The AFL is mourning the death of the two-time premiership winner who was a pioneer of the game as a player, coach and then recruiter.

The Geelong Cats are in mourning following the death of two-time premiership winner Cyril 'Bill' McMaster aged 94.

A towering ruckman, McMaster won flags in 1951 and 1952 and has been labeled a “pioneer of the game”.

Following his retirement from football in 1954, McMaster returned to the AFL club as a coach in 1971 for two seasons before becoming football's first full-time recruiting officer in 1973, a position he held for more than two decades.

McMaster was a crucial figure in the recruitment of Gary Ablett Sr., arguably the code's greatest player of all time, as well as players such as Greg Williams, Garry Hocking and Paul Couch.

His unique contribution to the sport earned him life membership at Geelong, as well as the Jack Titus Service Award and RJ Hickey Awards.

He also received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000.

The Geelong Cats are in mourning following the death of two-time premiership winner Cyril 'Bill' McMaster (right)

McMaster, a towering ruckman (pictured, second from left, second row from top) won flags in 1951 and 1952, and has been labeled a “pioneer of the game”.

McMaster was then a key figure for Geelong in recruiting Gary Ablett snr, arguably the code's greatest player of all time (pictured).

In January last year, McMaster was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the General Division for his service to Australian football in the south-west Barwon region.

McMaster recalled news corporation his excitement at winning back-to-back premierships in 1951 and 1952 with Geelong after he first attracted attention as a towering youngster with Lake Bolac and then Ararat Football Club.

“We had a very good team that played with spirit,” he said in 2023.

“It was just one of those sides that appear from time to time.

“That doesn't happen very often, you have to have specific players.

“Hick (coach Reg Hickey) was also very strong… he wouldn't tolerate any nonsense.”

McMaster was also part of a famous Cats team that won 26 games in a row in 1952-53.

Following a serious injury arising from the 1953 Grand Final defeat against Collingwood, McMaster returned to Lake Bolac, leading to consecutive flags in 1955 and '56.

Next up was a move to Mortlake for seven more seasons.