PIONEERS
Tribute to the Pioneers 1948-1954
GORDON SQUIRE
Gordon Squire was a founding member of the Western Australia Amateur Rugby League, becoming the WARFL's first chairman.
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ROY WILLIAMS
Roy Williams was elected the first secretary/treasurer of the new WARFL in February 1948. Refereed the first game at the Esplanade.
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KEN ALLEN
League legend Ken Allen was a life member of the WARL, the WARLRA and of his club Fremantle, Inducted into Hall of Fame in 2019.
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JIM BURNS
Former union State player Jim Burns was a driving force behind the establishment of the game in WA and the WARFL's first president.
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ALEX MATHESON
Alex Matheson described the early days at Cottesloe as tough but said there were plenty of 'fine fellows' to help.
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ALF SCHAFFER
Alf Schaffer attended the first meetings of the game in Daglish, along with an number of other key identities.
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ROGER UTTING
Roger became the first secretary and captain of the Cottesloe Districts rugby league club in 1948. Refereed first grade.
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VIC HODGKISS
Vic Hodgkiss was the first president of the Cottesloe club, & Founding member of group who helped set up the code.
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BARNEY SILBERT
In 1947 during discussions regarding switching to the game of rugby league, Silberts Shoe store became a meeting place.
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BOB CHESTER
In April, 1948 Bob Chester stepped out to represent Perth District against Fremantle District in the first game.
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DR E R DERMER
Dr 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
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FRANK BAGULEY
Frank Baguley-The Baguley family had a big footprint in the Fremantle club and he was a founding father of the WARL.
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DOUG TONKIN
Doug Tonkin was a member of the 1947 Fremantle first grade side and the 1950 Fremantle WARFL premiership team.
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KEITH INGRAM
Keith Ingram was one of the 34 players who took part in that first game on the Esplanade in April 1948.
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FRANK HUDSON-TAYLOR
Frank Hudson Taylor was one of the Founding Fathers of the WARL and served on the Board from 1948 to the mid 1950's.
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JIM CARROLL
Jim Carroll was 32 when he partnered Sam Cohen in the centres for Perth Districts on April 17, 1948.
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ARTHUR FOLWELL
The NSWRL helped Kangaroo Arthur Folwell reside in Perth to assist in the development of the game in WA.
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MAX BRICE
WARL life member Max Brice was a foundation member of the Applecross club, WARFL vice president and chairman.
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BOB WILLIAMS
Bob Williams played league until he was 40, ending with a third grade premiership as player-coach at North Beach in 1969.
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BOB QUINLAN
Bob Quinlan was known as a determined winger and a strong runner and a solid defence when he debuted in 1951,at 20.
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COLE BROTHERS
The Cole family of Sid, Malcom and Owen played for Canning Districts, Perth Rabbitohs and Belmont rugby league club.
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DAN FOGERTY
Dan Fogerty was treasurer and a first team player of the South Perth rugby club in 1948, when they decided to form the WARFL.
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COLIN KELLY
Colin Kelly was a pioneer referee in the early days of the game, along with Ken Allen, Doug Cohen and Alf Dickson.
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JACK McKINNON
Jack McKinnon joined Cottesloe in 1952 , he won the premiership in his first year of becoming the Tigers coach in 1955.
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MAX WHITE
Policeman Max White joined South Perth in 1946, and was a member of the club's first league season in 1948, at fullback.
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RON HUDSON
A life member of the WARL, president of the WARL 1972-76, Ron Hudson helped establish Applecross in the competition.
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RAY MOORE
Ray 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.
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BOB 'RED' ROSSER
Bob 'Red' Rosser started his career with Fremantle in 1949 as a junior and by 1954 was a first grade star with the club.
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FRANK MORGAN
Centre Frank Morgan debuted for WA in 1953, and played for Cottesloe and Fremantle, as vice-captain of the latter in 1955.
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GEORGE HUTCHINSON
George Hutchinson made his debut for Cottesloe in 1951, aged 16. Tigers president-1972-75 , Treasurer from 1966-1971 .
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JIM & GLORIA BURROWS
Jim and Gloria Burrows joined the club in 1950's and became lifetime supporters of the Bulldogs club.
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ERIC PASCOE
A speedy, rugged second rower, Eric Pascoe made his debut for Western Australia against Northern Territory in 1956.
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GERRY GREEN
World War 2 commando Gerry Green, who played for South Perth, represented WA three times against Balmain in 1949.
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JACK COUSINS
Centre Jack Cousins was one of six Cottesloe union players to switch to rugby league in 1948. State Player 1948 and 49.
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GRAHAM WASHINGTON
Cottesloe Tigers Graham Washington played the first game in WA against Perth Districts on April 17, 1948.
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JIM CASEY
'Tough as nails' hooker Jim Casey drove from York to Perth every weekend to play for the Nedlands club in the early 1950s.
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JOE McGUINNESS
Fullback Joe McGuiness came to league in 1948 when the Fremantle club moved in its entirety to play the code.
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JOHN POPE
Tough forward John Pope's visits to the league judiciary were legendary, where it is said he had his own 'permanent' seat.
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KAILIS BROTHERS
The Kailis brothers were part of the Hellenic club, but are more famous for their family fishing business.
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KEN KENNEDY
Centre, WA State player and coach Ken Kennedy helped form the Canning Districts rugby league club in 1952.
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NORMAN PLESTER
Norman Plester played for South Perth from 1951-1956, playing over 100 games and represented Western Australia 11 times.
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R & J GRAFFIN
Ray and John Graffin became the first brothers to play for Western Australia in 1959 in a match against NSW Country.
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ROBERT PATCHING
Robert Patching helped South Perth win their third premiership in 1952 after taking out the Brice Trophy a year earlier, aged just 19.
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RON KIDNER
All-round sportsman Ron Kidner played for Cottesloe from 1951-57, and for the WA state side that toured NSW, SA and NT in 1957.
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TOM MYLES
Young Cottesloe centre Tom Myles won the Brice Trophy at 20 and captained the first West Australian State team to tour NSW in 1952.
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SAM COHEN
Sam Cohen played for Perth, the Rabbitohs and represented WA in 1948 as a front rower, and in 1949 against SA as a centre.
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STAN SAXON
Halfback Stan Saxon was just 18 when he made his WA State debut against touring rugby league giants Balmain in 1949.
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TERRY SULLIVAN
Terry Sullivan played for Fremantle Districts vs Perth Districts in the first game at the Esplanade on April 14, 1948.
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WILLIAM HILLIER
Victoria Park/Canning Lock Bill Hillier won the Brice Trophy twice -1956 and 1961 and played 18 time for WA, captaining the State twice.
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FRANK TESTER
Frank started his playing career in 1950 at Peake Park in Carlisle with the Eastern Suburbs Club who entered the first grade competition in 1949.
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Vernon, Terry, Tony, and Graham Landwehr
Vern played for Eastern Suburbs in 1949 before the family moved from Carlisle to North Beach. Terry, Tony and Graham all played for North Beach
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THE PALMYRA SEVEN
Seven brave young men from the Palmyra Rugby Union club broke ranks to play in that inaugural game at the Esplanade on April 17th 1948.
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OTHERS TO REMEMBER
The HistoryofWARL acknowledges several players who made a great contribution to the first rugby league game on the 17th April 1948.
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The Real Legends
Over 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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