A giant of football, the late Bill Dempsey, is being remembered as one of the greats on the field and a very special man off it, who touched countless lives.

Mr Dempsey passed away aged 83 in Boorloo / Perth on March 15.

Respected widely in the game as a remarkable year-round footballer, he debuted at the top level as a teenager with Darwin Buffaloes in 1959 before joining WAFL club West Perth the following year. He spent most of his career in the west over winter and in the Territory through the summer months, in effect playing two seasons a year.

A member of the Stolen Generations, Mr Dempsey rose to greatness and left a permanent mark on Australian sport.

He played close to 500 senior games, earning a best-and-fairest and Simpson medal at West Perth, captaining both West Perth and Darwin, and collecting six premierships split evenly between clubs in a near two-decade career between 1959 and 1976.

His honours including inductions into the Australia Football, WA Football and AFLNT Halls of Fame - including as an inaugural legend in the Top End.

Born in the small town of Birdum, around 500 kilometers south of Darwin, Mr Dempsey would go on to carve a legendary legacy into footy.

He was also named in the Indigenous Team of the Century in 2005.

Mr Dempsey's brother, John Paterson, told National Indigenous Times his brother was born under a tree and went on to achieve remarkable feats in football. It wasn't something he wanted to dwell on, however, Dr Paterson said, instead seeing football as the vehicle he had in his life and used to make a difference in the lives of others.

"He'd rather help people get better housing, get a good education, get inmates out of prisons and hopefully onto a better life...social justice and human rights passion was one of his other main drivers. Football was a vehicle that he used to get those stories out there," Dr Paterson said.

"He wasn't looking for attention, the attention drew itself to him with all these achievements.

"He wouldn't want us to be sad and sombre. It's all about celebrating his life, and that's what we'll do."

The respect and accolades Mr Dempsey earned on the field speaks for itself, Dr Paterson said.

"Off the field, he was a very generous, kind hearted. People warmed to him because they saw him as a mentor, a coach, a leader, somebody down to earth that they could go and have a yarn with," he said.

Dr Paterson noted players like Maurice Rioli, Lyndsay McGuinness, Benny Vigona and Basil Campbell were among those Mr Dempsey offered to guide as they entered the WAFL.

Mr Dempsey even opened his doors to young players arriving to Boorloo/Perth. Dr Paterson described his brother as "generous, resilient, unselfish".

Darwin Buffaloes wrote: "From his early days in Darwin to the heights of the WAFL, Bill was a man of immense resilience, skill, and character. He leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire generations of players, particularly those following in his footsteps from the Top End."

His original club paid their respects to a man who had a "profound" impact on the game, and his family.

West Perth remembered Mr Dempsey as "without question, one of the greatest players ever to wear the red and blue".

"On the field he was a warrior of the ruck and a rock in defence," the club wrote in an obituary. "Off the field he was something even greater—a man whose character defined what it meant to be part of the West Perth family."

Falcons president Jimmy Caffieri said: "In a world where sporting heroes can sometimes feel distant, Billy was the opposite—approachable, genuine, and deeply decent."

"Great footballers are remembered for what they did on the field. Truly great men are remembered for how they made people feel," he said.

"For those of us who had the privilege to know him, Uncle Billy will always be remembered as both. A champion of West Australian Football League football, a cornerstone of the West Perth Football Club, and one of the most decent human beings you could ever hope to meet."

In 1968, Mr Dempsey was joined at West Perth by fellow future Hall of Famer and Indigenous trailblazer Grahame 'Polly' Farmer, returning west from the VFL.

The pair's friendship carried on long after they hung up the boots.

Kim Farmer, Polly's daughter, told National Indigenous Times Mr Dempsey was the patriarch of his family, and a much-loved man.

"People loved Bill," Ms Farmer said.

She said anyone who approached him was greeted with warmth and a list of stories to tell.

"He's one of those people that made everyone feel special, and everyone feels like they've lost a really close friend."

Mr Dempsey was also involved in the Polly Farmer Foundation - which works to empower and mentor Indigenous students through school.

His granddaughter is an alumni and tutor with the Foundation.

"He believed in the pursuit of education for young Aboriginal people to succeed. Bill was very intrinsic in the foundation," Ms Farmer said.

Remembering Mr Dempsey, the Foundation described him as a "true giant of the game, a loyal friend, and a man of immense character" who's legacy will live on in those he inspires.

"Bill's impact on Australian football and the communities he represented was immense. His extraordinary career across Western Australia and the Northern Territory, his leadership on and off the field, and his role in paving the way for future generations of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander players will never be forgotten."

In 2022, Mr Dempsey was celebrated as the year's honouree for the AFL's Sir Doug Nicholls Round.

Within an "extraordinary career" Mr Dempsey starred with his abilities at the time when the individual states leagues were the pinnacle of football, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said.

"He devoted his working life after football to supporting his community and was an incredibly humble recipient of the Sir Doug Nicholls award, always talking of his desire for people to be able to see the point of view of others," Mr Dillon added.

The league acknowledged Mr Dempsey as a "trailblazer for stars coming to the game from the Northern Territory".

AFLNT chairman Sean Bowden said Dempsey was a person who made others' lives better and remains a beloved figure.

"WA Football chief executive Brad Wira said Mr Dempsey "was a true legend of WA and Australian football, highlighted by his induction into both the WA Football Hall of Fame and, more recently, the Australian Football Hall of Fame, recognising his monumental contribution to the game".

Many have expressed their sympathy and love for Mr Dempsey's family at this time.