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The Western Suburbs Magpies, one of the foundation teams had great success in the early days with four premiership rings and multiple runners-up.
They last won a premiership in 1952 and despite returning to the big dance many times couldn’t win it. 1978 marked the beginning of the end as they won their last minor premiership before they picked up six wooden spoons over the next 20 years.
In 2000, they merged to survive with the Balmain Tigers to become the Wests Tigers. Though the Magpies have not been seen in almost twenty years here are their top ten players. Australian captains premiership winners, Hall of Famers – they have it all.
10. Les Boyd
Despite only playing four seasons at the club, Boyd still made an impact.He was part of the 1978 minor premiership team, making him one of the last men to taste success at the club before its twenty-year downfall.
With 68 games to his name, he scored 24 tries and represented NSW eight times, also playing 17 tests for Australia.
9. Edward ‘Tedda’ Courtney
In 1909, Courtney started his career with the Magpies and played just five games for the season. He then left for the North Sydney Bears, but returned in 1911. From there he played 158 games and was a part of their first grand final in 1918.
On June 14 in 1924, Courtney was 39 and played in a game for Wests against Glebe alongside his son, Ed Courtney, Jr. It remains the only time a father and son combination has played together in a Sydney first grade game.
8. Frank Stanmore
A 1948 Premiership player, Stanmore was a crafty five-eighth. In 1952, representative duties for Australia meant he couldn’t play in the premiership team, but he is one of the few to taste premiership glory at the club.
He played 87 games for the club, scored 23 tries and be inducted into the Hall of Fame during 2012.
7. Arthur Summons
Only played for a short time, but still a great player. In his time at the Magpies, he played 60 games and earnt his right to captain his country in 1962. He remains one of only four men from the club to do this. In 2008, he was named in the Hall of Fame and represented NSW seven times as well as Australia nine.
6. Peter Diamond
Diamond was one of the unlucky Magpies players who played in the wrong era. If it was not for the domination of the St George Dragons, he would have multiple premierships to his name.
He played in their 1958, ’61, ’62 and ’63 grand finals losing the lot. He still was one of the greats with 155 games and 84 tries, which was the club record.
5. Alan Ridley
A try-scoring machine, Ridley scored 68 tries in his 68 games. At 100 kilograms, he was a monster of a winger. He was part of their 1934 Premiership winning team and still has the records for most tries in a single match for the club – 6 versus Newtown in 1936 and most tries in a season – 18 in 1932.
He was named on the wing in 2004 for the club’s team of the century, making 18 appearances for NSW and playing five Tests for Australia.
4. Keith Holman
Holman started his career for the Magpies in 1948 and played 13 seasons. Despite this, he never played in a winning premiership team as he was on rep duties for Australia in 1948 and in 1952.
Regardless, he is the record holder for the most games at the club with 203.
3. Tommy Raudonikis
Probably the last of the Magpies greats, Raudonikis was a hard man on and off the field, captaining the side to their last minor premiership in 1978 and almost breaking the record for appearances, ending with 201.
In 1972 he won the Rothman’s medal and was the first NSW State of Origin captain in 1980. He made 24 appearances for the Blues and played 20 Tests for Australia before being voted the Magpies number one club man and inducted in to the Hall of fame in 2008.
2. Noel Kelly
Another great of the game to never win a premiership. He played 111 games and was part of the 1961, 1962 and 1963 teams that went down to the St George Dragons.
Kelly was named in the teams of the century for The Magpies, Queensland and Australia at hooker.
1. Frank McMillian
In McMillian’s two terms at the club he won two premierships (1930, 1934) and one runners-up (1932). A legendary fullback, he became the second man from the club to captain Australia, going on to play 148 games which is the seventh highest of all time.
He scored seven tries and represented NSW 22 times, also playing ten Tests for Australia. With all of this considered there is little doubt that he is the no.1
Honourable mentions: Kel O’Shea, John Donnelly, Vic Hey and Harry Wells
Do you agree with my list? Who is your favourite Magpies player? Keeping with the theme of merge clubs, next list the St George Illawarra Dragons.
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