This year we were celebrating Hookers.
Rugby League Hookers that is!!
Below the room before the storm…
Once again the room and tables were looking brilliant.
Name tags ready….
Jim Brophy ready.
Some of the men behind the day getting ready for the rush.
Nathan Cole , Mick Liubinskas and John Wiles.
Meanwhile the Boys from Western Suburbs were having a cold drink in the Sports Bar.
Norm Dhu, Ray McNeilly, Sid Walsh and Paul Dornan.
Pat Thomas and Tim Murphy.
Pat Thomas jumping over Don Malone as Coach Noel Kelly looks on.
Ray Culpan, Bill Wilson and Denis Culpan.
Wayne Jenkins, David Stanford, Mick Liubinskas and Laszlo Parcsi.
John Purcell and Col Ensor.
Michael Duke, Paul Clarke, Brett Clark and David Kennedy.
Trevor Cogger, Stephen Mullen and Mark Toomey.
Ted McCabe and Barry Glasgow.
A very young Barry Glasgow.
Col Ratcliff and Ben Fisher.
Time to start the Official PPM Réunion.
Mick Liubinskas welcomes everyone to the 34th PPM Reunion.
Not sure what Micks talking about here….
But the crowd listen on…
View from the control room.
Tommy Raudonikis sent a video greetings from his home.
Mick Pinkerton reads out the names of the PPM members who have died over the last 12 months.
The Late Ted Allard, Col Lewis and Tony Ford in 2017.
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”
To lighten the mood the traditional game of Heads or Tails was played.
After a few questions we were down to the last 2.
Tim Murphy and Mark Wallington.
The winner….Tim Murphy.
Below are a few random photos of the day.
Joe and Jim Begnell.
Bill King, Don Williams and John Craig.
Darcy Russell, Don Parish and Harry Wells.
Cec Ainsworth.
Geoff Squires, Olsen Filipaina and Ian Heads.
Olsen Filipaina playing for the Tigers.
Dennis Spagarino.
Darren Murphy, Ben Olander and Semi Hausia.
Darcy Russell and Geoff Ibbett.
Denis Brown, Pat Regan and sitting Chow Hayes.
Jason Keays and Brett Hickman.
Col Ratcliff, Joe Begnell and Greg Ratcliff.
Gary Lester and Jim Leis.
Gary Leo and Bill Hilliard.
A young Gary Leo.
Two Old Feds Boys.
Tony Ford and Jim Begnell.
Tony Ford in his playing days.
LUNCH is Served.
As always the meal was great, plenty of choice and plenty of food just ask Greg Ratcliff.
Back to the random photos.
Tony Andreacchio.
Herb Smales, Shannon Cavanagh and Rick Yabsley.
Tiger Alan Fitzgibbon.
A. Fitzgibbon.
Dennis Burgess.
Mike Bailey and John Brown.
Jeff Nielsen and Jon Clarke.
Ron Chilcott and Les Hobbs.
Gents its time for Rick Wayde and the interviews with the Old Hookers.
Ray Brown.
Pat Smith and Ray Brown in their Country T Shirts 1978.
Allan Fallah.
Allan Fallah in 1986.
John Purcell.
Percy training for the Monaro team about to play Great Britain.
Then Rick asked 2 referees to give their view on Hookers.
Dennis Spagarino.
Dennis…photo taken before colour was invented.
Mick Stone.
Mick Stone getting a few words of encouragement from Bozo.
Speaking on old style Hookers….
Three Wests Greats.
John Elford, Noel Kelly and Harry Wells.
Patrick O’Doherty, Dale Hall and Trevor Cogger.
Rod Wilkinson and Dominic Alberga.
In 1969 the biggest upset in sporting history was when Balmain 11 defeated Souths 2.
Three players from the Balmain team were special guests and they were interviewed by Rick Wayde.
Ian Heads, Peter Boulton, Allan Fitzgibbon, Gary Leo and Rick.
Ian Heads has written the Rugby League book about the 1969 Grand Final its called….
The book is available at all good and bad book stores.
Back to the random photos.
Mike Bailey and Paul Mildwater.
Leigh Miranda.
Paul Dillon and Fred McKenzie.
John Coates, Justin Pascoe and David Trodden.
Jason Keays, Robbie Payne, Lincoln Raudonikis and Darren Murphy.
Leo Epifania.
Leo in his playing days.
Mike Bailey, Michael Prichard, Richard Keats, Peter Hoy and John Wiles.
John Purcell and Tony Ford.
Mick Alchin and Noel Kelly.
Thats me in the backyard posing as my hero Mick Alchin.
Magpie Mark Wallington.
John Rochester.
During the Reunion raffle tickets had been sold and now it was time for the draw.
Our barrel girl was Nathan Cole.
Winners are grinners.
Denis Culpan.
Carl Ross.
Trevor Cogger.
Jeff Nielson.
Jeff Aplitt.
Alan Davidson.
I knew the end of the official part of the Reunion was near because the PPM Mens Choir had taken centre stage.
“We are the boys from Western Suburbs,
come along and give a cheer,
for the greatest football players,
the Rugby League team of the year.
…We’re fighting fit and we are ready.
We play to win with all our might.
And if you think we’re boasting,
stick around and hear us skite!
Three to go we’re packing a scrum.
Won the ball we’re having a run.
Centre’s are running through,
fullback is in there too,
Across, the line, and Wests have won again!”
The crowd enjoying the PPM Mens Choir.
Mick Stone gave them 10 out of 10.
The Pratten Park Magpies would like to thank Wests Ashfield and staff for helping make this day a Special one.
