Western Suburbs

In the 1950s Western Suburbs started the current trend of paying players big money. Wests took the premiership in 1952, but then slumped to the bottom of the table for the next three seasons. Prior to the start of the 1956 season they went all out to sign up quality players, including Harry Wells, Kel O'Shea, Darcy Henry and Ian Johnson, all representative players, and just missed out on the premiership. For the next few seasons they were the only serious threat to St George. Their initiative came back to haunt them in the 1970s, when they watched richer clubs such as Manly repeatedly sign up their best players.

In 1983 Wests and Newtown had severe financial problems, and the NSWRL ejected them from the 1984 competition. Wests took them to court and won the right to stay in the competition. In response the NSWRL ammended their constitution, and the following year again kicked Wests out. This time the NSWRL won the legal battle, but then decided to retain Wests in the competition.

In an attempt to become more viable Wests moved in 1987 from the inner city to Campbelltown on the south western fringe of Sydney.

Last Ten Years

      PL WN DR LS BY  FOR  AGA  DIF PTS   PLACE  FINAL
Coach: John Bailey
1989  22  7  1 14  0  229  389 -160  15   13/16
1990  22  6  1 15  0  323  433 -110  13   13/16
Coaches: Warren Ryan (Wayne Ellis)
1991  22 13  1  8  0  359  311   48  27    6/16    5th
1992  22 12  1  9  0  356  325   31  25    5/16    5th
1993  22  7  0 15  0  319  475 -156  14   13/16
1994  22  6 2  14  0  439  650 -221  14   13/16
Coach: Tom Raudonikis
1995  22 10  0 12  0  459  534  -75  20   13/20
1996  22 12  1  9  0  394  434  -40  25    8/20   =7th
1997  22 10  0 12  -  355  424  -69  20    9/12
1998  24  4  0 20  -  371  802 -431   8   20/20

[Wests have finished 13th five times in the last 10 years. Could they thus be said to be the unluckiest team in the competition?]

Honours

First Grade Records

First Grade Premiership record (1997)

