Western Suburbs Magpies
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| Full name | Western Suburbs Magpies |
| Colours | Black and White |
| Entered 1st grade | 1908 (foundation club) |
| Departed 1st grade | 1999 |
| Sport | Rugby league |
| League | NSWRL/ARL, NRL |
| 1999 | 17th of 17 |
| Premierships | 4 - 1930, 1934, 1948, 1952, |
| Runners-up | 8 - 1918, 1925, 1932, 1950, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963, |
| Minor premiers | 5 - 1930, 1948, 1952, 1961, 1978 |
| Wooden spoons | 17 - 1909, 1910, 1912, 1913, 1916, 1933, 1940, 1942, 1953, 1955, 1971, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988, 1998, 1999 |
| Biggest win | 62 - 5 vs. Balmain, March 31, 1974 |
| Worst defeat | 0 - 67 vs. Souths, July 23, 1910 |
The Western Suburbs Magpies are a rugby league club in Sydney, Australia. Formed in 1908, the Wests were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia. The club departed the top-flight competition in 1999 after a merger with Balmain Tigers to form the Wests Tigers. The club currently fields sides in the NSWRL Premier League and NSWRL Jersey Flegg competitions.
The Magpies have played at three home grounds since they started. They played at Pratten Park in Ashfield for their first sixty years, then they moved to Lidcombe Oval in the late seventies. 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, which, after a $25 million renovation, is now called Campbelltown Stadium which is now one of the home grounds of the Wests Tigers.
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[edit] History
The club was one of the foundation members of the Sydney rugby league competition in 1908. 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. Four years later they defeated Eastern Suburbs to win their second title. They won a secopnd pair of premierships over a decade later, beating Balmain in 1948 and South Sydney 22-12 in 1952. Both times they defeated a club hunting its third title in a row.
[edit] Rivalry with the Dragons
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 statue 'The Gladiators' after St George captain Norm Provan and Summons trudged off teh field together.
[edit] 'The Fibro Boys'
A final period of glory beckoned in the late 1970s where they spent a few years and 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.
[edit] Decline
In 1983 the NSWRL attempted to expel Wests from the competition, but a prolonged legal battle saw the Magpies keep a spot unlike the Newtown Jets. Eventually, Wests relocated to Campbelltown in 1987. Ironically, this was where Newtown had unsuccessfully tried to move to four years earlier.
[edit] Players of Note
[edit] International Representatives
The following Western Suburbs Magpies players have represented their countries in international competition.
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Australia |
New Zealand
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