For a better quality page of the 1995 season (colour, photos etc) click on 1995

1995

It was hoped that in 1995 Tony Price would take over from Neil Baker as Captain / Coach of First Grade. However, a phone call from Balmain Coach, Wayne Pearce meant that Tony Price (pictured right) was a “Tiger” in 1995. It was then discovered that retired Canberra Raider, and former State of Origin player, Paul Martin  had settled in Newcastle. (He was a greenkeeper at Merewether Golf Club). Paul was approached and he took over the coaching job. 1993 coach, Wayne Dawson, took over Reserve Grade from Geoff Coburn, while  Craig Miller took on the 3^rd Grade position. First Grade were Minor Premiers and Grand Finalists, Reserve Grade were semi finalists and 3^rd Grade won the Grand Final. The winning West 3^rd Grade side that defeated Lakes 14 to 8 was 1. Jon Wilson  2. Cale Wallace  3. Michael Neilson (try)  4. Mark Saunders  5. Steve Rowlands  6. Ben Porter (try and 3 goals)  7. Steve Hepburn  13. Chris Wilson 12. Grant Kenny  11. Adam Dagwell  10. Matt Cooper  9. Chad “Hollywood” Bennett  and 8. Greg Brown. New players to grade in 1995 included West juniors Ryan Dagwell and Matt Marks, Andrew Taylor and prolific try scorer, Brett Cullen. Cullen came to West from the Young Cherrypickers, via the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Rochdale Hornets.  The “Clubman of the Year” was awarded to Anthony McDonnell, and Tony Hutton, Tyrone Fallins and Grant Kenny won awards as the “Most Outstanding Player” in each grade.

For a better quality page of the 1996 season (colour, photos etc) click on 1996

1996

Tony Price returned from the Balmain Tigers in 1996 to begin a 4 year term as First Grade Captain / Coach. His 4 years at the helm resulted in disappointment in 1996, and Premierships in 1997, 1998 and 1999..and a very “unfortunate” way in 1999 to end his playing career. Reserve Grade were coached by Craig Miller, who had outstanding success as a coach of Junior teams, and who was the coach of the winning 1995 Third Grade team. Craig Hubbard took over the coaching duties of the Third Grade side. First Grade lost only 4 games all year – but unfortunately one was the Grand Final. Craig Miller again tasted success in Reserve Grade, while Third Grade went down narrowly to South in the Grand Final. Reserve Grade defeated Kurri 20 – 6 in the Grand Final and the winning Reserve Grade side was 1.Les Smith (4 goals)  2. Mark Saunders (try)  3. Michael Blake  4. Luke Gibson  5. James Lovegrove (try)  6. Ben Porter  7. Dwayne Neilson  13. Justin Lobsey  12. Brendan McKell  11. Greg Price  10. Matt Thompson  9. Matt Marks (try)  8. Greg Ninness  and 14. Andrew Taylor. New players in grade in 1996 included West Junior Greg Ninness, Anthony Pauling from Central, Frank Lawler from Maitland and Les Smith. The “Clubman of the Year” was awarded to Michael Reid, and the “Most Outstanding Players” in each grade were awarded to Tony Price (Firsts), Matt Thompson (Reserves) and Jon Wilson (Thirds). Brett Cullen and ex Kotara junior, Steve Storrie (pictured), were selected in the Country Firsts team. Storrie, for the 2^nd consecutive year, was also selected to represent the NSW Residents Team. In a sad note, former President J. J. “Mo” Wilson (1^st Grade Coach 1951 and 1952, President WSRLFC 1947 to 1957) passed away during the year. 1996 was a very good year, and West were again Club Champions, but the “priceless” years of 1997, 1998 and 1999 were just around the corner. (NB Page 2 of this summary refers to a very “unfortunate” incident that occurred after the Final when West beat Kurri 20 – 16 in extra time.)

Ugly Punch After Bell Breaks Jaw

Barry Toohey

Daily Telegraph

Tuesday August 27 1996

Newcastle Western Suburbs Rugby League hooker, Tony Hutton, was laid up in hospital yesterday, his jaw cracked in two places, wondering if his dreams of playing in the big time had been shattered.

