After some improvement in 1911, Wests appeared to have recruited well for the 1912 season gaining to its roster a number of experienced players as well a crop of young up and coming juniors. However, with so many new players in the ranks, the team appeared to be disorganised and the situation didn’t improve as the season went forward. The Club once again took out the wooden spoon.
To highlight this, the Arrow newspaper in May 1912 noted that; “J. Tully was elected captain of Western Suburbs (for the first round), the election being left for the team to carry out in the dressing room prior to starting the match. No wonder Western Suburbs went to pieces against a team such as Newtown. An election of captain at such a late hour gives neither the captain nor the team a chance to organise. A side needs to discuss tactics thoroughly beforehand.”
In the early years teams didn’t have coaches and support staff as they do in the modern era. The role of the captain in providing leadership and tactics was integral to the success of a team. The high turnover of players in the early years of the Wests club created instability, so it was imperative that organisation was at the highest level. These aspects of the club gradually improved over the years and Wests became a force in the competition.
Stalwarts for the club were Claude McFayden (played all 14 games), Alf Joass , Bill Medcalf and Henry Naylor (all played 13 games).
William “Ranji” Joass (seated) with 1911 players, Jim Stack (left) and Edward Ellis
Ranji was one of the backbone players of Wests from 1911-22. In 1912 he represented NSW
1912 Enfield Federals with future First-Graders – James Maxworthy, Frank Lane, George Gagan and possibly George’s brother, Stan Gagan
Back Row: B Collis (Trainer), V Howell (Trainer), H McCoy, J Hoddinett (Secretary), E Andrews, W Woodbridge (Vice-President), A Hoseman (Vice-President)
Second Row: T Sparks, J Maxworthy, G Hanson, W Williams, A Anderson, R Collis, W Dale, S Dickson
Front Row: D Nicholls, F Lane, C Daft, S Gagan (Captain), F Howell, H Dunlop, G Gagan