In five seasons with Williamstown, Wheeler played 94 games, and he led the club to a premiership in 1986 and to Grand Finals in 1985 and 1988.
[3] He was active in the campaign against the merger, which was ultimately defeated on 23 October when the supporters raised enough money and sponsorship to make the club viable.
In the 1991 season Footscray's performance under Wheeler dropped when they finished tenth on the ladder with nine wins and twelve losses.
They however failed to make the premiership decider after losing in the preliminary final to Geelong, but Wheeler was named as coach of the All-Australian Team.
Wheeler was then replaced by Alan Joyce as Footscray Football Club senior coach.