1954 – 2022

Bob Cooper Wests Player number 726 (1977)

North Sydney Player number 774 (1984)

*Bob Cooper’s full playing record at Wests is

 81 x 1st Grade Premiership matches – 14 tries = 42 points

4 x Pre-season, 1 x KB Cup, 3 x Amco Cup, 4 x Tooth Cup – 12 Non-Premiership First Grade – 2 tries = 6 points

75 x 2nd Grade – 17 tries = 51 points

32 x 3rd Grade – 10 tries = 34 points

Total Career 

200 games all grades

43 tries, 2 goals = 133 points

 

Bobby played his junior footy with Benedict College and had 1 season playing Rugby Union for Ashfield West Harbour Colts in 1974

Graded with Wests in 1975, Bobby quickly established himself as a player of the future culminating in his selection for NSW alongside Magpie team mates Tommy Raudonikis and Jimmy Leis in the first ever Origin game in 1980

Bobby was an integral member of our 1977 Under 23’s Premiership winning side

Wests 9 beat Parramatta 5

Also a member of our 1981 Reserve Grade Premiership winning team

Wests 19 beat Parramatta 2

Below are a few photos of Bob playing for Wests

Greg Hartley and Bob

Top to bottom Bob, Ross Conlon and Terry Lamb

In 1984 after a 15 months suspension Bob signed with North Sydney who were coached by Ex Wests Player John Hayes

One of the many injuries Bob suffered in the 1984 season with Norths

1984 was a injury filled season for Bob who retired  from Rugby League during the season due to a badly dislocated shoulder

It goes without saying that Bobby was an exceptional footballer, but also an absolute gentleman and friend to all of us

Bob Cooper and Wayne Smith

Alby Talarico interviewing Bob at Lidcombe Oval

 

On the 15th of December 2022  Celebrations of Bob Coopers Life were held simultaneously at Wanda Surf Club (Sydney) and Kirra Beach Surf Club (Gold Coast)

There were approximately 400 people at Wanda who formed a Guard of Honour clapping as Bobby left

 

This is a photo of some of 40 to 50 former Magpie team mates celebrating Bobs Life

Left to right: Front row : Alan Neil, Warren Boland, John Cattell, Garry Clarke, Tony Armstrong and Nathan Cole

Second row: Stephen Broughton, Paul Merlo and Lindsay Sinclair

Back row: Wayne Smith, Jim Leis and George Moroko

 

Photo below of some of the boys at Kirra Beach Surf Club

Left to Right: Don Mosley, Pat Hundy, Roy Masters, Frank Ponissi, Neil Pringle, Geoff Foster,Greg Cox and Greg Hodge

‘Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was I had such friends’ – Yeats.