The Western Suburbs Magpies (legal name: Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club Ltd) is an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as the club is commonly referred to, was one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia. The club, as a sole entity, departed the top-flight competition in 1999 after forming a 50–50 joint venture with Balmain Tigers to form the Wests Tigers. The club currently fields sides in the NSW State Cup (Canterbury Cup), Ron Massey Cup (Opens),[2]S.G. Ball Cup (Under 19's) and Harold Matthews Cup (Under 17's) competitions.
Campbelltown Stadium, which has a capacity of 18,000, is the club's home stadium.
History
The club was one of the foundation members of the Sydney rugby football league competition in 1908. Founded at a meeting on 4 February 1908 at Ashfield Town Hall, they won only one match the following season so were the League's first wooden spooners (after Cumberland were awarded an extra bye).[1] Though they spent long periods of time as also-rans, they did taste premiership success four times in the mid-20th century. They won their first premiership in 1930, beating St George 27–2.[3] Four years later they defeated Eastern Suburbs to win their second title.[4] For the 1944 NSWRFL season, Queensland 1910s representative player Henry Bolewski became coach the Western Suburbs club, replacing Alf Blair, who moved to South Sydney. Wests slightly improved on their performance from the previous season, finishing 5th (out of 8), but failing to make the finals, and Bolewski was replaced by club great, Frank McMillan.
Wests won a second pair of premierships, beating Balmain in 1948[5] and South Sydney 22–12 in 1952.[6] Both times they defeated a club hunting its third title in a row.
1960s
Apart from these occasions, the club was famous for three successive grand final matches in 1961, 1962 and 1963 against the St George Dragons in the midst of their 11-premiership run. The club boasted footballers such as halfback Arthur Summons, Harry 'Bomber' Wells, Kel O'Shea, Noel Kelly and Peter Dimond. The 1963 grand final was immortalised in a photograph which became known as 'The Gladiators' after St. George captain Norm Provan and Summons trudged off the field together.
1970s
A final period of glory beckoned in the late 1970s where they spent a few years at the top or near-top of the table, yet failed to make a grand final. Coached by Roy Masters and boasting such players as fullback John Dorahy, half Tommy Raudonikis, five-eighth Graeme O'Grady, Gavin Miller, Ron Giteau, Les Boyd, prop John Donnelly and five-eighth Terry Lamb. However attractive offers from other clubs and then doubts about the club's viability led to years of exodus of talent. Wests did manage to win the 1977 Amco Cup.[7]
1980s
John Ribot, a winger for Wests, was the top try-scorer for the 1980 season. In 1983 the NSWRFL attempted to expel Wests from the competition, but a prolonged legal battle to keep their spot ensued, unlike the Newtown Jets who did not compete that year. Richard Conti appeared against New South Wales Rugby League bosses John Quayle and Colin Love in 1985, successfully advocating to keep the embattled club in the competition. He was later appointed the chairman of the NSWRL Judiciary.
Eventually, Wests relocated to Campbelltown in 1987. Ironically, this was where Newtown had unsuccessfully tried to move to four years earlier. The move to Campbelltown did not change the clubs fortunes immediately with Western Suburbs finishing last in 1987 and 1988. The 1980s proved to be a tough time for the club with Wests claiming four wooden spoons throughout the decade and finishing second last on two occasions.[8]
1990s
Wests began a rebuilding process in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Laurie Freier started the 1988 Winfield Cup season as the club's coach but was replaced during the season by John Bailey.[9]
The club made the semi-finals in 1991 and 1992 under coach Warren Ryan. Wests were NSWRL Club Champions in 1991 when all three grades made the semi-finals. The team also made it to the pre-season Challenge Cup final in 1993 but was beaten by a star-studded Canberra side.
