Bomber Pilot stars in first Premiership

In 1948 April 17 at 28 (good knowledge he was 34) years of age Bob Chester stepped out onto Langley Park to represent Perth Districts against Fremantle Districts in the first game of Rugby League played in Western Australia. Perth won on that day but the result didn’t matter. What mattered was this young man, and many more in that game, were the pioneers of Rugby League in WA. Bob Chester was going to go on to represent his State as a player and coach, play in the inaugural premiership, be awarded the best player award for his club in 1949, and Captain and /or coach the South Perth Rugby League Club to 6 premierships. Bob owned Chesterton Lodge at Mill Point Road that was used for Wedding receptions and quickly became a meeting place for South Perth Rugby league.

But there’s more to this pioneering story as Bob Chester flew more than 30 bombing missions over Berlin during the Second World War for the RAAF. He played Union for RAAF & South Perth on his return to Perth and was instrumental in the complete changeover of that club to Rugby League Football in 1948.