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      Western Bulldogs
Footscray   Steven Kolyniuk   Footscray

Number:

  2 Footscray

Western Bulldogs

Red white and Blue

Height:

  176

Weight:

  75

Birthday:

  5 July 1970

Period:

  1987 to 2000

Senior Games:

  177

Goals:

  198

Disposals:

  1225

Recruited From:

  St Albans
Honours:   Twice Teal Cup All-Australian. Victorian representative 1992. 5 finals. Nominated for Team of the Century.
  Played on the half forward flank, relying on his speed, ball playing ability and muscle power.

I could be wrong, but he debuted late in 1987 season (at Carrarra against Brisbane from memory) as a 16yo, hence probably got the nickname "Billy the Kid"

  

Footscray

  
Western Bulldogs Steven was often brilliant, sometimes inspirational. In one match against Collingwood at the MCG he grabbed the ball on the half back line, carried it forward, dodged and weaved and put it through the goals in the last few seconds to win the game.  
   
  He could play well while the rest of the team were not going well. Billy kicked 4.1 out if a total of 8.12 on that unbelievably windy night in that 5 point loss to West Coast in the 1999 Qualifying Final. He was pretty much the only one from the Bulldogs who didn't seem concerned by the conditions.


It was pity that both Billy and Scotty Wynd played their final game up in Brisbane in 2000 and we never got to send them off like we did Libba and Kritter.

  
   
  He copped a bad knee injury in 1994 that kept him out of the finals. He would have been handy in the finals that's for sure. Could always be counted on to come up with a goal when we really needed it. The year 1999 also started off badly with injury with him missing the first 20 rounds.  
   
Click to return to Home page He kicked 5 goals against Adelaide in round 11 1998, at the same time gathering up 29 possessions. He also had a hand in many other goals, a real team man, passing off to team mates. Billy was a personal favourite. Deadly around goals and was much under-rated by opposition defenders. I think he even played state of origin in 1992. Famous for taking on Graeme Wright against Collingwood in 1990 and finishing off the game for us. I always thought we were always more dangerous with Billy in the side.  
In 1997 Melbourne's Jeff Farmer accused Steve of racial abuse during a night match at the MCG. and took the case to the tribunal for mediation. After Mediation Steve made a full and gentlemanly apology.

I think he retired too early. Did he injure his back? When he clobbered Matera in the last Western Oval game and got 2 or 3 weeks, he never made it back into the side. His experience around goal would of been handy.