The club then slipped down the ladder and the coaching reins were handed over to caretaker Wayne Ellis. The decision to appoint Tommy Raudonikis as coach for the start of the 1995 season sent a shot of adrenaline into the club.[citation needed] Raudonikis took the Magpies to the finals in 1996. However the club could not compete in the player market in 1997 thanks to the Super League war which saw players' contracts soar sky high to unsustainable levels.[10]
In 1998 and 1999, a Magpie team filled with many unknown players struggled to be competitive and twice received the wooden spoon. With the club struggling on-field and trying to compete financially against clubs with News Limited funding, the writing was on the wall.[11]
Joint venture
The well documented Super League War in 1997 between Super League (News Ltd) and the Australian Rugby League (ARL) resulted in a compromise that by the year 2000, the National Rugby League (NRL) competition would be contested by only 14 teams. With Western Suburbs struggling on field in the NRL competition, it was decided by the club in the middle of 1999 that to survive the cull they would be required to merge their senior team with another club's team. After initial talks with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs failed an agreement was reached with the Balmain Tigers on 27 July 1999. The Wests Tigers first competed in the 2000 competition. The club also merged its playing colours from the two joint venture partners.
Wests Ashfield Leagues have also been key sponsors & supporters of the club since they were established.
Rebel Sport (Centenary Partner and 2008 Major Sponsor)
Allied Express (2015)
Current days
The Western Suburbs Magpies home matches are played at Lidcombe Oval, Lidcombe and their training facilities are near by.
In 2000 the Western Suburbs Magpies Under 20s team were runners up to the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, captained by Mitch Zammit and Luke Duffy. The Western Suburbs Magpies last title was won in 2002 when the Western Suburbs Magpies captained by Liam Fulton won the New South Wales Rugby League Under 18's competition.
From 2000 to 2012 the Western Suburbs Magpies fielded teams in the NSWRL First Grade competition now known as the NSW Cup.
In 2006 the Wests Tigers on advice from Tim Sheens pushed the notion that the NRL side would be better served with a single NSW Cup side. Western Suburbs board opposed this decision and decided to continue fielding their own team. Wests Tigers then allocated all NRL contracted players to the Balmain Tigers (the Wests Magpies had six junior players in that group, as opposed to one from Balmain), citing the advantages of both the NRL and NSW Cup teams training together at Concord Oval. This continued from 2006 to 2007.
Magpies chairman Kevin Hammond was disappointed at the Wests Tigers decision and informed the Wests Tigers of that in 2008, if the Magpies did not receive a fair share of player allocation from the Wests Tigers, they would form a feeder partnership with rivals Canberra Raiders. The Wests Tigers capitulated.
The Western Suburbs Magpies made the semi-finals in 2008, 2009 and 2010. In 2012 funding was withheld from the Magpies by Wests Ashfield Leagues Club Directors (not unanimously) as they now supported Wests Tigers proposal for a single NSW Cup side, even though this was done simply because Balmain couldn't afford a side and Wests could.
This also went against the Magpies Football Club members wishes and they organised a Protest Rally through the streets of Campbelltown.[13] Wests Ashfield Leagues Club under pressure reinstated funding late in the off season after the Magpies players had already signed on to play with other teams.
