39th ANNUAL REUNION 2025.
The Pratten Park Magpies celebrated their 39th Annual Reunion on Saturday, 1 August 2026, with more than 120 guests gathering at Wests Ashfield to reminisce about the club’s history at Pratten Park, Lidcombe Oval and Campbelltown Stadium.
Our Reunions are always memorable occasions, and this year’s event was no exception, marked by genuine camaraderie and fellowship throughout the room.
This year’s theme honoured our Dual Wests Magpies and Canterbury Berries/Bulldogs players, with 13 players who represented both clubs in attendance, including Alan Allison, who played in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
We were honoured to welcome our Co-Patrons, Harry Wells and John Dorahy, who travelled from the Mid North Coast and Wollongong respectively to join us.
Guests enjoyed a sumptuous ten-course buffet, complemented by a fine selection of beer, wine and other beverages.
Following lunch, guests were treated to an engaging panel interview hosted by our Master of Ceremonies, Brian Cook, featuring Dual Players Jim Leis, Tony Armstrong and Paul Langmack.
The afternoon’s entertainment was further complemented by Mark Keehan’s outstanding Elvis impersonation and an excellent Ray Warren–style match day commentary delivered by Anthony Elias.
The success of the day owed much to the efforts of many. Particular thanks go to our Archives Team, Neil Bennett and Bernie McQuade, along with Wests Magpies Historian Brent Knowles and Canterbury Bulldogs Historian Phil Pellizzeri.
We would also like to thank everyone who supported the raffle and auction. Funds raised on the day go towards subsidising our NSW and QLD Reunions. We were fortunate to offer some outstanding raffle prizes, and we gratefully acknowledge the generous contributions of our sponsors: Concord Golf Club, Western Suburbs Magpies FC, and the Holman Barnes Group.
Our Reunion would not be possible without the tremendous ongoing support of the Holman Barnes Group Board of Directors, Management and Staff — thank you.
Jim Leis.
Brian Cook, Michael Duke and Trevor Cogger.
Nathan Cole and Mick Liubinskas.
Jim Leis, Nathan Cole, Mick Liubinskas, Michael Duke, Stephen Eisenhuth, Trevor Cogger and Brian Cook.
The first to arrive was Co-Patron Harry Wells.
Harry Wells on the front cover of Sports Magazine in 1954.
MC Brian Cook welcoming everyone to the 2026 Reunion.
View of the room.
Pratten Park Magpies President Mick Liubinskas addressing the room.
Mick spoke about achievements and events over the past 12 months and thanked the many people who contribute to Pratten Park Magpies.
Shannon Cavanagh, Todd Liubinskas and Mick Liubinskas.
Paul Merlo and Brian Cook.
Bruce Gibbs.
Paul Quigg, Semi Hausia and Robbie Payne.
Bruce Clark and Brett Clark.
Brett Clark playing for Wests.
David Kennedy, Mark Manston and Geoff Gardner.
John Fisher, Barry Glasgow, Steve Winter and Kevin Brown.
Pat English, Mick Pinkerton, Matt Carter and John Dorahy.
Denis Culpan.
Chad Brown and Kevin Brown.
Paul Mazzitelli, Stephen Sellwood and Brent Knowles.
Steve Winter and Barry Glasgow.
Alan Allison.
Alan played in the Wests V France game in 1968.
John Pearce, Paul Quigg and Jeff Aplitt.
Tony Armstrong.
Geoff Gardner, John Cattell, John Crow, Ken Hey, Brett Clark, Stephen Broughton, Denis Burgess and Nathan Cole.
Tony Ford and Barry Glasgow.
Tony and Barry played in the centres in the game against France in 1968 at Lidcombe.
France 11 beat Wests 10.
Our Co-Patrons John Dorahy and Harry Wells.
Sid Walsh, Garry Walsh and Denis Culpan.
Ross Conlon and Jim Leis.
Ross in 1982.
Bob Sly and Ron Chilcott.
Trevor Cogger and Ken Hey.
Cec Ainsworth and Jack Leary.
Gary Piper and Dave Gallagher.
