The available records for this player only refers to the name of J James. Therefore it has been difficult to be definitive about the identity of this Wests player. He played only the one game in 1910 and that was a 0-67 loss to South Sydney.
The player James was one of twelve players who played a single First Grade game for Wests that year. He was one of the thirty seven that donned the First Grade jersey in 1910. Many of these one-time players were drafted in the last few rounds of the competition from lower grade ranks, rugby union and other competitions. There were few that were drafted from the Wests junior competition which was in its inaugural year.
There is a reference to a player named James from the Ashfield Surreyville/Buccaneers club who played rugby union with Wests juniors and Wests Second Grade in 1905-06. This person played alongside Reg Baldock who was also called into the Wests First Grade team in 1910.
There is also of interest a player in Wests Presidents Cup teams in 1910 and 1912. Could this player be the same as the person that played rugby union in 1905-06. It is possible that there were two players with the surname of James. Therefore there needs to be a degree of caution when drawing on a conclusion about the identity of this player.
In consultation with rugby league historian and researcher, Tony McCarron it has been concluded that the Wests First Grade player from 1910 is John Joseph Wesley James. It is also probable that he is the same person that played Second Grade with Wests in 1908-09 and rugby union with Ashfield Buccaneers/Ashfield Surreyville before that. However there is insufficient information to be conclusive about his earlier career.