The Wests Tigers however decided to cease all support of the Magpies NSW Cup side while continuing support for Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers. The Magpies failed to win a game in 2012 while Balmain Ryde Eastwood Tigers made it to the Grand Final where they were defeated by the Newtown Jets.[14]
The Magpies dropped back to the third tier Ron Massey Cup in 2013,[15] with members voting to field a separate NSW Cup team in 2014, although this did not eventuate.[16] In 2015, The Magpies added a team in the Sydney Shield competition to act as a feeder for their Ron Massey Cup campaign. In 2016, Western Suburbs made the preliminary final match against St Mary's in The Ron Massey Cup but lost the match in a close tussle.[17] 2017 proved to be a bad year for Wests as The Ron Massey Cup side finished with the wooden spoon and The Sydney Shield side finished second last.[18][19]
On 5 June 2017, it was announced that Western Suburbs had placed a bid to be included into the Intrust Super Premiership season for 2018.[20] The re-entry to the Intrust Super Premiership ended the clubs five-year hiatus from the top level NSWRL competition that it had participated continuously in from 1908 to 2012. For its return the team was coached by former Western Suburbs first grade player Brett Hodgson.[21] In 2018, Wests enjoyed a solid return to the Intrust Super Premiership NSW after finishing in 5th place on the table. In week 1 of the finals, Wests were defeated by the Wyong Roos 18–14 in the elimination final thus ending their season.[22]
At the end of the 2019 Canterbury Cup NSW season, Western Suburbs missed out on the finals after finishing in 10th place. Western Suburbs had a difficult year during the 2022 NSW Cup finishing 11th on the table just one spot above wooden spooners Blacktown Workers.[23][24]
Western Suburbs had a tough year in the 2024 NSW Cup finishing last and claiming the wooden spoon. Wests only managed to win six games for the entire campaign.[25]
Home grounds
St Luke's Park was the home ground of the Western Suburbs club in 1910 and 1911.[26] They started playing their matches at Pratten Park in Ashfield in 1912, but after pressure from local residents there the council refused the club permission to use that ground, forcing them to return to St. Luke's Oval from 1915 to 1919.[27] The Magpies have played at three home grounds since foundation. They returned to Pratten Park in 1920, remaining there until 1966, the club then played at Pratten Park sporadically over the next two decades playing games there in 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977 and 1985. The final ever first grade game to be played at Pratten Park was on 18 August 1985 against Penrith, Penrith won the match by 42–16.[28] They then moved to Lidcombe Oval in 1967.[29] This was due to Ashfield council not allowing the club to play matches on a Sunday (as this was the church day). In 1987, they moved to Campbelltown's Orana Park (located in adjacent Leumeah), which, after a $25 million renovation, is now called Campbelltown Stadium which is now one of the home grounds of the Wests Tigers. The Magpies' lower grade sides play most home games at Campbelltown Stadium, with the occasional game moved to Lidcombe Oval.
Western Suburbs Magpies Leagues Club
While no leagues club is called the "Western Suburbs Magpies Leagues Club", the businesses "Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club Ltd" is a fully controlled entity of Wests Ashfield Leagues Club. The Leagues club was formed in the 1950s and is now one of the leading community Clubs in Sydney.[30]
Board of directors