-------------------------------------------------------------
Annandale              22  13   1   8   323   184   139  1.23
  Pratten Park          5   4   0   1   129    35    94  1.60
  St Luke's Park        8   3   1   4   107    72    35  0.88
  Wentworth Park        6   3   0   3    54    70   -16  1.00
  Goulburn              1   1   0   0     6     4     2  2.00
  Erskineville Oval     1   1   0   0     5     3     2  2.00
  Parramatta            1   1   0   0    22     0    22  2.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Auckland                4   1   0   3    62   102   -40  0.50
  Campbelltown          2   1   0   1    34    24    10  1.00
  Ericsson Stadium      2   0   0   2    28    78   -50  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Balmain               178  71   8  99  2522  2865  -343  0.84
  Pratten Park         34  16   1  17   553   587   -34  0.97
  St Luke's Park        2   0   0   2    10    45   -35  0.00
  Lidcombe Oval        17   8   0   9   329   298    31  0.94
  Campbelltown          9   6   0   3   155   137    18  1.33
  Birchgrove Oval      25   7   1  17   207   412  -205  0.60
  Leichhardt Oval      48  17   4  27   676   782  -106  0.79
  Parramatta            1   0   0   1    16    22    -6  0.00
  SCG                  20   7   1  12   254   271   -17  0.75
  Agricultural Ground   3   2   1   0    33    28     5  1.67
  SSG                  17   8   0   9   272   248    24  0.94
  Drummoyne Oval        1   0   0   1    17    22    -5  0.00
  Redfern Oval          1   0   0   1     0    13   -13  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Brisbane               15   2   1  12   170   406  -236  0.33
  Campbelltown          7   2   1   4    98   156   -58  0.71
  Suncorp Stadium       4   0   0   4    38   110   -72  0.00
  ANZ Stadium           4   0   0   4    34   140  -106  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Canberra               24   6   1  17   415   649  -234  0.54
  Lidcombe Oval         3   2   0   1    68    40    28  1.33
  Campbelltown          5   2   0   3   100   128   -28  0.80
  Seiffert Oval         8   2   0   6   137   230   -93  0.50
  Bruce Stadium         6   0   0   6    90   217  -127  0.00
  SCG                   1   0   1   0    12    12     0  1.00
  SFS                   1   0   0   1     8    22   -14  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Canterbury            119  56   7  56  1837  1925   -88  1.00
  Pratten Park         29  17   2  10   590   459   131  1.24
  St Luke's Park        1   0   0   1     0    28   -28  0.00
  Lidcombe Oval        19  11   1   7   342   291    51  1.21
  Campbelltown          7   3   0   4   104   161   -57  0.86
  Belmore              53  20   4  29   635   783  -148  0.83
  Parramatta            1   1   0   0    19    14     5  2.00
  SSG                   3   1   0   2    53    49     4  0.67
  SCG                   6   3   0   3    94   140   -46  1.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Cronulla               54  25   1  28   857  1030  -173  0.94
  Pratten Park          1   0   0   1    10    47   -37  0.00
  Lidcombe Oval        19  11   0   8   332   312    20  1.16
  Campbelltown          6   3   1   2    98   112   -14  1.17
  Sutherland Oval       2   1   0   1    38    13    25  1.00
  Shark Park           24  10   0  14   357   512  -155  0.83
  SCG                   1   0   0   1    10    14    -4  0.00
  Parramatta            1   0   0   1    12    20    -8  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Cumberland              1   0   0   1     6    14    -8  0.00
  Birchgrove Oval       1   0   0   1     6    14    -8  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Eastern Suburbs       178  70   6 102  2455  2865  -410  0.82
  Pratten Park         42  22   2  18   620   499   121  1.10
  St Luke's Park        5   2   0   3    47    65   -18  0.80
  Lidcombe Oval        18  10   0   8   272   302   -30  1.11
  Campbelltown          8   3   1   4   107   142   -35  0.88
  Agricultural Ground  11   0   1  10   102   221  -119  0.09
  SSG                  55  22   1  32   750   956  -206  0.82
  Hampden               1   0   0   1     5    12    -7  0.00
  SCG                  30   9   0  21   418   523  -105  0.60
  Henson Park           1   0   0   1     6    15    -9  0.00
  SFS                   6   1   1   4    84   114   -30  0.50
  Richardson Park Darwin
                        1   1   0   0    44    16    28  2.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Gold Coast             13  11   1   1   310   148   162  1.77
  Campbelltown          6   4   1   1   140    64    76  1.50
  Seagulls Stadium      6   6   0   0   144    74    70  2.00
  Carrara Stadium       1   1   0   0    26    10    16  2.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Glebe                  38  16   0  22   397   594  -197  0.84
  Pratten Park          9   6   0   3   131   105    26  1.33
  St Luke's Park        1   0   0   1    10    22   -12  0.00
  Wentworth Park       20   7   0  13   204   375  -171  0.70
  SSG                   1   0   0   1     0     8    -8  0.00
  Agricultural Ground   3   1   0   2    19    45   -26  0.67
  SCG                   4   2   0   2    33    39    -6  1.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Illawarra              27  13   0  14   368   570  -202  0.96
  Lidcombe Oval         5   4   0   1    78    64    14  1.60
  Campbelltown          8   5   0   3   102   154   -52  1.25
  WIN Stadium          14   4   0  10   188   352  -164  0.57
-------------------------------------------------------------
Manly Warringah       103  43   1  59  1473  1925  -452  0.84
  Pratten Park         16  12   0   4   304   229    75  1.50
  Lidcombe Oval        17   9   0   8   264   282   -18  1.06
  Campbelltown          9   2   0   7   105   177   -72  0.44
  Brookvale Oval       44  10   1  33   523   964  -441  0.48
  SCG                  14   7   0   7   216   251   -35  1.00
  SSG                   2   2   0   0    48    16    32  2.00
  Redfern Oval          1   1   0   0    13     6     7  2.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Newcastle               3   0   0   3     7    86   -79  0.00