Hutton was felled by a punch from a Kurri rival, after playing a leading role in West’s 20 – 16 extra time win over the Bulldogs in the Newcastle Preliminary Final on Sunday.

The incident occurred several seconds after the extra time siren sounded when the two sides came together to shake hands.

The sickening sound of his jaw being breaking under the blow was heard by just about every player on the ground.

Police were investigating the incident and conducted interviews with a number of players, officials and spectators who saw the punch being thrown.

Hutton, who will now miss next Sunday’s Newcastle Grand Final and the opportunity to impress talent scouts from the Sydney Tigers and Parramatta, is awaiting an operation to have his broken jaw wired.

He said yesterday from John Hunter Hospital he was still stunned by the incident.

“I went up to him after the game, and put my hand out to shake his, and the next thing I know I was on the ground with blood everywhere”.

“Everyone around heard the cracking noise, and I knew from the blood that he had broken my jaw.”

“I couldn’t believe it – still can’t.”

For a better quality page of the 1997 season (colour, photos etc) click on 1997

1997

Tony Price began his 2^nd season as Captain / Coach in First Grade, Craig Miller continued on as Reserve Grade Coach, while Geoff Gidley took over the coaching duties of the Under 20’s (yep – 3^rd Grade gone again!). It was very nearly a “Golden Year” with both First and Reserve Grades winning their Grand Finals, and Third Grade going down by just 2 points. The winning First Grade side that defeated Lakes 26 – 16 in the Grand Final was 1. Scott Bradley (3 goals)  2. Brett Cullen  3. Steve Storrie (2 tries)  4. Les Smith  5. Tom Blaszak  6. Paul Skovgaard (try)  7. Tony Price (try)  13. Anthony Pauling  12. Adam Frost  11. Chris Wells  10. Michael Reid  9. Tony Hutton (try)  8. Andrew Weir  14. Greg Ninness  15. Brendan Dooley  16. Jon Wilson and 17. Tod Anderson. The winning Reserve Grade side that defeated South 16 to 6 in the Grand Final was 1. Luke Gibson  2. James Lovegrove  3. Frank Lawler (try and 2 goals)  4. Frank Purcell  5. Jon Wilson  6. Ben Porter  7. Matt Marks (try)  13. Mark Saunders (try)  12. Steve Barwick  11. Michael Blake  10. Tim Perrin  9. John Freebody  8. Tod Anderson 14. Liongi Pooi #  15. Mick Kearney  16. Andrew Taylor  17. Greg Price. Players who first played grade with West in 1997 included Wayne March, Daniel McCarney, Justin Alexander, Adam Gidley, Paul Skovgaard and Adam Frost. The “Clubman of the Year” was awarded to Craig Miller. (At the time of writing, June 2014, Craig is the current 1^st Grade Coach, holding that position for the previous 3 years). The trophies for the “Most Outstanding Player” in each grade were awarded to Tony Hutton, Greg Ninness and Peter Shearer. The record holder for the number of First Grade points, Scott Bradley, scored 222 points for the season, and the record holder for the number of First Grade tries, Brett Cullen, scored 32 tries for the season.

# Liongi Pooi???? If you can answer who he is, you may win a lot of money. In fact, Liongi Pooi (real name) came to West under an “assumed” name, Lucky Save. In fact, West records show that Lucky Save, played from 1995 to 1997 – 1 First Grade game, 27 Reserve Grade games (3 tries) and 18 3^rd Grade games (13 tries).