The current board of directors of the Wests Magpies (Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club)
Dennis Burgess - Chairman WAL appointed
Stephen Montgomery WAL Appointed
Tony Andreacchio – WAL Appointed
Rick Wayde - WAL Appointed
Shannon Cavanagh – FC Member Elected
Allan Fallah – FC Member Elected
Tony Westlake – FC Member Elected
The board of directors comprises 4 members appointed by Wests Ashfield Leagues Club, and 3 members elected by the members of the football club
District Junior competition
The Western Suburbs District Junior Rugby League (WSDJRL) was a completely separate entity to the Western Suburbs Magpies DRLFC. They were known as the "Junior Magpies", and administered the junior rugby league on behalf of the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Wests Tigers joint venture. It consisted of a network of affiliated junior rugby league clubs throughout the greater Campbelltown and Liverpool areas of southwestern Sydney. As of 2016 the following clubs were involved in the WSDJRL;
All Saints JRLFC
All Stars Glenquarie (formally Macquarie Fields Hawks)
The WSDJRL took over its current boundaries from the CRL Group 6 Northern Junior League and parts of the Parramatta DJRL (i.e. Liverpool) in 1987. They were forced to move out of their traditional territory around the Ashfield and Lidcombe areas of inner western Sydney to be able to then survive in the NSWRL. The old WSDJRL area has since been acquired by the Balmain DJRL and Bulldogs (Canterbury) DJRL. Clubs that used to play in the WSDJRL include;
Ashfield Colts (now folded) – Also known as the Ashfield Kings
Burwood United (now merged with Concord in Balmain DJRL)
Concord United (now merged with Burwood in Balmain DJRL)
Holman JRLFC (Named after Keith Holman, based at Henley Park, Enfield. Colours were yellow with a blue shoulder saddle, and the emblem was oval shaped with a kangaroo, a football, a kiwi, a rooster & a lion ; signifying that Keith played for Australia against New Zealand, France & England. Folded in mid-1980s)
Homebush – unsure when folded
Royal Sheaf Hotel (Burwood, folded in late 1980s)
Oriental Shamrocks (folded in 1960s)
Granville Diggers – folded in mid 80s
De La Salle – Ashfield – again, unsure of when they folded
Christian Brothers Burwood
Auburn United – unsure when folded
Strathfield – unsure when folded
The first year of the WSDJRL was 1910 and the final standings were: Parramatta Iona 16, Parramatta District 14, Campsie Triers 11, Granville Royals 11, Enfield Mercantile 9, Ashfield Surryville 7, Auburn Park 2. Since the NSWRL had promised 2 sets of medals the teams then split into 2 grades, Campsie Triers beating Granville Royals in a playoff to go onto the A section and the other 4 teams in the B Finals. Parramatta District won the A Grade and Granville Royals the B Grade. Parramatta District went into the NSWRL 3rd Grade competition in 1911 and Granville Royals joined them in 1912. Campsie Triers and Enfield Mercantile were formed by a split in the Enfield Federals club that had won the B Grade of the WSJRU competition in 1909, in its first year as a club. Val Howell, Frank Howell, S Gagan, G Gagan, A Tanner and Thompson joined Campsie while Lewis, H McCoy, D Nicholls, Prentice and Smythe joined Mercantile. They were together as the Feds in 1911 and won both that season and again in 1912, so without the split they might have won titles in each of their first 4 seasons.
Notable players
Hall of Fame
On Friday 30 May 2008 the centenary of the Western Suburbs Magpies was celebrated with a ball in the Grand Harbour Ballroom at Sydney's Star City Casino. Six inaugural members were also inducted into the Western Suburbs Magpies Hall of Fame:[31]
