NRL Western Australia

Rugby league in the state of Western Australia

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NRL Western Australia

Founded| 1948
Formerly named| Western Australian Amateur Rugby League[1]
Responsibility| Western Australia
Headquarters| NIB Stadium, Pier Street, Perth
Key people| André De Jager (Chair)
John Sackson[2] (Chief Executive)
Website| nrlwa.com.au

NRL Western Australia (abbreviated as NRLWA, and formerly the Western Australian Rugby League) is responsible for administering the game of rugby league football in the state of Western Australia.

The NRLWA administers all forms of the game in Western Australia and runs the main Perth metropolitan competitions. This includes eleven clubs in the Perth metropolitan competition (seven fielding first grade), sponsored as the Fuel to Go and Play Premiership, as well as representative teams that compete in interstate competitions.
There are over 4,000 participants

## History

[edit]

Formed in April 1948 as the Western Australian Amateur Rugby Football League, foundation clubs were Cottesloe, Fremantle, Perth and South Perth.[1]

The first interstate match played by Western Australians was against the South Australia in 1948, with WA winning the series 2–0.

In 1969 Darwin City invited the WARL to Darwin to play a match in celebration of Darwin's 100th founding anniversary in which WA won 23–19. In 1976 WA was invited to participate in the nationwide Amco Cup, where they defeated the Northern Territory 23–18.[1]

On 2 October 1982 to begin the 1982 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France, Western Australia played the Wally Lewis captained Australian Kangaroos in a match at the Cannington Raceway in Perth (on the same day the Australian test team played their first ever test match against Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby). Predictably the Kangaroos defeated WA 57–5, running in 13 tries to 1 with Parramatta Eels winger Eric Grothe, Sr. crossing for 4 tries.[3] The Australian team that day included players who would go on to be mainstays in the Australian test team over the next 5–10 years including Lewis, Grothe, Gene Miles, Steve Mortimer, Greg Conescu and Wayne Pearce as well as test veterans Rod Morris and Les Boyd.

NT toured again in 1981, 1983 & 1985 and since 2001 Western Australia has competed annually in the Affiliated States Championship, winning the most titles of any state or territory.[1]

### International touring teams in WA

[edit]

International football also has a history in WA, with Great Britain Lions touring Perth in 1950, 1957 1962 1975 England 1958, and France touring in 1951, 1955, 1964, 1990.[1]

## Club Football

[edit]

* Branding of the Western Australian Rugby League
* Former logo

The first tour game by an interstate club was in 1949 when Balmain Tigers of the NSWRL traveled to Perth. The first tour match by a club affiliated with the Queensland Rugby League was in 1985 when the Qld Country side played a match against the WA State Team. Further interstate club matches occurred in (see list above)

Following the demise of the Western Reds in 1997, there was no professional rugby league team in Western Australia.

The first match in Perth after the Reds were shut down occurred in 1999 when the Western Suburbs Magpies hosted the Melbourne Storm in an NRL premiership match. Further premiership matches followed in 2005 when Cronulla Sharks hosted the New Zealand Warriors,[1] and in July 2013 when the South Sydney Rabbitohs hosted the New Zealand Warriors at NIB Stadium.

Trial matches have also been played, with South Sydney Rabbitohs hosting Canterbury Bulldogs in the 2005 pre-season.[1]

On 24 April 2025, the NRL agreed to a $50 million deal with the Western Australian Government, thereby securing the entry of the Perth Bears in 2027: with this, a Western Australian team will return to top-flight rugby league after 30 years.

## National competition

[edit]

Main article: WA Reds

Main article: Perth Bears

The staging of New South Wales Rugby League premiership matches in the late 1980s and early 1990s led to a push for a Perth-based entry into the Australian Rugby League competition. In 1992, the Western Reds club was accepted into the national competition and would play its first season in 1995; the Reds would play in 1996 and in the Australian Super League in 1997 under the Perth Reds moniker.

A total of $10m in debt, along with issues surrounding the Super League war and the formation of the National Rugby League, led to the Reds being shut down at the end of the 1997 season.

On 12 December 2006, the Australian Rugby League board accepted a proposal to establish a Western Australian Rugby League representative side to play in the NSWRL Jim Beam Cup for 2008 and 2009, known as the WA Reds, and playing home matches at Perth Oval.

In season 2010 the decision was made to enter the WA Reds team into the SG Ball Cup Under 18 competition. The season was a tough one, with the 'Reds' finishing second last, winning only their opening game of the season. The 2011 season saw the young Reds side improve their credentials finishing 13th with three wins from nine matches for the season.

On 27 June 2012, the Western Australian Rugby League announced a new identity for its NRL entry bid. The West Coast Pirates was released as the team name, with the logo a pirate skull over crossed cutlasses. The announcement of this new bid identity is viewed as a longer-term strategy for a Western Australian-based National Rugby League team, but the NRL officially stated that there would be no further expansion until 2017 to shore up its financially weak structure.

