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.
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?]
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Cumberland 1 0 0 1 6 14 -8 0.00
Birchgrove Oval 1 0 0 1 6 14 -8 0.00
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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TOTAL 1644 730 48 866 24614 27188 -2574 0.92
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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
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)