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.
GregM
Roar Rookie
have loved watching some of the games on youtyoob, just a pity that the quality is crap with poor resolution((
GregM
Roar Rookie
with a few Winnie Reds between drinks?
GregM
Roar Rookie
"success in the early days with four premiership rings" - they didn't have premiership rings back then, that's just more Seppo bsh!t that for some reaon we feel the need to copy
BigJ
Roar Guru
Its a real shame that two of thier best players did not ever win a grand final. This players are some of the best in history yet could ever achieve the big one.
up in the north
Roar Rookie
My memory might be a bit fuzzy, but I seem to recall that Dallas Donelly used to do a drop goal - regardless of the score - when the Magpies game was telecast on tv, he reckoned it was because his mum was at home watching.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I did get what you meant but it's an anachronism that sticks out like a sore thumb and mars an otherwise good article. The devil is in the detail bj.
no one in particular
Roar Guru
Don Parish - great fullback John Elford - Snoozer was a hard hitting defender Jim Abercrombie - the clubs first point scorer and international Maybe Cliff Pearce, great try scoring strikerate Kelly is regarded as the greatest ever Magpie. First forward to make 3 Kangaroo Tours. Keith Holman, to this day six years after his death, is still the beating heart of the Magpies
no one in particular
Roar Guru
I wouldn't have Snake or Sloth there
Big Daddy
Guest
Another 2 that were excellent but went on to play elsewhere were Dennis pittard and Roy Ferguson.
Ray
Guest
Arthurson never poached Steve Knight. Steve left Wests for his own reasons, then had a couple of seasons at Balmain before moving on to Manly.
souvalis
Guest
Liubinskas..apologies
souvalis
Guest
Sticks Mullns..the Neill brothers..Mick Lubinski...Warren Boland..
Ron Jeremy
Guest
And as a further bit of Wests trivia, I went to the 1978 GF. Back in those days my dad, me and my 2 brothers were all Wests tragics. We bought tickets to the GF after Wests won the minor premiership and decided to go anyway even though they didn't make it. Ted Goodwin played in the reserve grade GF for St George against Balmain, a pretty massive fall from grace given his chip and chase try in the first grade GF for the Dragons only 12 months prior. It was my first ever NRL game and I stood on the hill as a skinny 15 year old who could barely see the field above the crowd. Wests played Penrith in the U23s GF (Penrith won) and ironically, the Wests' halfback that day was Lee Pomfret. I only remember that because his dad stood next to me in the crowd and introduced himself. Cheers Ron.
BigJ
Roar Guru
Just used premiership ring as turn of phase, but you knew what i meant.
BigJ
Roar Guru
thanks Ron, its a shame that i did not get to see any of those guys play, but I do remember the late eightes early nineties where the last era of players swapping jerseys or pants and doing the lap carrying the shield. These days its to commericalize. Your lists of players is a nice one, great lists of player and I beileve that Copper records still stands
The Barry
Roar Guru
Nicely researched list bj. I'd have found a spot for Dallas Donnelly as mentioned above but small gripe and really only a matter of opinion. Not sure they handed out premiership rings in the 1950s and before?
Ron Jeremy
Guest
A nice article BigJ. I'm sure you know they didn't win premiership rings in those days. It was well before that sort of tacky seppo BS was brought into the game (along with golden point, microphoned referees and neck tattoos). They won premierships and got to carry the Giltinan Shield around the field after the game, wearing the other side's jersey.That said ...there were also some amazing players for Wests throughout the 1970s and early 1980s (prior to Ken Arthurson ripping the Magpies apart by poaching any decent player we produced), culminating as you said in the minor premiership in 1978. They then lost both qualifying finals (to the eventual grand finalists, Manly and Cronulla). I'm not saying these guys deserve to be in the top 10 but I'd like to mention them all the same. It was the era of the Ipec and Victa jerseys, fibros v silvertails, Lidcombe Oval, and IMHO these guys played some of their best footy with Wests even though some went on to (or played prior for) other clubs or rugby union: 1. John Dorahy (1974-79). Played for Australia v NZ in 1978. Didn't get picked on the Kangaroo tour that year (as that squad included 7 Manly players there wasn't much room for anyone else) 2. John Ribot (de Bresac) a great winger for Wests and Australia, I think about 1980-81 before Arthurson nicked him 3. Paul Merlo (played for NSW in 1982) 4. Graeme O'Grady (75kg lock forward) who then went to St George and firstly Newtown 5. Jim Leis 6. Bruce Gibbs (as mentioned above, about as old-style as they come) 7. Steve Knight (ex-Wallaby centre also poached by Arthurson) 8. Terry Lamb (played brilliantly for Wests before returning to his junior club in maybe 1984?) 9. Peter Rowles (former Wallaby 5/8 who had a couple of great seasons with Wests around 1978-79 10. Ron Giteau (went on to Canberra but was great with Wests as a centre around 1980) 11. Jon McLeod (also went to Canberra in 1982 before losing a leg in an accident) 12. Bob Cooper (got the longest suspension in NRL history (still?) for busting Lee Pomfret's jaw in 1982
terrence
Guest
Where's Bruce Gibbs? His rehab was 10 schooeys after the game and another 10 the following day.
kk
Roar Pro
Oingo, John "Dallas" Donnelly (died in '86) got an Honourable Mention. As did Harry Wells, one of my favourite players of all time. About 40 years ago we holidayed at Port Macquarie. I popped into a local store and nearly fainted when served by the great Harry Wells. Made the holiday a memorable one.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Dallas Donnelly would have to be In there ,I would have thought.