his chin, and his job was to take me out of the play.” “Naylor got seven in the second half.”“Suby weren’t too flash then, they reckoned our backline was the fittest in the comp, because the ball was always there.”Hall became a “fixit” man, playing on most of the stars of the day, in a variety of positions, and held his own on players such as “Nugget” Hilsz, Clive Lewington, and Steve Marsh. After playing forty five games at Subiaco, he was transferred in his bank employment to Sydney in 1950, where he played with Western Suburbs. “It was a bit different over there,” he recalled. “On training nights while I’d be doing sprints the rest would be having a drink.”  Captain of the club in 1951, he also represented New South Wales , and served as captain and vice captain of the State side. In 1956 he lined up at full back against the visiting Perth team on a tall, skinny full forward. “After the game the bloke offered me his hand, quipping: “you may as well have both, you’ve been holding the other one all day,” George laughed.Hall was coaching when his old side, Subiaco visited in 1959. “They hadn’t been doing too well in the WAFL previous to that, but after playing us they never lost another home and away game when they got back, and made the finals,” he said. “We reckoned they must have learned something from us.”In 1960, George took up umpiring and officiated in the Sydney competition before another interstate transfer took him to Adelaide, where he continued his whistle blowing career. On his return to Perth in 1968 it was a natural progression to swap the whistle for a set of flags, and it was in that role that he officiated in the 1970 grand final between South Fremantle and Perth.“I was driving to a game at Bassendean one day when Wattsie came on the radio and said that Subiaco had brought up one of their players as a goal umpire,” George laughed. “Austin Robertson used to say: “watch the close ones, George.”“You certainly saw things from a different point of view.”When Hall hung the flags up, umpires advisor Ray Scott was quick to utilise his services as an umpires advisor, in which capacity he served for three seasons. George’s expertise was utilised later at Edgewater Amateurs, as goal umpire, “contributing two dollars which included a can after the game.”Hall rated Haydn Bunton senior, winner of three Brownlows and three Sandovers, as the best he’d seen, with Naylor, Hilsz, and Fred Buttsworth receiving honourable mentions, as well as  a North Shore opponent in Sydney, Max Mayo. “He was a full forward who came from Norwood in South Australia,” George said. “If he took a mark he’d give my hair a ruffle. He seemed to have extended arms, so I had a tactic against him of staying three metres in front. He later said it was the most infuriating tactic used against him.”Best team mates were Albert Howe and Bill Alderman.George took up bowls in later years, and played at Osborne Park, as well as enjoying some social tennis. He is a Fremantle Docker supporter and Subiaco member. He and wife Lorna had two daughters, Judith and Trisha, who have added five grandchildren to the family.George Hall had a comparatively brief league football stint at Subiaco, but enjoyed his many years in all facets of the game.  “My years as an umpire certainly gave me a different perspective,” he said.  At the age of eighty four he still loves nothing better than a yarn about the game he contributed so much to.