TRUE BLUEs

A tribute to some of the local juniors and born identities of our game

ALEC LOCKLEY

Alec Lockley was a local junior for the Fremantle Rugby League football club and at aged 17 debut for first grade.

AMANDA WILLIAMS

Amanda was an all-round sportsperson and played Australia Rules football and Cricket. She is a former Australian cricketer. In League Tag she played in three grade finals

BRIAN DRAFFEN

Brian Draffen was a local junior for Applecross Club. Brian played in the 1958 Intermediates Undefeated Premiership side.

BOB MCALISTER

Started playing rugby league in 1955 & worked his way up through the grades to debut in Applecross’s premiership year of 1965.

BILL JONES

Bill Jones was the foundation President of the Willagee Rugby League Club in1962 from our records.

BJORN CROTTY

Bjorn debut for the Western Australia State side in 2015 with the Heritage number #738. He has played over 100 First Grade games for Fremantle and in Four Grand Finals

BOB GRANVILLE

Bob Granville senior debut for his beloved State in 1964 as a 17 year old centre was against France after an impressive Colts tour.

BOB SAMPSON

In 1950 with Nedlands playing rugby league Bob Sampson was a late inclusion into the WA side. Sampson kicked 7 goals.

BRIAN DE MEMIEL

Brian toured NSW with the Western Australia Senior state team in 1968 where they played Group 7 & Group 6.

BRIAN MCAULIFFE

Brian was picked for the State senior side in 1964 with a Heritage number #164. Brian was inducted into the WARL Past players and Supporters Hall of Fame in 2017

BRIAN WEDGWOOD

Played all his junior rugby league with the Fremantle club and coached the 1977 Fremantle side to a premiership.

BRONX GOODWIN

Bronx made his first grade debut for Canberra in round 9 of the 2007 NRL season against South Sydney at Telstra Stadium. He played Juniors for Canning Bulldogs and South Perth Lions.

BRUNO BOSCHETTO

Bruno Boschetto started playing in 1963 in the under 10s & made his first grade debut for Belmont Rabbitohs in 1972.

BRYSON GOODWIN

Bryson made his debut for the Canterbury club in the first round of the 2009 season. He played for Canning Bulldogs and South Perth Lions.

CAM snr & YVONNE COUTTS

Cam and Yvonne Coutts joined the North Beach Sea Eagles club in the late 60s and in 1970 immediately begun to make a difference in the Junior club where Cam snr was Junior president for 6 years from 1970-1975 Yvonne was always by his side

BYRON HUTTON

with his brothers Jimmy and Billy he played in the 2000 Grand final win for Mick Smith coached Joondalup. In that game he won the Ron Hudson medal for best on the ground.

COLIN CONSTANTINE

Colin Constantine debut for Western Australia against St George in 1965 and for the next 12 years he was always one of the first picked.

CORY PATERSON

He made his début in round 2 of that year in a win against the St. George Illawarra Dragons. At the end of the 2008 season, Cory was selected in the Prime Minister's XIII to play the Papua New Guinea national team in Port Moresby

CRAIG PHILLIS

Craig debut for the Western Australia Senior State team in 2003 and played 21 games for the State of Western Australia by our records. He played in seven Grand Finals for North Beach.

CURTIS RONA

Curtis Rona played junior and senior Rugby League for the Joondalup Giants in the Western Australia Perth competition., In the 2014 NRL season Rona made his NRL debut against the Manly Sea Eagles.

DANIEL HOLDSWORTH

Daniel played his entire junior rugby league for the North Beach Sea Eagles in the Perth Rugby League competition. Daniel Holdsworth represented Western Australia at the Under 15 and Under 18 age groups

DESTINY BRILL

Destiny is a talented and dynamic NRLW player known for her exceptional skills and versatility on the field. A local Western Australia junior she played for Rockingham , Fremantle and South Perth.

EDDIE CAMPBELL

Eddie Campbell played over 200 first grade games between 1967 -1980 mainly as a five eight. He played in 6 First grade grand finals.

GARY COOPER

Gary Cooper played 200 first grade games for Cottesloe from 1960-1971. He was a prolific try scorer. Rep. for WA Eleven Times.

