Joe Ryan Wests Player number 581 (1959)

Played for Wests 1958 – 1963

A local junior from the Concord United Club, Joe played 104 games for our Club including 13 in First Grade.

A bustling Centre, Joe scored 24 tries during his time with the Magpies and had the rare distinction of playing in 3 Grand Finals, as a member of our 1958 Third Grade Premiership winning team, 1961 Reserve Grade Premiership winning team and the 1962 Reserve Grade Grand Final team.

1958

A young Joe Ryan.

1959

In 1959 Joe made his First Grade debut on the 21st June 1959 against Manly at Brookvale Oval

Also in 1959 Joe scored two tries in a game against North Sydney

1961

The 1961 Reserve Grade Grand Final was a little unusual it was played the week after the First Grade Grand Final .

1962

A Celebration of Joe Ryan’s life as a Husband, Father, Grandfather and Wests Magpie was held at Tuncurry on Thursday the 11th of January 2024.

Club Legend and close Family friend, John Dorahy was honoured to present the Pratten Park Magpies Memorial Sash to Joe’s Family, which was proudly and most gratefully received.

Joe’s wife Coral with Sash.

Daughter Karen.

Many of Joe’s footy Mates from Wests Magpies and Concord United attended the Service and later a lovely gathering at Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club.

The Service heard a lovely Poem, which all found enormously appropriate to Joe’s life.

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