For a better quality page of the 1998 season (colour, photos etc) click on 1998

1998

With his 1997 success behind him Tony Price began his 3rd season as Captain / Coach in First Grade. Geoff Gidley went “up one notch” to coach Reserve Grade while the “West Wyalong Wonder”, Dennis Duncan took over the coaching duties with the Under 20’s. Nearly another “Golden Year” with all teams in the Grand Final. First Grade defeated South by 51 to 14 in the Grand Final. The winning West team was 1. Scott Bradley (9 goals / 9 attempts)  2. Brett Cullen (try)  3. Gavin Cook (2 tries)  4. Les Smith (try)  5. Shane Johnson (try) 6. Paul Skovgaard  7. Tony Price (2 tries, 1 FG)  13. Anthony Pauling  12. Adam Frost  11. Tony Hutton  10. Stuart Collins  9. Ryan Dagwell  8. Andrew Weir  14. Michael Barwick (try)  15. Andrew Taylor and 18.Matt Lee. Under 20’s were undefeated during the season and defeated South 36 to 6 in the Grand Final. The winning West team was 1. Kurt Stallworthy (try and 4 goals) 2. Ben Newman  3. Adam Delaney (2 tries)  4. Wayne March  5. Adam Considine (2 tries)  6. Steve Doherty  7. Brock Wills (try)  13. Nathan Kelly  12. Craig Milne  11. Nathan Parker  10. Justin Alexander  9. Scott Collins  8. Daniel McCarney (try)  14. Ben Burling  15. Matt Brogan  16. Nigel Craig and 17. Adam Gidley. Players who first played Grade for West in 1998 included West juniors, Shane Johnson and Nathan Parker, Gavin Cook from Dubbo and Kurt Stallworthy from Muswellbrook. Scott Bradley was awarded the trophy for the “Clubman of the Year” and the “Most Outstanding Player” trophies were awarded to Brett Cullen (Firsts), Matt Lee (Reserves) and Steve Doherty (Under 20’s). It most probably is not hard to see why Brett Cullen won his award. Brett scored 40 First Grade tries in 1998 – quite an achievement. Scott Bradley deserves a special mention. He is the highest points scorer in West's history, and was selected as fullback in West's "Team of the Century" in 2010.

Tony Price

Tony Price started his Rugby League career with Central Charlestown before moving to Rugby Union. He returned to Central Charlestown and played Under 18’s, and won the Under 18’s “Player of the Year”.

Following that success Tony moved onto grade at Central where John Anderson was the coach. He played mostly Reserve Grade that year, with the occasional game in First Grade.

Tony, and brother Greg, shifted from Central to West in 1988. Tony quickly established himself as a regular First Grader at West.

In 1992 Tony was the half back in Neil Baker’s team that defeated Lakes 33 – 0 in the Grand Final. This team was awarded the “Clayton Cup” for the “Best Performing Team in Country NSW”.  Only one other club in Newcastle has won the “Clayton Cup” – Maitland in 1956.

Tony played with the Balmain Tigers in 1995, but returned to West in 1996 to begin a four year term as First Grade Captain / Coach. The disappointment of losing the 1996 Grand Final to Lakes, was more than offset by Premiership wins in 1997, 1998 and 1999.

In 1991 Tony was awarded the trophy for the “Newcastle Player of the Year”, and he was awarded "Newcastle Rep Player of the Year" in 1992. Tony represented Newcastle on more than 20 occasions, he played against the British Lions in 1992 and, in that year, he was “Man of the Match” when Country beat City for the first time in 17 years.

The 1999 Grand Final was marred by an “unfortunate” on field incident involving Tony (read next year’s summary). It was thought that this would be the end of Toni’s career with West - and most people think it was. However, Tony returned to West to “help out” Reserve Grade in 2002, and played 4 games.

So, in summary, Tony Price 1988 to 1999 (excl 1995) – 4 Premierships (1992, 1997, 1998, 1999), 3 Premierships as Captain / Coach, 240 Grade games (2^nd only to Allan Dagwell with 332), 115 tries (behind Garth Ross (235), Brett Cullen (230), Peter Jenner (156) and Todd Mulville (115), 222 First Grade games (2^nd only to Allan Dagwell with 301), numerous representative honours and twice Newcastle Rugby League “Player of the Year”……just “Priceless” as far as West is concerned…and he’s still involved with West today (June 2014).

