As a forward or ruckman, Wilkinson spent two seasons at Richmond after failing to make his mark with Melbourne.
The next phase of his career took place in the Northern Tasmanian Football Association (NTFA) where he played with City-South.
As captain-coach during the 1960s, Wilkinson steered his club to premierships in 1962 and 1966 as well as a win over Hobart in the 1966 Tasmanian State Grand Final at York Park.
After retiring, Wilkinson was a commentator on ABC radio for the NTFA and Statewide League.
Inducted into the Tasmanian Football Hall of Fame in 2007, Wilkinson has also been honoured as the captain of the official City-South 'Team of the Century'.