Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Background of the Magpie Awards

Thought some of you may like to know a little about the 2011 NSW Cup award winners and who the awards are named after. So with the help of the fantastic folk at Wests Archives ( thank you kindly ) below are details of who the awards are named after -

* Bill Carson Award (best local in grade) - former Western Suburbs forward who played for the magpies in the 1958 & 1961 Grand Finals against St George. He played over 100 1st grade games for the magpies. He also represented NSW and Australia against Great Britain in 1962. Upon retirement, Bill had a long career as an administrator at Wests rising to become our club president from 1977 to 1981.

* John Donnelly Award (best import in grade) - Prop forward who joined the magpies in 1975 from the NSW country town of Gunnedah. He was NSW Country Player of the Year in 1973. He played over 100 1st grade games for the magpies between 1975 to 1984 and also represented NSW and Australia. After leaving Wests, he played in the UK with the now defunct Southend Invicta. He was signed by Byron Bay to be their captain/coach for 1986 but died in a drowning incident in early 1986. Much loved and much missed larrikin.

* Alan Ridley Memorial Award (top try scorer) - tall winger who joined the magpies in the early 1930's from Queanbeyan. He was a member of Wests premiership winning team of 1934. Holds the record for most tries in a match for Wests (6) and also most tries in a season (18 which has since been equalled). He also represented NSW and Australia making 2 Kangaroo tours to the UK.

* Bobby Fisher Memorial Award & Jack Ashley Supporters Club Award - both are former members of the Western Suburbs Supporters Club from the Lidcombe Oval days with Jack being the former president.

Now a little about the award winners -

* Bobby Fisher Memorial Award - Aaron Sweeney - front row forward. Aaron is a local magpie junior who was a member of the 2002 SG Ball premiership winning team which included the likes of Liam Fulton, Ryan Hoffman and new eels recruit Ben Roberts. Aaron has also played in the QLD Cup for Ipswich, Burleigh Bears & Central Comets. In 2010 he played for the Windsor Wolves.

* Bill Carson Award (best local in grade) - Gus Aiga - wing/fullback. Played locally with the Campbelltown Warriors amongest others. Also had a brief stint at Cronulla U20's. Other brother Sam has recently played Bundaberg Cup with Cabramatta & Wentworthville.

* John Donnelly Award (best import in grade) - Leivaha Pulu - front row forward - recruited by the Wests Tigers from NZ, he played for Keebra Park High School before playing in Wests Tigers u20s.

* Alan Ridley Memorial Award (top try scorer) - Andrew Everingham - centre/wing - Newcastle junior who played Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup for Manly. Has been at Wests for 3 years. Was very unlucky to have suffered a broken thumb earlier this year just when the Wests Tigers came calling when Chris Lawrence was injured.

* Rookie of the Year - Amanono Tovio - wing/fullback - local junior from Campbelltown Eagles. Has represented Group 6

* Jack Ashley Supporters Club Award - Mitch Achurch - centre/second row/front row - played in the Parramatta juniors with Winston Hills before joining the Balmain junior club, Leichhardt Wanderers and playing in the Wests Tigers U20. He then joined North Qld and played for their feeder club, Mackay Cutters in the QLD Cup.

* Best & Fairest - David Harris - lock/second row - local junior from Campbelltown City Kangaroos. Also played in the Canterbury juniors at East Hills and managed to play for the Bulldogs U20's and briefly for Chester Hill when they were in the Bundaberg Cup.

* Leagues Club PLAYER OF THE YEAR - Troy O'Sullivan - utility back/hooker - originally from Canberra were he played for the raiders Jersey Flegg side before joining Ipswich in the QLD Cup ( where Aaron Sweeney was a team mate). The son of former Canberra Raiders halfback, Chris O'Sullivan.

(Originally posted on Wests Supporter Forum by Old Magpie Lad )

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