Col Lewis and Steve Satterly.
John Pearce.
John Cattell and Paul Clarke.
Geoff Gardner, Ken Hey and John Crow.
David Kennedy and Mark Manston.
Wayne Bennett.
Wayne Wigham and Matt Carter.
Peter Cole, Stephen Broughton, Steve West and Neville Sinclair.
Warren Snodgrass.
Wayne Smith, Col Ensor, Rob Askew and Steve Satterly.
Tony Lewis and Alan Mair. Two lads from the Lidcombe Oval Hill days Circa 1970‘s.
Aaron Rose, Terry Rose and Neil Stubbs.
Phil Pellizzeri and Pat English.
Terry Leabeater, Todd Liubinskas and Simon Torsellini.
Mick Stone, John Dorahy, Stephen Broughton and Ross Conlon
Mick Stone in another life.
Warren Boland and Steve West.
Steve Winter and Billy Martin.
Billy in 1962.
Sid Walsh, Kevin Brown, John Crow and Ken Hey.
John Crow Wests Trainer in 1988.
Tony Armstrong and Gerald Celarc.
Tony Armstrong in 1982.
Fred McKenzie and Scott McKenzie.
Anthony Elias.
John Eisenhuth, Paul Mazzitelli and Rod Wilkinson.
Shannon Cavanagh and Vince Tropiano.
Bruce Clark and Mick Stone.
Rob Rowland – Smith, Mick Liubinskas and Warren Snodgrass.
Warren playing for Wests in 1974.
Stephen Sellwood and Paul Eisenhuth.
Time for a succulent buffet meal.
Brian Cook, Alan Fallah and Nathan Cole.
Steve Winter and Tony Lewis.
Steve in the scrum with Ken Stonestreet and Noel Kelly.
Stan Presdee, Warren Boland and Herb Smales.
Paul Mazzitelli, Brent Knowles and Stephen Broughton.
Jim Leis, Tony Armstrong and Paul Langmack.
Three players who played with both Wests and Canterbury Bulldogs.
Paul Langmack played over 300 First Grade games.
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Raffle Winners.
Dave Gallagher.
Tony Ford.
Arron Rose.
Red Zamparini.
Mark Keehan, Anthony Elias and Terry Donnellan.
Mark Keehan aka Elvis.
Anthony Elias with his Ray Warren match day call.
Dennis Burgess.
Bernie McQuade, Neil Bennett and Paul Dillon.
Bruce Clark, Bruce Gibbs, Kevin Brown and Terry Leabeater.
Terry Leabeater (with ball) playing for Wests.
John Dorahy, Leo Epifania and Tony Armstrong.
Matt Carter, Brett Clark. Mick Pinkerton and Trevor Cogger.
Warren Boland and Steve West.
Mick Pinkerton, Brett Thomas, Terry Donnellan and Mark Keehan.
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Obituaries
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Below is a little history of how Wests and Canterbury will always be linked.
Wests faced another watershed year in 1935 with the admission of Canterbury-Bankstown into the Sydney rugby league competition.
While Canterbury-Bankstown struggled in its first year, it soon became very competitive, making the semi-finals in 1936 and winning the premiership in 1938, doing so with many former Wests players. The former Wests players that played First Grade with Canterbury Bankstown in its first two years included; Jack McConnell, Jack Hartwell, Alan Brady, George Mason, Bill Knowles, Bill Howes, Vince Dwyer, Sid Elliott, Bob Lindfield, Frank Sponberg, Clyde Cant and Bill Porter. Bill Sponberg, Cec Fifield and Bob Allison also played First Grade with Canterbury in the following years. The Coach of the Canterbury Bankstown team in 1935, was the Western Suburbs great, Tedda Courtney with A. Smith from Wests the Reserve Grade Coach.
Wests 25 beat Canterbury-Bankstown 19.
Wests first game against Canterbury was played at Pratten Park. The Canterbury team included six ex Wests players and of course Tedda Courtney their coach.
Think where man’s glory most begins and ends, and say my glory was that I had such friends – W.B. Yeats.