1910 SEASON

Western Suburbs DRLFC First Grade 1910
Source: Australian Town and Journal 1910

1910 was another tough year for Western Suburbs. The First-Grade team were last in the competition and at times struggled for players much like the final rounds of the 1909 season. A report in the Arrow newspaper in July noted; “Western Suburbs, fresh from last week’s victory, will tackle a much tougher proposition today in the premiers. I cannot say that I would like to see the latter win, though I think that they will, because the Suburbs are mostly young and inexperienced players, who are more likely to be disheartened by defeat than their formidable opponents, and for that reason alone not a few would like to see them win again.”

The match report of the final round highlights the difficulties for struggling clubs. Wests played North Sydney in the final round and the game started late as Norths were struggling to find players and when they assembled a team, they had difficulty finding enough jerseys. Norths took to the field with a range of different jerseys and a player with no boots.

Wests were able to field a full team but had to draw on a number of junior footballers who were inexperienced. Players such as Reg Baldock rose to the occasion even though Wests lost the game and took the wooden spoon for season 1910.

The positive for Wests was that in 1910, the first junior rugby league representative team was selected. This team contained players that would serve the Club well over the next few years and signalled a pattern of junior player development that was replicated over the decades.

Combined Western Suburbs Junior Representative Team 1910

Back L to R: W P Finnigan, J Nealey, W R Smyth, W Walsh, G Lewis, J Maxworthy, A Harvey, H McCoy, C Shaw (Referee)
Middle: P Byrne, J Crawford, G Cranney, H O’Brien (Pres), P L Noakes (C), H Dawson, F Buckley,
Front: C Kalf, F Howell, S Gagan, J James