1941 SEASON

Western Suburbs DRLFC First Grade 1941
L to R: K Lock, J Schuback, J Piper, F McKean, N Parkinson, B Thompson, J Whitehurst, J Huxley, B Brown, H Martin, T Slattery, D Rogers A McGuiness (C)

At Wests Annual General Meeting in February 1941, it was noted that “the war, with its attendant horrors and anxieties, is still a continued threat to peace and happiness, and is still raging relentlessly. It is hoped that our young men, who have trod such a victorious and glorious path in the Middle East, together with their comrades can combine and surge on to a brilliant victory on the ‘sterner fields’.

To those of our members who have joined up with the forces we extend our congratulations, with the fervent hope that they will be spared to resume their place once again in the side when the “Full Time” whistle blows, and the world again subsides into peaceful normality.”

The season of 1941 was disrupted by the war effort and injuries. Coming off the 1940 season where Wests took the wooden spoon, the Club was looking for an improvement in 1941. This ambition was thwarted somewhat when in May, Bill Keato, Tom Slattery, Jack Schuback, Jack Piper, Norm Parkinson, Doug Rogers and Colin Fewtrell were all called up for military training.

Cal Lynch had suffered a broken arm in the trials and Eric Bennett, from Dubbo, was not residentially qualified until early July. Nevertheless, while Wests finished sixth in the competition, the First-Grade team scored more points than it conceded. The year, hopefully, would create momentum for 1942.

For those that remained at home, sport remained a great motivator and distraction. Wests maintained its close relationship with the northern beaches surf clubs.

Daily Telegraph 3 November 1941

Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club
3rd Grade Finalists 1941

Back Row: J Neill (Selector), R McLaurin, A Williams, J Brady, A Rice, J Edgar (Reserve Grade Secretary)
Second Row: R Reimer (Third Grade Secretary), S Cook, H Grew, E Edwards, R Gillam (Coach), E Tweedale, L Clancy, J O’Brien (Committee)
Sitting: E McFayden (District Secretary), L Hoschke, D Peel (Captain), L Chambers (District President), E Hill (Vice-Captain), A Hoschke, L Lackey (District Treasurer)
Front Row: J Spooner, J Lackey (Ball Boy), J Russell
Absent: N Spence, J Stewart, B Thompson

Western Suburbs President’s Cup /Inter District Squads

Western Suburbs:
J Paton, J Mulligan, C O’Brien, W James, J Beckett, N Hogan, W Kennedy, R Wells, H White, A Vandersee, M Collins, N Spence, E O’Sullivan, Reserves, J Ryan, R Whyber, J Newell, W Allchin

Western Districts:
L Rigby, V Buttenshaw, Gardiner, Morris, (Wentworthville), Burke, Woodward, Keato, Reid, (Fairfield), Gilligan, Shaw, (Wentworthville) C Smith (Blacktown), B Formari, A Formari, (St Marys), Franklin, Chadwick, Garner, Page (Wentworthville)