Hutchinson was used in a variety of positions during his football career including centreman, half back and half forward. In his first two seasons he won the Lynn Medal as East Fremantle's fairest and best player. He captain-coached the club to a premiership
in 1937, as a half back flanker. The following two seasons ended in grand final losses, both to
Claremont.
In 1939 he was captain-coach of the Western Australian interstate football team which took on Victoria. Hutchinson sought a clearance to West Perth for
the 1940 season but, because it wasn't granted by East Fremantle, he had to sit out the entire season. He was able to coach West Perth
in 1941, and not only steered them to that year's premiership but also to the
1942 'under-age' premiership. When he returned to coaching
in 1946, following his war service, he had received the clearance he sought, which meant that he was able to take the field for West Perth and steer the club to a losing grand final. He made the move to South Fremantle in 1947 and was captain-coach of their premiership team that year, kicking two goals in the Grand Final from the half forward flank. In 1948 he again coached the club to a premiership, but he had retired as a player and it was only in an off-field capacity. Hutchinson continued as non playing coach in 1949, his final season. South Fremantle finished in third position, the only time he failed to coach a WANFL club into the grand final. Hutchinson is one of only two people to have coached three separate WA(N)FL clubs to premierships;
John Todd was the other. He steered each of the clubs to premierships in his very first year. He coached 176 WANFL games in total, 72.4% of which were won. ==War service==