Gordon Squire was a founding member of the Western Australia Amateur Rugby League, becoming the WARFL's first chairman.
Learn MoreRoy Williams was elected the first secretary/treasurer of the new WARFL in February 1948. Refereed the first game at the Esplanade.
Learn MoreLeague legend Ken Allen was a life member of the WARL, the WARLRA and of his club Fremantle, Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2019.
Learn MoreFormer union State player Jim Burns was a driving force behind the establishment of the game in WA and the WARFL's first president.
Learn MoreAlex Matheson described the early days at Cottesloe as tough but said there were plenty of 'fine fellows' to help.
Learn MoreAlf Schaffer attended the first meetings of the game in Daglish, along with an number of other key identities.
Learn MoreRoger became the first secretary and captain of the Cottesloe Districts rugby league club in 1948. Refereed first grade.
Learn MoreVic Hodgkiss was the first president of the Cottesloe club, & Founding member of group who helped set up the code.
Learn MoreIn 1947 during discussions regarding switching to the game of rugby league, Silberts Shoe store became a meeting place.
Learn MoreIn April, 1948 Bob Chester stepped out to represent Perth District against Fremantle District in the first game.
Learn MoreDr Dermer was always pushing rugby’s cause on the local council’s boards and he had a wonderful friendship with Mr Frank Gibson which resulted in Fremantle obtaining a permanent ground at Gibson Park
Learn MoreFrank Baguley-The Baguley family had a big footprint in the Fremantle club and he was a founding father of the WARL.
Learn MoreDoug Tonkin was a member of the 1947 Fremantle first grade side and the 1950 Fremantle WARFL premiership team.
Learn MoreKeith Ingram was one of the 34 players who took part in that first game on the Esplanade in April 1948.
Learn MoreFrank Hudson Taylor was one of the Founding Fathers of the WARL and served on the Board from 1948 to the mid 1950's.
Learn MoreJim Carroll was 32 when he partnered Sam Cohen in the centres for Perth Districts on April 17, 1948.
Learn MoreThe NSWRL helped Kangaroo Arthur Folwell reside in Perth to assist in the development of the game in WA.
Learn MoreWARL life member Max Brice was a foundation member of the Applecross club, WARFL vice president and chairman.
Learn MoreBob Williams played league until he was 40, ending with a third grade premiership as player-coach at North Beach in 1969.
Learn MoreBob Quinlan was known as a determined winger and a strong runner and a solid defence when he debuted in 1951,at 20.
Learn MoreThe Cole family of Sid, Malcom and Owen played for Canning Districts, Perth Rabbitohs and Belmont rugby league club.
Learn MoreDan Fogerty was treasurer and a first team player of the South Perth rugby club in 1948, when they decided to form the WARFL.
Learn MoreColin Kelly was a pioneer referee in the early days of the game, along with Ken Allen, Doug Cohen and Alf Dickson.
Learn MoreJack McKinnon joined Cottesloe in 1952 , he won the premiership in his first year of becoming the Tigers coach in 1955.
Learn MorePoliceman Max White joined South Perth in 1946, and was a member of the club's first league season in 1948, at fullback.
Learn MoreA life member of the WARL, president of the WARL 1972-76, Ron Hudson helped establish Applecross in the competition.
Learn MoreRay Moore was born in Sydney where he attended St Patricks College Strathfield. He played for the schools first XIII 1936 -1940 and captained the side in last two years. He joined the Navy in 1943 and was discharged in 1946. He then moved to Perth.
Learn MoreBob 'Red' Rosser started his career with Fremantle in 1949 as a junior and by 1954 was a first grade star with the club.
Learn MoreCentre Frank Morgan debuted for WA in 1953, and played for Cottesloe and Fremantle, as vice-captain of the latter in 1955.
Learn MoreGeorge Hutchinson made his debut for Cottesloe in 1951, aged 16. Tigers president-1972-75 , Treasurer from 1966-1971 .
Learn MoreJim and Gloria Burrows joined the club in 1950's and became lifetime supporters of the Bulldogs club.
Learn MoreA speedy, rugged second rower, Eric Pascoe made his debut for Western Australia against Northern Territory in 1956.
Learn MoreWorld War 2 commando Gerry Green, who played for South Perth, represented WA three times against Balmain in 1949.
Learn MoreCentre Jack Cousins was one of six Cottesloe union players to switch to rugby league in 1948. State Player 1948 and 49.
Learn MoreCottesloe Tigers Graham Washington played the first game in WA against Perth Districts on April 17, 1948.
Learn More'Tough as nails' hooker Jim Casey drove from York to Perth every weekend to play for the Nedlands club in the early 1950s.
Learn MoreFullback Joe McGuiness came to league in 1948 when the Fremantle club moved in its entirety to play the code.
Learn MoreTough forward John Pope's visits to the league judiciary were legendary, where it is said he had his own 'permanent' seat.
Learn MoreThe Kailis brothers were part of the Hellenic club, but are more famous for their family fishing business.
Learn MoreCentre, WA State player and coach Ken Kennedy helped form the Canning Districts rugby league club in 1952.
Learn MoreNorman Plester played for South Perth from 1951-1956, playing over 100 games and represented Western Australia 11 times.
Learn MoreRay and John Graffin became the first brothers to play for Western Australia in 1959 in a match against NSW Country.
Learn MoreRobert Patching helped South Perth win their third premiership in 1952 after taking out the Brice Trophy a year earlier, aged just 19.
Learn MoreAll-round sportsman Ron Kidner played for Cottesloe from 1951-57, and for the WA state side that toured NSW, SA and NT in 1957.
Learn MoreYoung Cottesloe centre Tom Myles won the Brice Trophy at 20 and captained the first West Australian State team to tour NSW in 1952.
Learn MoreSam Cohen played for Perth, the Rabbitohs and represented WA in 1948 as a front rower, and in 1949 against SA as a centre.
Learn MoreHalfback Stan Saxon was just 18 when he made his WA State debut against touring rugby league giants Balmain in 1949.
Learn MoreTerry Sullivan played for Fremantle Districts vs Perth Districts in the first game at the Esplanade on April 14, 1948.
Learn MoreVictoria Park/Canning Lock Bill Hillier won the Brice Trophy twice -1956 and 1961 and played 18 time for WA, captaining the State twice.
Learn MoreFrank started his playing career in 1950 at Peake Park in Carlisle with the Eastern Suburbs Club who entered the first grade competition in 1949.
Learn MoreVern played for Eastern Suburbs in 1949 before the family moved from Carlisle to North Beach. Terry, Tony and Graham all played for North Beach
Learn MoreSeven brave young men from the Palmyra Rugby Union club broke ranks to play in that inaugural game at the Esplanade on April 17th 1948.
Learn MoreThe HistoryofWARL acknowledges several players who made a great contribution to the first rugby league game on the 17th April 1948.
Learn MoreOver the years there have been a number of great people within the game in WA who have volunteered their time and resources so the game could be successful
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