The Black & White Ball was a glittering affair hosted by the Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club was held on Friday 30th May 2008 in the Grand Harbour Ballroom at the Star City Casino. This prestigious event was to celebrate Wests Magpies centenary and also the establishment and induction of Wests Legends into the new Wests Magpies Hall of Fame. Master of Ceremonies, Mike Bailey did an excellent job in keeping the event rolling with first class entertainment being provided by the extremely popular Leo Sayer and also the 32 piece NSW Police Band. The legends inducted into the Hall of Fame were announced by Wests Chairman, Kevin Hammond and presented with their awards by Wests Magpies Team of the Century Coach, Roy Masters. The inductees were:
Keith Holman.
No one would be surprised that the great Keith Holman should be the first Magpie announced as a member of the Magpies Hall of Fame. After 203 First Grade games from 1948 to 1961, coaching the side to the AMCO Cup in 1977 and a lifetime of contribution to the club Keith Holman is Western Suburbs.
Jim Abercrombie.
Jim was there at the beginning, attending the founding meeting of the club on Feb 4 1908 and being elected to the inaugural committee. He also played in Wests very first game against Balmain and scored Wests very first goals in First Grade in the following match against Souths. Jim played all nine matches of the inaugural season and at the end of the season was rewarded with membership on the first Kangaroo tour to England. Abercrombie became Wests first international playing the first two tests against England. Jim's award was accepted on his behalf by his daughter.
Peter Dimond.
A feared winger during the 60's Peter Dimond played 155 First Grade games for the Magpies from 58-67 scoring 83 tries. Adored by the Wests faithful for hardness as much as his skill Dimo played 10 tests and four Grand Finals for the Magpies (58, 61, 62, 63). His award was accepted on his behalf by former Magpie First Grader and brother Bobby Dimond.
Arthur Summons.
The Magpies will always have a special place in the iconography of Rugby League thanks to Arthur Summons. The famous image of 'The Gladiators' capturing opposing Captains Norm Provan and Summons in an embrace at the end of the 1963 Grand Final has come to define the spirit of the game and continues to this day to be venerated as a symbol of all that's great about Rugby League through it's use on the NRL Premiership Trophy. After switching to League from Union Summons proved himself to be a very fine half or 5/8 in the club and test arenas and his ability was rewarded by being named the Captain Coach of the great 1963 Kangaroo touring side.
Tommy Raudonikis.
He's had many nicknames over the years, but simply mention 'Tommy' to any league fan and they will instantly know who you are talking about. Raudonikis was a Magpie institution from 1969-79. Epitomising the 'Fibros' era of the club Tommy had plenty of skill, but it was his toughness and unmatched will to win that made him a hero at Lidcombe and feared by opponents. Virtually unchallenged for the Australian No. 7 jersey for a decade Raudonikis played 201 First Grade games for the Magpies and returned to coach the club in 1995-1999. Tommy sent a special message via video and his award was accepted on his behalf by John Coote.
Noel Kelly.
No Magpies Hall of Fame could possibly exist without Ned. Equally at home at Hooker or Prop at club or test level Kelly was a hard man on the field and a larrikin off it. The Australian Team of the Century Hooker is every Magpie's favourite Queenslander. The young Ipswitch star had already established himself as a Kangaroo tourist before he joined Wests in 1961. Once here he became the backbone of the Magpies until his retirment in 1969. He became the first forward to make three Kangaroo tours in 1967. Ned was selected in the presitgious Australian Rugby League Team of the Century in 2008.
Dick Vest
Dick was an Australian and New South Wales interstate representative three-quarter back.The son of an Austrian immigrant, Vest was born Gregoria Richard Veserema in the country New South Wales town of Barmedman. Vest and his two older brothers were sent to a boys home in Westmead, playing junior rugby league for local club Parramatta. Vest commenced his first grade career with Western Suburbs in the 1914 NSWRFL season and played a total of 88 games.
During the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour Vest played in all three Tests for Australia as they won the Ashes for the very first time. He was later selected to go on the 1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain. Dick Vest died at Enfield, New South Wales on 11 June 1974
Bill Keato
Bill played with Western Suburbs from 1938 till 1950. A goal-kicking fullback he played over one hundred first grade games for the Magpies. He scored over 770 points to become Wests' all-time top point-scorer and goal-kicker. Roy Masters said of Keato, "A prodigious goalkicker, Keato booted what were called "flag waggers" from the sideline and halfway, often in the mud and against the wind, in the 1938-to-1950 era, when goals, rather than tries, decided games." He also said Keato, "won more matches for the Magpies than any other player.
Trevor Cogger
He played 160 first grade games in First Grade for the Magpies, the fifth most capped player for the club. Cogger also holds the club record for most appearances in all grades (308) and has scored the most tries for the club in all grades, 88, eclipsing Peter Dimond's previous record. He was known as the Ultimate Clubman and helped bridge the journey of the club from Lidcombe to Campbelltown.
Clarrie Prentice
Clarrie was an Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer who represented his country at both sports - a dual-code rugby international. He is the younger brother of fellow Wests player Ward Prentice.
His international rugby league debut against New Zealand in Wellington on 23 August 1919 alongside Claud O'Donnell saw them become Australia's 20th and 21st dual code rugby internationals.
Clarrie was selected on the 1921–22 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain. He played in all three Tests of the tour and in 22 other tour matches for Australia.
He coached the Magpies in the 1927 NSWRFL season.
Frank Stanmore
A 1948 Premiership player, Stanmore was a crafty five-eighth. In 1952, representative duties for Australia meant he couldn’t play in the premiership team, but he is one of the few to taste premiership glory at the club. He played 87 games for the club, scored 23 tries and be inducted into the Hall of Fame during 2012.
Wayne Smith
An exciting attacking fullback or centre, with an outstanding sidestep, Wayne Smith played from 1976-1984, scoring 63 tries in his 223 club games for Western Suburbs. Wayne's 160 First Grade games ranks him fifth on the all-time list. Wayne's brothers, Rod and Bob also played first grade for the Magpies and their father Alec was named as coach of Enfield Federals' Team of the Century.
