Joseph Henry Thrussell was not a Western Suburbs player. He was one of four Newtown Second Grade players “borrowed” by Wests in the last Round of 1909. Wests went to the game with nine players and lost Bill Elliott with injury during the game.
The Referee newspaper recorded that “Western Suburbs were short-handed, several of their men being ill with influenza. They have been a plucky team and deserve credit for the manner in which they have come up each week under adverse conditions.”
Given the extraordinary circumstances, this was the one and only game played for Wests by Joseph Thrussell. Also see Wests #51, #52 and #54.
