1936 SEASON

Apart from the aberration in 1933, Wests First Grade team missed the semi-finals for the first time since 1928, with the team finishing in sixth position on the competition table. Wests’ attack was comparable to most teams but its defence was not to the level that would take it to the semi-finals.

The Annual Report of 1936 noted that there had been a significant change in personnel in the last season or two with only six players having played 30 or more First Grade games. Those players were Cliff Pearce, Les Mead, Alan Ridley, Stan Tancred, Vince Sheehan and Max Gray. Only Pearce, Mead and Tancred would be there in 1937 and they too would be gone in 1938. The loss of experienced players to Canterbury in 1935 was now being felt, so 1936 was a watershed for Wests that would take more than a decade to recover from.

The good news for Wests is that it finished second in the Club championship built on the very good year that the Reserve and Third Grade teams had. These teams took out the 1936 premiership in both Grades, a first for Wests since its inception in 1908. Players from the lower Grades would gradually make their way into the First-Grade team over the following years.

 At Wests Annual General Meeting in 1936, Life Membership was awarded to Roy Liston and Honour Caps were presented to Les Mead, Stan Tancred and Bert Green for having played in 50 or more First and Reserve Grade matches.

Western Suburbs DRLFC – 2nd Grade Premiers 1936

Back: H Moxham (Treasurer), E Jones (2nd Grade Secretary), C McFayden (Selector), W Finegan (Selector), J White (Club Secretary), E Mead (Selector)
Middle: S Simpson, D Murray, W Purcell, R Liston (Vice President), R Allison, K Lock, A Gleeson,
Sitting: R Walden, J Arnold, C Deegan (Captain), E McFayden (President), J Brien (Coach), J Parsons (Vice Captain), D Wilson
Front: A McGuiness
Missing: J Cobcroft, F Comber, R Knight, W McLeod, V Cleary, G Sherry, J Knox, C Prentice (Selector)

Western Suburbs DRLFC – 3rd Grade Premiers 1936

Back: H Moxham (Treasurer), E Mead (Selector), W Knight (3rd Grade Secretary), R Liston (Vice President), C McFayden (Selector), J White (Secretary), W Finegan (Selector)
Third Row: L Midson, H Allen, F Kell, F Baber, R Ziebell, A Patrick
Sitting: R Armstrong, P Cooper, J Farrell (Captain), E McFayden (President), B Green (Coach), L Frappell, R Ackling
Front: G Lucas, H Kay, F Banner
Missing: J Bowden, E Mewton, A Hales, C Prentice (Selector)

Western Suburbs DRLFC President’s Cup /Inter District Squads – 1936

Southern Districts

Presidents Cup

Stan Mildwater, Loftus, J Hartley, N Edwards, Boyling, “Mick” Martin, W Bailey, Bowden, Tighe, Cheeseman, James, Crelley, E Pigeon, B Oglesby, T Kelly

Southern Districts (A Grade)

S Mildwater, R Cooper, J Hughes, E Thorne, T Wright, T Kelly, W Bailey, B Oglesby, R Cooney, D Moore, S Moore, F White, K Lock(e) Reserves – D Woods, N Edwards, E Pigeon

Southern Districts (B Grade)

Donohue, Toovey, Palmer, Hartley, Clancy, Malcolm, N Edwards, E Hennessy, Crelley, Dempsey, Bush, Payer, Taylor, Reserves – “Mick” Martin, Richardson, Hathaway