  Agricultural Ground   2   0   0   2     7    52   -45  0.00
  Newcastle Showground
                        1   0   0   1     0    34   -34  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Newcastle              17   6   0  11   240   333   -93  0.71
  Campbelltown          9   4   0   5   164   151    13  0.89
  Marathon Stadium      7   2   0   5    74   161   -87  0.57
  SFS                   1   0   0   1     2    21   -19  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
North Queensland        2   1   0   1    52    63   -11  1.00
  Campbelltown          1   1   0   0    40    32     8  2.00
  Stockland Stadium     1   0   0   1    12    31   -19  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
North Sydney          172  86   7  79  2864  2623   241  1.04
  Pratten Park         37  21   1  15   777   600   177  1.16
  Lidcombe Oval        16   8   1   7   298   251    47  1.06
  Campbelltown         10   5   1   4   199   163    36  1.10
  North Sydney Oval    79  34   2  43  1084  1253  -169  0.89
  Wentworth Park        2   0   1   1    16    31   -15  0.50
  Agricultural Ground   1   1   0   0     7     3     4  2.00
  St Luke's Park        9   6   0   3   166    84    82  1.33
  Metters Sports Ground
                        1   0   0   1     4    12    -8  0.00
  SSG                   5   2   0   3    93    87     6  0.80
  SCG                  12   9   1   2   220   139    81  1.58
-------------------------------------------------------------
Newtown               147  70   3  74  2142  2226   -84  0.97
  Pratten Park         35  13   1  21   513   536   -23  0.77
  St Luke's Park        4   1   0   3    25    54   -29  0.50
  Lidcombe Oval        16  10   1   5   261   199    62  1.31
  Wentworth Park        3   2   0   1    29    24     5  1.33
  Agricultural Ground   3   1   0   2    23    37   -14  0.67
  Metters Sports Ground
                        6   1   0   5    30   147  -117  0.33
  Erskineville Oval     8   4   0   4    91   129   -38  1.00
  SCG                  20   8   0  12   333   396   -63  0.80
  Marrickville Oval     6   4   0   2    82    68    14  1.33
  SSG                  10   7   0   3   162   113    49  1.40
  Henson Park          33  17   1  15   525   473    52  1.06
  Parramatta            1   0   0   1    14    25   -11  0.00
  Redfern Oval          1   1   0   0    10     5     5  2.00
  Concord Oval          1   1   0   0    44    20    24  2.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Parramatta            100  55   2  43  1662  1490   172  1.12
  Pratten Park         16  15   0   1   383   149   234  1.88
  Lidcombe Oval        20  12   0   8   324   242    82  1.20
  Campbelltown          8   6   0   2   177   128    49  1.50
  Cumberland Oval      29  14   1  14   429   437    -8  1.00
  Parramatta           15   5   1   9   257   274   -17  0.73
  SSG                   3   2   0   1    26    33    -7  1.33
  SCG                   5   1   0   4    43    76   -33  0.40
  Belmore               4   0   0   4    23   151  -128  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Penrith                54  29   1  24   881   920   -39  1.09
  Lidcombe Oval        19   9   0  10   304   320   -16  0.95
  Campbelltown          8   4   0   4   120   149   -29  1.00
  Penrith              27  16   1  10   457   451     6  1.22
-------------------------------------------------------------
St George             157  57   3  97  2108  2704  -596  0.75
  Pratten Park         32  14   2  16   453   485   -32  0.94
  St Luke's Park        1   0   0   1    17    26    -9  0.00
  Lidcombe Oval        17   7   0  10   270   283   -13  0.82
  Campbelltown          6   3   1   2    91    92    -1  1.17
  Earl Park             9   4   0   5   107   138   -31  0.89
  Hurstville Oval       9   2   0   7   129   181   -52  0.44
  Kogarah              34   8   0  26   430   690  -260  0.47
  SCG                  32  13   0  19   396   512  -116  0.81
  SSG                  13   6   0   7   169   180   -11  0.92
  Redfern Oval          1   0   0   1     5    18   -13  0.00
  Henson Park           1   0   0   1    17    47   -30  0.00
  Olympic Park Melbourne
                        1   0   0   1     8    20   -12  0.00
  Adelaide Oval         1   0   0   1    16    32   -16  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
South Queensland        4   2   0   2   110    89    21  1.00
  Campbelltown          2   2   0   0    70    26    44  2.00
  Suncorp Stadium       2   0   0   2    40    63   -23  0.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
South Sydney          179  70   5 104  2562  2956  -394  0.81
  Pratten Park         35  17   0  18   596   513    83  0.97
  St Luke's Park        3   1   0   2    28    40   -12  0.67
  Lidcombe Oval        13   7   1   5   213   197    16  1.15
  Campbelltown          9   5   1   3   175   135    40  1.22
  Agricultural Ground   9   3   0   6    84   233  -149  0.67
  Metters Sports Ground
                        2   0   0   2    21    45   -24  0.00
  SSG                  35  14   1  20   411   479   -68  0.83
  Erskineville Oval     3   0   0   3    14    62   -48  0.00
  SCG                  33  11   1  21   426   567  -141  0.70
  Redfern Oval         31  10   1  20   482   564   -82  0.68
  SFS                   6   2   0   4   112   121    -9  0.67
-------------------------------------------------------------
University             31  25   0   6   737   407   330  1.61
  Pratten Park         28  23   0   5   692   368   324  1.64
  SCG                   1   0   0   1     8    20   -12  0.00
  Wentworth Park        1   1   0   0    19    10     9  2.00
  SSG                   1   1   0   0    18     9     9  2.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
Western Reds            2   2   0   0    54    14    40  2.00
  Campbelltown          1   1   0   0    32     6    26  2.00
  WACA Perth            1   1   0   0    22     8    14  2.00
-------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL                1644 730  48 866 24614 27188 -2574  0.92
-------------------------------------------------------------

