SEASONS 1970 - 1974

FOR A BETTER QUALITY PAGE (COLOUR, PHOTOS ETC) CLICK ON 1970 to 1974

1970

West signed Rugby League great, John Raper, to be Captain / Coach in 1970. With 6 losses and 2 draws West battled to make the semi finals, but they won the last 3 games in the Finals series, beating Maitland 21 – 14 in the Grand Final. In fact West played Maitland in all 3 Grand Finals, and a close 16 – 15 loss in Reserve Grade soured the day, but “just a little”. West’s First Grade side was “Tag” Spruce, Wayne Hore, John Cootes (3 tries), Gary Banks, Ken Smith, Grahame Morissey (try), Bob Adamson, Peter Howlett, John Raper, Dennis Rowston, Brian Carlin (3 goals), Allan Dagwell (try) and Tony Brown. The winning Third Grade side was Ian Bell, Ron Davie, Alan Wallis (field goal), Roger Dean (try), Peter McKerras, Paul Anderson, Frank Frasca, Brian Rooney, Al Druery (5 goals), John Barber (2 tries), Waka Mutu, Steve Lawson and Ray Campbell (try) and the winning coach was Brian Stanbridge. Players who first played for West in 1970 included Bob Adamson  - 92 games – Came to West from Manilla. Left West in 1972 and before returning in 1977 coached Yanco Wamoon and Griffith  to Premierships, Gary Banks – 67 games – South junior who played with North Sydney from 1967 to 1969. Gary was selected from South in 1996 to play for Australia,  John Raper – 40 games – St Goege “Legend” and Rugby  League “Immortal” John coached West in 1970, 1971 and 1972. He coached Kurri in 1973 and then returned to Sydney and coached Cronulla and Newtown. John “Bowler hat and all” played 33 tests for Australia and while at West’s captained NSW Country on a New Zealand tour. Larry Dagwell – 55 games was Allan’s cousin, Peter Howlett  -145 games – West junior who played 2 games for NSW. Ended his career with South.  Ron Davie – 89 games was in the RAAF  and Wayne Evans – 150 games. A West junior who went by the name of “Grumpy”.  The “40 year photo” of the 1970 winning team is below. BACK ROW Dennis Rowston, John Cootes, John Raper, Wayne Hore, Brian Carlin, Gary Banks, Tony Browne, “Tag” Spruce, Ken Smith  FRONT  ROW Peter Howlett, Grahame Morissey, Bob Adamson, Allan Dagwell – “All Present and Acounted For!”

1971

After the high of 1970 West failed to make the semi finals in First Grade in 1970 – indeed they lost the last 5 games of the season. John Raper was again Captain / Coach of First Grade, while Brian Stanbridge and Neil Gibson coached the Reserve Grade side and Third Grade side to Premiership wins. The winning Reserve Grade side was C John, B Warby (2 goals), R Davie, C Pritchard, V Puodziunas (try), G Dagwell (try), P Anderson, P Howlett (try), K Smith (try), G Cook, A Wiggs, S Lawson and W Mutu. The winning Third Grade side was I Bell, W Hore (try), A Wallis, R Cronin, N Fletcher (try), F Frasca, L Dagwell, K Campbell, W Hollingsworth, W Evans, N Beri, A Dagwell, A Druery (2 goals) and L Scott (try). Players who first played for West in 1971 included West junior Gary Broadhead (152 games), Greg Cook (105games – Greg was from Darlington Point near Griffith and was one of the most versatile players to ever play for West), Les Perry (38 games – Les was a North Newcastle junior who joined West from the Canterbury Bulldogs) and the pictured Peter Perkins (120 games. Peter was a goal kicking centre who joined West from Maitland Rugby Union).

