Team Jerseys - Western Suburbs

Western Suburbs colours of Black and White were taken from the Ashfield Metropolitan Rugby Club and not Wests Rugby Union side. This made Wests the only new club not to retain the colours of its district Rugby Union club whose colours were "bottle green" in 1908.
The fact that Western Suburbs Rugby League club wore the black and white of Ashfield Metropolitan Club is further confirmation that the professional side was formed from the Ashfield side and not the Wests Rugby Union club.
In 1908, the club's inaugural season, the club wore a jersey consiting of evenly spaced black and white hoops.

Many different designs and variations were used throughout the years with the only real commonality being that the jerseys have always been predominately black and white. This fulfills the chant of the clubs team song...

"Black and white are our club colours,
wearing these we're brave and bold,
and the only time we'll change them,
is to put on green and gold."

The first recorded picture of the Western Suburbs playing strip featuring a team emblem was in 1918. Even though the team formally adopted the name "Western Suburbs Magpies" in 1928, it wouldn't be until 1961 that the Magpie image would make it onto the jersey.

Wests jumpers feature black and white hoops in their jersey design for the first half of their existence. It was during the war years of 1918, 1943 and 1944 that simpler designs were chosen due to shortages and rationing of fabric. 1944 saw the use of the black with white "V" for the first time. An iconic image that was readapted in the 1960's and one that the team still uses proudly.

Through most of Wests history, the teams jersey has features a neck collar. From 1978 - 1991 however the team adopted a v-neck design. The 1970's also begun the common practice of wearing short sleeved jumpers.


Other notable dates:
- 1978 was also the first year Wests got a jersey sponsor in Victa.
- 1983, 1994 and 2006 the club went without a major sponsor.
- 1999 was the first year the clubs and leagues emblems were embroided directly on the jersey.
- 2004 was the first season the Magpies played in a fully synthetic jersey.
- 2008's jersey features a Centenary of Rugby League logo.