1996 results

Premiership:
  1. Mar 22f A Illawarra            W 17-8   4   9,744
  2.     31  H Brisbane             L 14-36 11   9,106
  3. Apr  4h H Auckland             W 22-8   7  10,088
  4.     13s A Parramatta           W 18-14  6  12,349
  5.     20s H Sydney City          L  0-20 10   7,850
  6.     28  A Newcastle            L  4-26 11  17,758
  7. May  5  H Cronulla Sutherland  W 18-10  8   5,010
  8.     12  A Sydney Tigers        L 16-22 10   4,467
  9.     17f H Penrith              W 16-6   9   6,116
 10. Jun  1s A Western Reds         W 22-8   8   6,535
 11.     16  H South Sydney         D 14-14  7   5,100
 12.     23  H Gold Coast           W 42-10  7   4,083
 13.     29s A Auckland             L 16-32  8  17,500
 14. Jul  7  A South Queensland     L 22-24 10   8,961
 15.     14  H North Queensland     W 40-32  9   5,821
 16.     21  A St George            L 16-24 10   9,057
 17.     28  A Canterbury Bankstown W 20-16 10   5,870
 18. Aug  3s H Canberra             W 24-16  8   7,243
 19.     10s A Brisbane             L  6-36 10  19,866
 20.     19m H North Sydney         W 23-22  8  13,186
 21.     25  A Manly Warringah      L 12-42  9  14,580
 22.     31s H Illawarra            W 12-8   8   3,542
 QF. Sep  6f * Cronulla Sutherland  L 12-20     22,433
             at Parramatta Stadium