1 Jim Abercrombie
2 C Blake
3 A Brown
4 George Duffin
5 B Duggan
6 Bill Elliott
7 Percy Franks
8 L Gormley
9 Ray Gormley
10 Ted Mead
11 T Mount
12 Tom Phelan
13 Jim Stack
14 Les Byewell
15 R Ellis
16 Charles Luhr
17 T Watkins
18 E Ellis
19 Boyleau
20 Claude McFayden
21 N Booth
22 Charlie Elliott
23 J Frost
24 J Hodgson
25 S Gilbert
26 Holloway
27 J Herrington
28 A Abbott
29 Harry Bloomfield
30 F Casey
31 Albert Halling
32 R Meredith
33 J Spears
34 T Wallis
35 H Boyle
36 Edward Bellamy
37 Albert Burdus
38 Tedda Courtney
39 S Duncan
40 Bill Medcalf
41 V Sands
42 C Blake
43 E Gulliver
44 E Fletcher
45 G Shaw
46 W Wenban
47 C Clifford
48 P Scotten
49 R McCallum
50 Harold R. Thompson
51 H Kemp
52 W Moore
53 William Thrussell
54 W Wright
82 George Duffin
83 Herb Gilbert
84 Rangi Joass
85 W Mueller
86 A Munnery
87 P.J. Thompson
88 Jack Tully
89 S.B. Wall
90 A Gillett
91 Alf Joass
92 Dick Moroney
93 V West
94 Oliver Griffin
95 A Paterson
96 A Stack
97 Tom Alpen
98 Harold Bissett
99 S Dennis
100 E.S Williams
101 Arthur Conlin
102 G Holt
103 George Alderson
104 Thackeray
105 Stuart
106 B Webster
107 Ray Steward
108 Bertram Alderson
109 W Gander
110 G Easterbrook
111 Hearn
112 C Lucky
113 Cecil Foord
114 Charles Rothwell
115 S Carr
116 W Foord
117 Eddie Griffiths
118 J Lindsay
119 Johnno Stuntz
120 George Gagen
121 V Masters
122 Harry Clarke
123 L West
124 Henry McIllmurray
125 A Rose
126 Fred Lane
127 Maxworthy
128 W Warby
129 J Freeman
130 H Sly
131 W Weigan
132 Harrington
133 W Anderton
134 Charlie Collier
135 Jack Nicholson
136 R Tremain
137 Clarrie Tye
138 E Mason
139 D Watson
140 N Williams
141 R Upton
142 F Holt
143 Dick Vest
144 Harold Leddy
145 Tom McCauley
146 A Mitchell
147 Archie Prentice
148 Clarrie Prentice
149 W.L. Simpson
150 A Smith
151 Athol White
152 Billy Connelly
153 Alf Bossi
154 G Hastle
155 G Viles
156 D Woodward
198 Tedda Brooks
199 H Haylock
200 Louis Yanz
201 F Young
202 J Drew
203 Fred Yanz Sr.
204 Wade Lane
205 R Dark
206 Neil Matterson
207 J Walker
208 Cyril Bellamy
209 Arthur Mendel
223 Flint C
224 Jim Parsons
225 Tony Redmond
226 C Stapleton
227 Frank Spillane
228 Jack Holmes
229 G Peterson
230 Harry Owen
231 Roy Liston
232 R Wheldon
233 Cecil Rhodes
234 Dave Hey
235 Les Dolan
236 Les Hayes
237 Ken Sherwood
238 G Cameron
239 F Bartley
240 W McPherson
241 George Mason
242 Harry Tisdale
243 Ray Morris
244 Tom Stanton
245 Jack Thompson
281 Vic Hey
282 R Shepherd
283 Stan Tancred
284 Jack McDonell
285 Les Midson
286 W McLeod
287 Sid Elliott
288 Bill Howes
289 Alan Blake
290 S Palmer
291 Sen Black
292 Tom Magnus
293 Albert McGuinness
294 L Hancock
295 Cliff Deegan
296 M Smith
307 Ron Eaton
308 Jack Kingston
309 Gordon Pugh
310 Athol Smith
311 Vince Cleary
312 Bob Allison
313 Jack Spillane
314 Fred Comber
315 Billy Wheeler
316 H Hannan
317 Bill Purcell
318 R Waldon
342 Fred McKean
343 O Mitchell
344 Dave Colless
345 Ron Ackling
346 R Campbell
347 Ken Kelly
348 H Allen
349 J Tisdale
350 John Caffrey
351 Harry Martin
367 Harry Grew
368 L Hoshcke
369 Neville Spence
370 W Taylor
371 C Williams
372 R Hill
373 William Brown
374 Terry Edwards
375 R McLaurin
376 J Wilson
377 A Rice
378 R Thompson
379 J Fawkner
380 Billy Morris
381 J Hope
382 E Edwards
383 T Grew
384 L Rigby
385 J Beckett
386 Begley J
387 Arthur Clues
388 S Eisenhuth
389 Dick Johnson
390 Bob Andrews
391 B Dawson
392 Alan Keato
393 R Fields
394 Jack Snare
395 K Ibbett
396 Fred Fayers
397 P McFarlane
398 Jack Russell
399 Ron Martin
400 S Ball
401 H Fyvie
402 Jim Keefe
