After a three year hiatus Pratten Park Magpies held our 2022 Reunion at Wests Ashfield Leagues on Saturday 16 July.

For those fortunate enough to attend, what a wonderful day…many saying our best ever Reunion! Without running the risk of sounding too bromantic, there was a lot of love in the room. For those unable to attend…we missed you and sincerely hope you can make it next year. 

The theme for the Day was Our Fullbacks – Our No 1’s and what a  formidable line-up we had highlighted in interviews with Don Parish, Tony Ford, John ‘Joe Cool ‘ Dorahy, Gary Jack & Andrew Leeds. 

Who will ever forget the inspiring interview with Col Ratcliff (the last surviving Member from our 1952 Premiership winning team) and the standing ovation he received.

It was wonderful to have Tim Sheens take time out of his busy schedule to join us.

Great to see several of our 90’s players in attendance, many for the first time as we celebrated our 1992 Premiership winning Presidents Cup team. 

There were so many people who contributed to the success of the day. Once again Denis Culpan, Pat Regan & Steve Winbank assisted with the sale of raffle tickets…thanks to all of you. Indeed a big thank you to Steve who travelled from Noosa to call the Calcutta Melbourne Cup race and what a fantastic job he did!

Thanks to everyone who supported the Raffle and Calcutta. All monies raised on the day subsidise our NSW & QLD Reunions as well as our Annual Music Memories & Munch where we invite Widows of our Past Players to celebrate their husband’s footy careers with the Magpies.

We had some outstanding raffle prizes and I would like to acknowledge the contributions made by the following Sponsors…Sydney Cricket Ground Hospitality, The Village Florist Hunters Hill and of course Western Suburbs Magpies FC.

Thanks to Simon Cook CEO Wests Ashfield and his staff for their fantastic support in providing our lunch and beverages.

 Thanks to Rick Wayde and the Archives Team for providing the audio/visual presentations and ongoing support.

A big thank you to John Wiles who, as he does every year, provides our Annual Magazine and other printing needs.

 We were indeed fortunate to have Brian Cook a.k.a. Captain, Cooky and Construction Worker as our Master of Ceremonies. He kept us amused and entertained throughout the afternoon and I am sure you will agree, he has the gig for as long as he likes! Many of us were privileged to have played alongside Cooky or been coached by him but we are now ALL privileged to have him as a Mate!

Finally, days like Saturday don’t just happen. There is a lot of preparation and planning that goes into the event and we are indeed ‘blessed’ to have a passionate team of Magpies on our Committee who put it all together. They seek no plaudits but should be congratulated for their efforts. 

Whilst a team effort, I would particularly like to thank Geoff Squires. Geoff’s contribution to Saturday is as always absolutely enormous and could never be overstated. We are all deeply indebted to you Geoff!

 

Mick Liubinskas

President

Pratten Park Magpies

 

 

One of the many tables set and ready for the Reunion

Pat Regan and Carl Ross

Geoff Squires

John Wiles

Fred and Scott McKenzie

The Rose Boys Terry and Greg

Paul Dillon

Paul Dixon, Barry Pierce, Cec Ainsworth and Nipper Leary

John Harbon, Bryan Schafer and Jeff Aplitt

Jim Begnell, Nath Cole and Geoff Henry

Michael Neill and John Cogger

Steve Ryan, Steve West, Col Ensor and Geoff Spotswood

Ken Hey and Steve Ghosn

Phil Franks and Ken Vessey

John O ‘Bryan, Terry Rose, Greg Rose and Wayne Bennett

Roger Buttenshaw and Steve Winter

Neil Bennett

Guest and Wayne Jenkins

Gerald Celarc, Bruce Clarke and John Bailey

Jim Myers

Our Brisbane connection Dale Hall and Garry Bukowski

Matt Ryan, Russell Hill and Matt Threlkeld

 

