Brian was a tough front rower who played in the period 1960 until 1968.

Brian came from Queensland to play for Wests at the age of 23.

Brian’s Wests player name is 615.

17-1-1937 — 28-6-2016.

Brian Kowald at the 2009 Pratten Park Magpies reunion.

Brian Kowald in 1962.

BRIAN KOWALD played prop, appearing 139 times in Grade for Western Suburbs:

14 x First Grade, 61 Reserves,  64 Thirds.

Brian Kowald played in both 1961 Reserve Grade Premiership, played at Henson Park with

Roger Buttenshaw Captain (Wests defeated Manly 9-3) and 1961 Third Grade Premiership at

the SCG, Bill Martin captain (Wests defeated Souths 13-7 in extra time).

The unusual reason that the Reserve Grade Grand Final was played at the Henson Park the following Saturday was told to me by Carl Ross.

 Wests finished in 1st place on the ladder. 4 teams finished 2nd on the ladder resulting in multi playoffs.

The League did not use the points For and Against system in those days.

Sat, 2nd Sept playoff for 4th place in the Top 4, Manly 12 v Balmain 8 and playoff for  2nd and 3rd places in the Top four, Saints 12 v Souths 10, there was another semi somewhere, Manly 9 v Souths 4 ,

Sat, 9th Sept,Wests 20 v Souths 0 and went into the Grand Final.

Reserve Grade. Final Manly 9 v Saints 4.    

Sat.23rd Sept. at Henson Park ,Wests 9 v Manly 3 . Simple??

1962.

Brian played in back to back Reserve Grade Grand Finals. 1961 and 1962.

Unfortunately in 1962 Wests were beaten by Saints (again) 19 to Nil.

*

Brian also played in the winning 1967 Third grade Grand Final team. (Wests defeated Balmain 7-5)

Brian is third from the left back row.

Wests 7 beat Balmain 5.

Brian’s playing record is below.

1960        20 x Thirds

 1961         4 x Seconds; 14 x Thirds [1 try]

1962         5 x Seconds; 11 x Thirds

1963         8 x Seconds; 10 x Thirds

1964         1 x Firsts [plus 3 x Pre-season Comp. 13 x Seconds. 2 x Thirds

1965         4 x Firsts [plus 2 x Pre-season Comp. plus 1 x State Cup. 5 x Reserves

1966         3 x Firsts. 13 x Seconds [1 try]

1967         13 x Seconds [1 try]. 5 x Thirds

1968         2 x Thirds 

Thanks to Rick Wayde and the men at Wests Archives for the above information.

L-R Denis Meaney, Roy Ferguson, Bob Boland with ball and Brian Kowald number 13.

Brian was a regular at the Pratten Park reunions. Where he caught up with old mates.

L-R Noel Dolton, Brian and Barry Ferney.

Noel Kelly and Brian.