Before arriving at Essendon, Betson initually played with Miepoll,[1][2][3] Albury and was captain-coach of New South Wales club Culcairn. A follower, he appeared in six finals for Essendon but missed out on a spot in their 1942 premiership team, after only being named an emergency for the Grand Final. Betson did however participate in the 1943 VFL Grand Final and in the final seconds had a snap at goal which could have secured a draw, only to have the ball touched on the goal-line by a Richmond player.
Betson joined Glenelg in 1946 and spent much of his first year as captain-coach. He continued until 1949 just as a player but spent the 1948 season as captain. During this time, he represented the South Australians at interstate football. Betson then captain-coached Nathalia in 1950[4] and the following season played at Lemnos.
References
^"1936 - Win To Longwood". Weekly Times (Melbourne, Vic). 10 October 1936. p. 73. Retrieved 19 March 2024.