Results for the last five years

Auckland:                         Newcastle:
    1995 L 12-46 (a)                  1992 W  8-4  (a)
         L 12-16 (h)                       W 20-18 (h)
    1996 W 22-8  (h)                       L  2-21 (SFS)
         L 16-32 (a)                  1993 L  9-18 (a)
Balmain:                                   L 11-20 (h)
    1992 L  8-15 (a)                  1994 W 19-18 (a)
         W  9-6  (h)                       W 28-14 (h)
    1993 W 24-20 (a)                  1995 L 12-16 (Coffs Harbour)
    1994 W 32-28 (h)                       L 22-23 (h)
    1995 W 30-12 (h)                  1996 L  4-26 (a)
    1996 L 16-22 (a)              North Queensland:
Brisbane:                             1995 W  6-4  (Newcastle)
    1992 L 10-16 (Wellington)              L 12-31 (a)
         W 25-16 (h)                  1996 W 40-32 (h)
    1993 L 16-36 (a)              North Sydney:
    1994 L 10-40 (a)                  1992 W 26-16 (h)
    1995 L  2-28 (a)                       L 14-19 (a)
         L 18-28 (h)                  1993 L  9-22 (a)
    1996 L 14-36 (h)                       W 26-18 (h)
         L  6-36 (a)                  1994 D 16-16 (h)
Canberra:                             1995 L 16-32 (a)
    1992 L 18-27 (a)                  1996 W 23-22 (h)
    1993 L 18-21 (Dubbo)          Parramatta:
         L  2-38 (a)                  1992 W 22-16 (a)
    1994 L 24-40 (h)                       L 16-26 (h)
         L 22-40 (a)                  1993 W 22-10 (a)
    1995 L 18-50 (a)                       L  6-22 (a)
    1996 W 24-16 (h)                  1994 L 24-30 (a)
Canterbury Bankstown:                 1995 W 32-6  (h)
    1992 L  6-20 (a)                  1996 W 18-14 (a)
         W 28-16 (h)              Penrith:
    1993 L 12-24 (h)                  1992 W 16-14 (Wagga)
    1994 L 16-22 (a)                       L 10-18 (h)
         L 12-40 (h)                  1993 W 24-10 (h)
    1995 W 18-14 (h)                  1994 L 24-38 (h)
    1996 W 20-16 (a)                  1995 L 20-33 (a)
Cronulla Sutherland:                  1996 W 16-6  (h)
    1992 W 22-10 (h)              South Queensland:
    1993 W 24-2  (Armidale)           1995 W 38-14 (h)
         W 16-8  (h)                  1996 L 22-24 (a)
    1994 L 10-36 (h)              South Sydney:
         L 28-32 (a)                  1992 W 28-12 (h)
    1995 W 18-14 (a)                       W 32-12 (a)
    1996 W 18-10 (h)                  1993 W 22-20 (Albury)
         L 12-20 (Parramatta)              L 12-18 (a)
Gold Coast:                                W 32-10 (h)
    1992 W 15-8  (a)                  1994 L 10-16 (Port Macquarie)
    1993 W 14-10 (h)                       L  8-28 (a)
         W 32-22 (a)                       W 34-26 (h)
    1994 W 38-4  (h)                  1995 W 34-20 (a)
    1995 W 26-16 (a)                  1996 D 14-14 (h)
    1996 W 42-10 (h)              St George:
Illawarra:                            1992 W 19-10 (h)
    1992 L  2-17 (a)                       L 12-13 (a)
    1993 L  2-24 (h)                  1993 L  8-20 (Melbourne)
         L 12-36 (a)                  1994 L 16-32 (Adelaide)
    1994 W 20-14 (h)                  1995 L 12-25 (SCG)
         L 18-40 (a)                  1996 L 16-24 (a)
    1995 W 25-24 (h)              Sydney City:
         L  6-46 (a)                  1992 L  4-18 (h)
    1996 W 17-8  (a)                       W 14-6  (a)
         W 12-8  (h)                  1993 L 12-22 (h)
Manly Warringah:                           L 24-40 (a)
    1992 D  6-6  (a)                  1994 D 18-18 (a)
    1993 L  4-11 (h)                  1995 W 44-16 (Darwin)
         L 12-26 (a)                  1996 L  0-20 (h)
    1994 L  8-66 (a)              Western Reds:
         L 14-28 (h)                  1995 W 32-6  (h)
    1995 L 12-34 (h)                  1996 W 22-8  (a)
    1996 L 12-42 (a)