Winneke was also an outstanding Australian rules football player, who was ruckman in Hawthorn's inaugural VFL Premiership side in 1961, playing a total of 50 games for the club.
In 1970, Winneke was counsel assisting William Kaye in the "abortion graft inquiry", which inquired into allegations of corruption involving members of the Victorian Homicide Squad.
[1] In 1981, he was appointed as a Royal Commissioner by the Commonwealth of Australia and the State of Victoria to inquire into the affairs of the Builders Labourers Federation.
He appeared as senior counsel for Michael and Lindy Chamberlain before Justice Morling in the Royal Commission into their convictions for the murder of their infant daughter, Azaria Chamberlain.
[1] He appeared as counsel in the Royal Commission into the Westgate Bridge collapse,[1] in the Derwent River Bridge Inquiry, and in the Housing Commission of Victoria Inquiry.