Throughout the 1940's and 1950's, West Coast Rugby had one of it's finest and most successful eras, and one of the outstanding players and personalities of that time was Joseph Edward Gillan.

Riverton born Gillan played his entire club career with the United Rugby Club, while making his West Coast debut in 1940 as a 17 year old at fullback in a 12-8 Rundle Cup victory over Buller at Rugby Park Greymouth.

Gillan was only playing third grade club rugby the season before, but his fine debut season in the senior competition earned him his first taste of representative action for West Coast. Although only earning the solitary cap in the 1940 season, the following year the selectors were still interested in him, and he earned a further four caps.

In 1942 Gillan played all five games in West Coast's season, three as a fullback and then two as a wing, the position he would become synonomus with. Gillan then put his representative career on hold until the 1946 season, after becoming a father for the first time in 1942.

Back in the West Coast side again in 1946 he was used a fullback replacement, and in the 1947 and 1948 seasons he played as a second five eight with the one game at centre, as the selectors had trouble finding players talented enough to fill that position.

In 1949 he was back playing on the wing where he used his solid frame and strong running ability to quickly become a crowd favourite, with his popularity continuing throughout his career. 1949 was also the year he cemented his place in the side while becoming an integral member of the team. Gillan was at the time compared to West Coast and All Black great Jack Steel and although Gillan didn't quite have the same outright pace as his fellow wing, the two were both known for the same barging, bumping runs and often used powerful fend. Gillan used his imposing physique to his advantage and developed a great skill of bumping off would be tacklers with his hips, a talent he became well known for.

Such was Gillan's popularity amongst the Rugby Park faithful that he earned the nickname of 'Bumper Joe Gillan', with the local crowd often calling out "Have a go Joe' from the side line, with spectators urging him on to make another of his barnstorming trademark runs.

Gillan's fine form throughout the 1949 season won him selection in the West Coast-Buller combined side that famously upset the touring 1949 Wallabies 17-15 at Rugby Park, the loss being the Wallabies only one on their tour that included two test wins against the All Blacks.

In the 1950 season, Gillan was West Coast's standout back and he had a strong performance against the touring 1950 British and Irish Lions played in front of a 4000 strong Rugby Park crowd, and from the fine form he showed that season, he was duly selected for the South Island side for the first time. This achievement would be repeated the following season, the year he also earned an All Black trial at Lancaster Park in Christchurch, which was a match between the South Island probables and South Island possibles , with Gillan playing for the probables team. 

While Gillan was famous for his hard running and try scoring ability, in 1951 he remarkably kicked a drop goal from the sideline near halfway against a Canterbury team featuring eight All Blacks at Rugby Park during a Queens Birthday fixture, a match in which he also scored a try in a famous 18-14 win to West Coast. The incredible feat that afternoon earned Gillan another nickname that would stick, of 'Dropper Joe'. Interestingly enough, the Canterbury team didn't kick the ball to him again in the match fearing a repeat, and the drop goal was interestingly the only one in Gillan's long representative career.

In 1952 Gillan scored two tries against the touring New Zealand Maori side, in a match where he teamed up alongside centre Eric Walker, also a double try scorer that day, with one of the tries being described as one of the greatest ever seen at Rugby Park, during the hard fought 23-30 loss.

Gillan will be remembered fondly by those who saw him play in the famous West Coast sides of the early 50's, when they defended the prized Seddon Shield a record 14 times from 1950 to 1953. The West Coast team in those seasons had wonderful players such Jim and Allan Lindbom, George Nelson, Eric Walker, Francis Gugich, Ray Breeze, and had crowds pouring through the gates of Rugby Park in their thousands to watch them play.

In 1954, Gillan again scored a brace of tries in a match against a touring side, this time against a star studded Centurions XV. The visitors were captained by All Black great Bob Scott and featured numerous All Blacks and provincial stars from around New Zealand. The West Coast side put up a great showing in the match, narrowly losing by 27-32, a match in which Gillan was vice captain.

Whilst carving out a reputation as a fierce winger, Gillan was also known as a master tactician and also very versatile when called upon, playing in every back-line position for his province in a 62 match career except halfback, whilst also being the sides vice-captain on a number of occasions.

During his 62 game West Coast career spanning from 1940 to 1955, Gillan scored a total of 16 tries, while kicking the one drop goal for a total of 52 points, during a career that would total 66 first class games. If injury hadn't blighted the early and end part of career, his tally of West Coast caps would surely have been a lot higher.

Forced to retire from representative Rugby due to medical reasons in 1955, Gillan still helped out his beloved United club when short of numbers, playing into his mid forties. Gillan was still playing regularly as late as the 1966 season, where he still showed a lot of his old cunning and skill, while proving a wonderful inspiration to his much younger team mates. Gillan then transferred his love and knowledge of the game to coaching the senior United team in 1968.

Joe Gillan sadly passed away the following year in 1969, aged 46 years of age.