1972

John Raper continued on as Coach in 1972 and the successful season ended in the Final when West were beaten 21 – 20 by Cessnock. However Reserve Grade, coached by Brian Stanbridge, defeated Maitland 12 – 5 in the Grand Final, and Third Grade, coached by Neil Gibson, scored an impressive 40 -7 win over South. The winning Reserve Grade side was P Gilfeather, P Cootes (try), R Cronin, M McDermott, G White (try and 3 goals), G Morrissey, P Anderson, D Rowston, P Burt, G Dagwell, K Smith (c), S Lawson and P Maher. The winning Third Grade side was B Warby (try and 7 goals), R Davie (try), C Pritchard (try), G Owens (2 tries), R Dunstan, D Higgins, J Keysell (try), P Kachel (try), R Dean, K Campbell (try and goal), K Partridge, P Walls and W Mutu. Newcomers to the club in 1972 included West juniors Peter Burt (2^nd row) and Greg Owens Centre), two from Lakes (John Cook - prop and Peter Cootes winger), “Chudley” Loades (prop) from Waratah and Michael McDermott from Macquarie. There were a couple of surprise signings as well – none more than North’s enforcer Karl Hutchinson (prop) (pictured), who went on to play 181 games for West. West signed the 2 back rowers from the victorious 1971 Coonamble team (Frank Fish and current 2013 Sec Michael McEntyre) as well as half back Kevin Hardy from Taree and Lakes junior, centre Des Kimmorley (father of Brett) who played 2 games for NSW in 1971. So all in all a Good year. (A little aside - the team photo is the 1970 Newcastle Boys Junior High School Under 14 Premiership winning side with Captain Greg Owens (front, middle) featured. Greg was Captain, so they say, because he was the only West player in the team. Good one Coach! You do the Maths – Junior High Under 14’s 1970, West Grade 1972)

1973

Dennis Ward came to West from Manly as Captain / Coach in 1973. West had a successful year making two Grand Finals. The First Grade loss was particularly hard to take as West only lost 4 games all year. However no one would have expected this loss to be a series of Grand Final losses under West’s “unluckiest” coach ever. Ward himself had a successful year. At the end of the season he was chosen from West to represent Australia on the Kangaroo tour of England. West fielded a number of new players in 1973. These included juniors Brendan Barber, Ken Blackwell, Paul Slattery and Rob Christie as well as half back Robert “Jacky” Wright (pictured), from Cardiff, who went on to play 127 games for West. Two former Waratah players joined West – forward Mick Trypas (from Canterbury) and centre Greg Norgard (from Sth Sydney). Rangy forward, Mick Goldman, came from Rugby Union, whilst goal kicking fullback, Keith Hemsworth (221 points in 1973) joined West from Coonamble. A very good 5/8, Woy Woy junior, John Monie joined West from Cronulla. Monie went onto First Grade coaching positions at Parramatta, Wigan, Auckland and the London Broncos. Interestingly, as 2013 draws to a close, Brendan Barber still “runs on” for West each week in his position of “runner, trainer, first aid man...” for the mighty Rosellas. Quite a good innings from the West veteran!

1974

Dennis Ward continued as Captain Coach in 1974 – a second Grand Final for Dennis Ward, and a second loss. On this occasion West lost to Lkaes 7 – 2 in the Grand Final. Reserve Grade also lost out in the Grand Final when they were defeated 19 – 14 by Macquarie. West Juniors Greg Hamilton, Ron Bailey, Rob Darcy and Neville Freund all played their first grade games in 1974, whilst Vince Cronin (a grandson of the great “Boki” Bell), came to West. Vince was a Central Junior, but this talented winger came to West via South Newcastle. Country born prop George Skeers joined West from Sydney. On the representative front Dennis Ward, George Skeers, Greg Owen, Peter Howlett and Karl Hutchinson represented Newcastle against Great Britain. Hutchinson went on to represent Country Seconds, whilst Peter Howlett was selected in the Country side to tour New Zealand. However the highlight of the year was the Testimonial Dinner held on 31 July 1974 honouring long term President, Harry Harding, Secretary, Glen Maloney and Treasurer Jack Bell. (see below)