Stan Presdee

Chow Hayes and Barry Pierce

Marcel Giagodi, Sandrio Ottavino  and Gary Walsh

Col and Greg Ratcliff

John Purcell, Gary Walsh, Tim Murphy, Barry Glasgow and Steve Winter

Chad Harris and Mark Keenan

John Eisenhuth, Michael Duke, Steve Eisenhuth, Trevor Cogger and Steve Broughton

Don Parish and Brian Cook

Don in his playing days

Col Ensor, Steve West and Steve Ryan

Roger Buttenshaw and Ray Culpan

Norm Dhu

Pat Thomas and Bill King

Les Hobbs, Bob Sly and Ron Chilcott

Tim Sheens, Phil Franks and Don Parish

Time for the official start of the Pratten Park Magpies 2022 Reunion

Our new MC Brian Cook

After the Welcome to Country it was time to remember the PPM members who have passed away since the last reunion

Part of the large crowd listening to Cooky

We all stood as one to toast and remember the old Magpies who are no longer with us

 

Mick Liubinskas presenting John Harbon with his Life Membership of  the Western Suburbs D.R.L.F.C

 Nathan Cole trying to explain the rules for this years Raffle which also involved a Calcutta Melbourne Cup race

A lot of fun

Our guest race caller Steve Winbank

Steve Halovic, Kevin Bryson and Denis Culpan

Denis selling Steve the winning ticket??

The owners of the horses have been called up by the stewards

The horses have jumped ……Steve “Ken Howard” Winbank is calling the race

The winners are grinners

Mark Wallington

Tony Ford and Kris Ford

Joe Begnell and Grant Fyvie

John Fisher

Trevor Cogger and Leo Epifania

Leo in his playing days

Lincoln Raudonikis, Semi Hausia and Robbie Payne

Steve Ryan and Ron McDonald

Ken Hey and Dennis Burgess

Rick Wayde and Tim Sheens

George Baldacchino

John Hardgrove, Andrew Leeds and Neil Davidson

Andrew in his playing days

David Trodden and Geoff Armstrong

Col Lewis and Tony Ford

Tony in his playing days

Neville Sinclair, Lindsay Sinclair, Peter Duggan and Mark Manston

Josh White and Mick Pinkerton

Arthur Mountier and Bruce Clark

Photo of Bruce, Arthur and Dallas from 1982

Jim Leis, Wayne Smith and Bob Cooper

Wayne in his playing days

Brett Clark

Mark Toomey, Paul Clarke and Steve Eisenhuth

Brent Knowles and Geoff Ibbett

Herb Smales also Peter Di Michiel in the background

Don Parish and John Dorahy

John in his playing days

A excellent lunch was prepared by the Wests Ashfield kitchen

One very happy customer Jason Benge

Andrew Leeds, Josh White and Garry Jack

Gary in his playing days

Peter Young and John Purcell

Ross Epifania, Neil Bennett and Ken Hey

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Part of the winning 1992 Presidents Cup Team

Jason Benge, Matt Ryan, Matt Threlkeld, Russell Hill and Josh White

OUR THEME FOR THIS YEAR IS OUR FULLBACKS OUR NUMBER ONES

*This year we salute another unsung hero of rugby league, the FULLBACK

Over the years Wests have had many brilliant Fullbacks the photo below is five of Wests best

Tony Ford, John Dorahy, Garry Jack, Don Parish and Andrew Leeds

Andrew Leeds taking a photo of his fellow fullbacks

John Dorahy, Garry Jack and Don Parish

Phillip Ross

Rick Yabsley and Alan Fallah

Geoff Squires and John Faulkner

Bruce Gibbs, Bob Cooper, Peter Duggan and Mick Liubinskas

Steve Winter, John Fisher and Mick Alchin

Rob Rowland Smith and Steve West

*

Col Ratcliff the sole survivor of the winning Wests 1952 First Grade Premiership Team was interviewed by Brian Cook

The interview ended with a prolonged standing ovation for this true Wests Legend

Col and Brian Cook

Col speaking of a game that was played 70 years ago

Col with his two sons Stephen and Greg

Greg, Stephen, Col , Garry Jack and Cooky

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Time to wrap up the day with the drawing of the lucky raffle winners

First prize winner Gary McFarlane

Second prize winner Steve Winter and Nath Cole

 Third prize winner Lincoln Raudonikis and Nath

Nath Cole, Cooky and Josh White

 

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Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was that I had such friends – W.B. Yates