403 Don Milton
404 Cliff Peime
405 W Phillips
406 Alf Cardy
407 Neville Hogan
408 Fred Yanz Jr.
409 J Banner
410 A Seamer
411 Paddy Bugden
412 L Clancy
413 R Davidson
414 Robert Magill
443 Jack Woods
444 George Bain
445 Bill Rawlinson
446 Jack Fitzgerald
447 G Lovell
448 Jack Williams
449 Vic Williams
450 Bill Hilliard
451 Jack Wall
452 Jack Rawlinson
476 W Smith
477 Ernie Church
478 Mick Carrig
479 Jim McKenzie
480 Bob Sargent
481 Keith Lennard
482 Brian Ogle
483 Max Caldwell
484 Dale Puren
485 Barry Owens
486 Reg Southam
487 Peter Wooden
488 Ted Brennan
489 Neville Charlton
490 Don Graham
491 Bill Owens
492 Doug Smith
493 Johnny Thompson
494 W Lowe
495 Kevin Owens
496 E Burnett
497 Jim Fleming
498 Bob Tucker
499 Jack Gibson
500 Bill Carson
501 John Harrison
502 E Wynn
503 M Godfrey
504 J Leslie
505 Bill Brown
506 Pat Toohey
507 Bill Bailey
508 John Brest
509 Don Collier
510 Pat Hyde
511 Jack Plater
512 Dick Murphy
513 P Williamson
514 Noel Trevena
515 K Thompson
516 Monty Porter
517 Geoff Jurd
539 Buddy Bowman
540 Peter Dimond
541 Rees Duncan
542 Doug Jones
543 Jack Mantle
544 Don Malone
545 Bernie Kelly
546 Colin Wells
547 Fred Graber
548 John Dawson
549 Ian Moir
550 John Taunton
551 Ray McDermott
552 John Mowbray
553 Dick Poole
554 Frank Clegg
555 John Conna
556 George Downie
557 Dave Barsley
558 Roger Buttenshaw
559 Joe Ryan
583 Ken Owens
584 Ray Picklum
585 Dennis Laverty
586 John Armstrong
587 Ron Costello
588 Doug Page
589 Roy Ferguson
590 John Kearns
591 Brian Kowald
592 James Gibson
593 Pat Thomas
594 Denis Culpan
595 Noel Thornton
526 Dick Pickett
527 Denis Pittard
598 Jim Brophy
599 Graham Bevan
600 Bill Wilson
601 Bill Hansen
602 Barry Bryant
603 Peter Burnicle
607 Ken Stonestreet
608 Noel Dolton
609 Bob Smith
610 Doug Walkaden
611 Tony Ford
612 Barry Glasgow
613 Tony Packham
614 Peter Chapman
615 Ross Goodman
616 Bruce Beer
641 Dick Timbs
642 Neville Sinclair
643 George Skeers
644 Russell Mullins
645 Noel Hurford
646 Russell Johnstone
647 Brian Winney
648 Barry Boss
649 Col Withers
650 Jim Croucher
651 John Heyward
652 Stephen Knight
653 John Walker
654 John O'Bryan
655 Olaf Prattl
656 John Sheridan
657 Steve Satterley
658 Allan Ashmore
659 Gary Rose
660 Peter Handcock
661 John Glachan
662 Geoff Foster
663 Terry Mullins
751 Arthur Mountier
752 Bruce Grimaldi
753 George Fahd
754 Garry Collison
755 Brett Gale
756 Steve Anderson
757 Robert Ryan
758 Charlie Khalifeh
759 Greg McElhone
760 David Greene
761 Peter Burgmann
762 Ian Freeman
763 Scott Gale
764 David Hall
765 George Ghosn
766 Bill Hilliard
767 Brian Battese
768 Paul Gearin
769 John Cogger
770 Paul Beaven
771 Mark Massone
772 Mick Neil
773 Matt Carter
774 David Harris
775 Brett Davidson
776 Peter Lamb
777 Grant Fyvie
778 Allan Woods
779 Kevin Bryson
780 Bob Muirhead
800 Greg Duval
801 Mark Lawson
802 Chris Stephandellis
803 Gary Warnecke
804 Mark Keehan
805 Craig Clarke
806 Steve Want
807 Wayne Wigham
808 Steve Ewer
809 Gary Pearce
810 Geoff Dillon
811 Steve Mullen
812 Tom Robbins
813 Lee Crooks
814 Peter Worth
815 Geoff Sutton
816 Greg Brown
817 Troy McGregor
818 Charlie Eltoubgi
819 Craig Neil
820 Greg Falkner
821 Gary McFarlane
^westsmagpies.com.au. "Home Grounds". Wests Archives. Western Suburbs Magpies. Archived from the original on 27 January 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
Whiticker, Alan; Collis, Ian (2006). The History of Rugby League Clubs. New Holland, Sydney. ISBN9781741104707.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)