GEORGE BOOTH

He debut in 1960 for the WA senior state team and then ended up playing for the Eastern Suburbs Roosters against the State team.

GEORGE LAURENSON

George Laurenson was a SAS Regiment soldier, was as tough as teak on the field, and he played front row but had the skills of a back.

GRAHAM SHAW

With his touch over 50 years at the club from 1972 – 2023 Graham has dedicated much of his life to his beloved Bulldogs.

HARRY BRANKSTONE

Harry played for Fremantle in first grade in 1970, was President of Rockingham , coached rep sides for WA.

HEATHER CHRISTY

Her Grandad was a prominent Rugby Union player in Scotland where she got her love of the game from. Has 150 senior games and won 4 League Tag Best and Fairest.

HENRY GRIEVES

At 43 Henry Grieves captain /coached Willagee reserve grade to the 1968 premiership and won the Best reserves player.

HURLINGHAM STATE HOUSING TEAM

A vacant paddock and the promise of free milk from Roberts Diary (run by Bob and Gwen Chester) was the catalyst to start a junior rugby league team out of the Hurlingham State Housing Estate

ISAAC THOMAS

Isaac started playing Rugby League in 1987 and debut in First grade as a 16 year old in 2002. Represented WA over 30 times.

JACKSON TOPINE

Jackson Topine commenced his junior rugby league for the North Beach Sea Eagles and then the Ellenbrook Rabbitohs in the WA Rugby League. Jackson was then later selected for the West Coast Pirates SG Ball team.

JARED MILLAR

On April 28 1997 Jared Millar made history becoming the first all-local junior product to play 1st Grade for the Western Reds.

JASON COUTTS

Jason played in the 1980 Replay & 1984 Grand final against Willagee and made the senior state team in 83, 85, 86, and 1987.

JASON GODECKE

Jason has played 21 seasons of senior rugby league at the top level which puts him into the 350 senior games plus bracket

JOE COLLINS

Joe Collins debut for Western Australia state team in 1967 against South Sydney in a year when Joe scored 95 points as a goal kicker hooker.

JOHN BAGULEY

John was an Australian former triple jumper who competed in the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics. He won a silver medal.

JOHN LISTER

Played 18 times for WA against England , NSW Country , South Australia Balmain, South Sydney, North Sydney, Illawarra.

JOHN OSBORNE

Played in seven grand finals gaining premiership honours in 1966 / 67/ 69/ 70 & 72.and was Grand final teams in 1968 & 1971.

JOHN THOMSON

John was chairman of the WARL Judiciary for many years. John was inducted into the WARL Past Players & Supporters Hall of Fame

JON GREIVE

Jon Grieve played for the South Perth Lions. He was a South Perth Lions junior who played at the club the same time as Cory Paterson, Bronx and Bryson Goodwin

JON GREEN

Jon Green lived in Perth and played junior footy for South Perth Lions in the Western Australia Rugby League competition. He then commenced his professional career playing for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

JON PHIPPS

From 2004 Jon featured in 7 First Grade Grand Finals winning in 2004/05/09/10 and 2011 as captain. In 2011 they secured four straight Grand Final wins

JOSH ROGERS

Rogers was born in Perth in 1996, playing junior rugby league for the North Beach Sea Eagles in the NRLWA competition. Rogers made his first grade debut in round 27 of the 2023 NRL season

KENNEDY CHERRINGTON

Not very often does Western Australia get a local junior player playing in a winning World Cup Final team. Kennedy achieved this in 2022 and scored two tries in Australia’s win over New Zealand at Old Trafford.

KEN GATHERCOLE

Played for Cottesloe for 14 years from 1960 -1973 commencing at age 15 years & excelled in the Surf club winning many awards.

KEVIN ALLEN

Kevin has served as a President of the Fremantle club and like his father, also served on the WARL as a board member and was chairman in 1999

KING BROTHERS

There was a King Brother in an Applecross team from 1963 -1987 – an outstanding effort of 24 years. Played over 1000 games.

KURT DE LUIS

Kurt De Luis played his junior football for the South Perth Lions in the Perth Rugby League before signing with the Townsville Stingers under 18s side. He was a talented front row forward for the South Perth club in Western Australia.