1958-2024

Wests Heritage Number 849 (1986)

Balmain Players Number 684.

Parramatta Players Number 403.

South Sydney Players Number 763.

Personal Information.

Full Name       John Bilbija

Born                      1958

              Died          24 August 2024 (aged 65)

 

John Bilbija was born in 1958 in Sydney. Both his parents were born in Serbia and migrated to Australia before he was born. He grew up in Sydney’s west and ironically, his parents banned him from playing league because they believed the game was too rough for their son. So he played soccer for six years with the local Canley Heights Soccer Club and when he was seventeen his mates encouraged him to try out for League. With his large frame and hard-running style, Bilbija was an instant success in League and he progressed quickly from the Birchgrove Scorpions junior ranks into Balmain President’s Cup team. Balmain graded him in 1979 and he made his first grade debut with the Tigers in 1980 against Cronulla (round four).

His parents always thought he was playing soccer, but he got caught out when they watched him debut for the Tigers. He later noted in an interview: “My parents were at home and happened to watch that game on TV, and when I ran onto the field you can imagine their reaction. I got into some trouble that night, let me tell you.”

After spending three years with the Tigers he moved to Parramatta in 1982, where he played one first grade game. In 1983 he represented Western Division in one game when he came on as a replacement against Southern Division at Moss Vale, in Round 1 of the Caltex NSW Country Divisional Championships. He played that year for Lithgow Workmen’s Club, and in 1984-85 he played for Merrylands in Parramatta’s Junior League. In 1985 Bilbija was named Parramatta District A-grade Player of the Year with the Merrylands club.

Western Suburbs provided John a lifeline in 1986 when coach Steve Ghosn signed him to come and play for the Magpies. John went on to play 40 First Grade games in the next two seasons.

Former team mate Alan Fallah fondly recalls ‘John being the fittest player he ever played with and would run through a brick wall if required’.

In 1988 he began playing with South Sydney, where he played 17 grade games during the season for the Rabbitohs, which includes four in first grade and all as a replacement. He made his Souths first grade debut in round two against Eastern Suburbs at Sydney Football Stadium, when he came on to replace Wayne Chisholm, to become player number 763 on their player register. He also played in one game of the National Panasonic Cup, also as a replacement.

In 1991-92,  John returned to the Magpies and coached our  Metropolitan Cup team.

 

John was one of only a handfull of players who played First Grade for Wests at both Lidcombe Oval and Orana Park in Campbelltown.

Bilbo’s time at Wests 1986-1987.

1986 Wests Squad Photo taken at Lidcombe

Aerial photo of Wests new home ground Orana Park, Campbelltown in 1987.

1987 Wests First Grade Team Photo taken at Orana Park.

A newspaper article from 1987.

Steve Ghosn was John’s coach at Wests for both 1986 and 1987 seasons.

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Former team mate and close friend, Alan ‘Noisy’ Fallah, only recently presented John ‘Bilbo’ Bilbija with his Wests Heritage Medal.

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