For a better quality page of the 1999 season (colour, photos etc) click on 1999

1999

All three coaches remained from 1998 – Tony Price (First Grade), Geoff Gidley (Reserve Grade) and Dennis Duncan (Under 20’s). What a year – a “triple” for Tony Price, and a “double” for Dennis Duncan. In First Grade West 22 def Cessnock 18. The West team was 1. Scott Bradley (3 goals)  2. Brett Cullen  3. Gavin Cook  4. Shane Johnson (3 tries)  5. Kurt Stallworthy (try)  6. Paul Skovgaard  7. Tony Price  13. Anthony Pauling  12. Tony Hutton  11. Jarrod O’Doherty  10. Andrew Weir  9. Ryan Dagwell  8. Craig Melia  14. Adam Frost  15. Andrew Taylor  16. Adam Dagwell and 17. Troy Hilder. Under 20’s also defeated South by 36 to 10. The West team was 1. Garth Ross (try) 2. Craig O’Loughlin  3. Jay Bolton  4. Ryan Finley (3 tries)  5. Adam Considine  6. M Henry? (try and 3 goals) 7. Jay Walls (try)  13. Nathan Kelly  12. Martin Boyd  11. David Burgess  10. Nathan Parker  9. Scott Collins (2 tries)  8. Todd Maddison  14. Kurt Gidley and 15. Alex Seiul (goal). Mention the 1990 First Grade Grand Final and there were 2 main talking points. As reported in the Newcastle Herald on 23 August “West’s Captain / Coach, Tony Price, left the field after just 8 minutes with concussion after being hit by a shoulder charge from Cessnock prop Jason Hoogerwerf. This meant that West played 72 minutes without their Captain / Coach, and with one man short on the bench”. (It’s not “quite the way” that I saw the incident but I can only report what was written in the paper). The other incident occurred in the 72^nd minute of the game when Cessnock hooker, Zane Clarke, claimed a try, but was ruled to have “dropped the ball”. As reported in the Newcastle Herald on 24 August, the referee said “I made that decision on the field in a split second, which I have to do for all decisions..and I stick by it”. “You know what – the referee was right!”  (Photo shows Tony Price leaving the John Hunter Hospital later that evening)

…and then “the penny dropped”

West records are pretty good, but as these summaries are being prepared, only the “little picture” is being looked at, and the “big picture” is overlooked. The “little picture” is the year being summarised…the “big picture” is the history of the club. It was very impressive to note that in 1998 West Under 20’s went through the competition undefeated, and in 1999, West Under 20’s were again Minor and Major Premiers. Then it was noted that the same person, Dennis Duncan, had coached these two sides – and then “the penny dropped”.

I thought “Dunco’s done a lot in his time with West” – and he surely has! Dennis Duncan was born and bred in West Wyalong. He was always a good rugby league player, and like a lot of country kids, he played Under 18’s well before he was 18 – that was just the way it was. In fact Dennis played Under 18’s for five, yes five years. Simple Maths tells you that Dennis was playing Under 18’s when he was just 14. He was always a “hooker” when “hookers” had to “hook”. Indeed in 1966, Dennis won 3 Grand Finals with West Wyalong – on the one day! After Under 18’s had won, he stepped up and played off the bench in Reserve Grade, and when Reserve Grade had won, he stepped up and played off the bench in First Grade – and they won.

In 1966 Dennis represented Riverina Division in Under 18’s and in 1971 he represented Riverina Opens in the Country Divisional Championships. Dennis was also a member of the 1970 West Wyalong “Mallee Men” who defeated arch rivals, Temora, in the Grand Final. He played with West Wyalong until 1973, and came to Newcastle in 1974. In that year, he played with West United 2^nd Division with Col Pritchard, and in 1975 he started his grade career with West. Dennis played grade with West from 1975 to 1981. He played 120 grade games – with just 4 in First Grade. A great clubman was Dennis Duncan. He won 3^rd Grade Premierships in 1976 and 1980 before retiring a season later. Was that the end of “Dunco”? Well….NO. He coached Third Grade in 1981, Under 20’s in 1998 and 1999 and Reserve Grade in 2000. He was Secretary of the Football Club from 2000 to 2005 (assisting Tony Price in 2004). Then in 2006 he joined the football club committee…..and as this is written (June 2014) whose white ute is seen doing a lap of Harker Oval picking up the many protection pads after home games?…none other than the ute of Dennis Duncan. Everyone likes “Dunco” – he calls “a spade, yep, a spade” and he is a “real doer” who gets in and “has a go”. So to the “Wily West Wyalong Warrior” we say -  a “Mallee Man’s” best friend is a “Rosella”. (Photos : Dennis – West Wyalong U 18’s v Tumut”, (below) West’s 1999 winning Under 20’s celebrate)