Multiple attempts to resurrect a Perth-based team stalled over the years, and an original bid was rejected by the NRL in October 2024. However, in April 2025, after initially putting negotiations on hold, the NRL entered negotiations with the Government of Western Australia, and on 24 April 2025, an agreement was reached to admit the Bears into the competition in 2027 as a Perth Bears expansion team, the first Perth-based top-flight rugby league team in 30 years.[4][5]

## WARL competitions

[edit]

### WARL Premiership

[edit]

The NRLWA, sponsored as the Fuel to Go and Play Premiership, is the premier rugby league football competition in the state. The majority of the Eleven clubs originate in the Perth metro area and both Fremantle and South Perth are foundation WARL clubs. Junior grades run from under 6's up to under 16's and senior competition is divided into four divisions, Men's First Grade, Men's Reserve Grade (Val Murphy Trophy), Women's Tackle and Women's League Tag (Flag Belt).

Colours  | Club  | Nickname  | District  | Ground  | Founded  | Junior Association

|
|
|
|
|
|

First Grade*
| Fremantle* | Roosters* | Fremantle | Treeby Sports Complex | 1948  | Southern Pride
| Joondalup* | Giants* | Joondalup | Admiral Reserve | 1990  | Northern Fusion
| North Beach* | Sea Eagles* | North Beach | Charles Riley Reserve | 1951  | Northern Fusion
| Rockingham* | Coastal Sharks* | Rockingham | Lark Hill Sports Complex | 1988  | South West Dolphins
| South Perth* | Lions* | South Perth | George Burnett Park | 1948  | Southern Pride
| Willagee | Bears | Willagee | Webber Reserve | 1962  | Southern Pride
Second Grade*
| Alkimos | Tigers | Eglinton | Amberton Playing Fields | 2015  | Northern Fusion
| Ellenbrook* | Rabbitohs* | Ellenbrook | Charlottes Vinyard Pavilion | 2015  | Northern Fusion
| Kalamunda | Bulldogs | Belmont | Hartfield Park | 1949  | Northern Fusion
Third Grade
| Kwinana | Titans | Kwinana | Thomas Oval | 2022  | South West Dolphins
| Mandurah | Storm | Mandurah | Ocean Road Reserve | 2013  | South West Dolphins
| Serpentine-Jarrahdale | Serpents | Serpentine | Lark Hill Sportsplex  | 2023  | South West Dolphins
Junior Grade
| Busselton | Broncos | Bussellton | Busselton Sportsmans Club | 2017  | South West Dolphins
| Bunbury | Titans | Bunbury | Hay Park Sports Complex | 2017  | South West Dolphins
| Dalyellup | Rhinos | Dalleyup | East Dalyellup Pavilion | 2017  | South West Dolphins
| Eaton | Panthers | Eaton | Eaton  | 2017  | South West Dolphins
| Albany | Sea Dragons | Albany | Albany  | 2019  | South West Dolphins

* Denotes currently fielding a First Grade Team in the Fuel to Go and Play Premiership * Denotes First Grade contests for the Fuel to Go and Play Premiership * Denotes Second Grade contests for the Val Murphy Trophy

### First Grade Premiers

[edit]

| Year  | Club  | Titles

|
|
|

| 1948  | South Perth Lions  | 1
| 1949  | Perth* | 1
| 1950  | Fremantle Roosters  | 1
| 1951  | Perth* | 2
| 1952  | South Perth Lions  | 2
| 1953  | South Perth Lions  | 3
| 1954  | South Perth Lions  | 4
| 1955  | Cottesloe Tigers* | 1
| 1956  | Victoria Park Butchers  | 1
| 1957  | South Perth Lions  | 5
| 1958  | South Perth Lions  | 6
| 1959  | Victoria Park Butchers  | 2
| 1960  | Victoria Park Butchers  | 3
| 1961  | Fremantle Roosters  | 2
| 1962  | Victoria Park Butchers  | 4
| 1963  | Fremantle Roosters  | 3
| 1964  | Applecross Jets* | 1
| 1965  | Applecross Jets* | 2
| 1966  | Applecross Jets* | 3
| 1967  | Applecross Jets* | 4
| 1968  | Victoria Park Butchers  | 5
| 1969  | Applecross Jets* | 5
| 1970  | Applecross Jets* | 6
| 1971  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 1
| 1972  | Applecross Jets* | 7
| 1973  | South Perth Lions  | 7
| 1974  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 2
| 1975  | South Perth Lions  | 8
| 1976  | Fremantle Roosters  | 4
| 1977  | Fremantle Roosters  | 5
| 1978  | Canning Bulldogs  | 1
| 1979  | Mosman-Cottesloe Tigers* | 2
| 1980  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 3
| 1981  | Fremantle/Mosman-Cottesloe* | 6/3
| 1982  | South Perth Lions  | 9
| 1983  | South Perth Lions  | 10
| 1984  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 4
| 1985  | South Perth Lions  | 11
| 1986  | Applecross Jets* | 8
| 1987  | Belmont Steelers* | 1
| 1988  | Belmont Steelers* | 2
| 1989  | Belmont Steelers* | 3
| 1990  | Canning Bulldogs  | 2
| 1991  | Canning Bulldogs  | 3
| 1992  | Applecross Jets* | 9
| 1993  | Rockingham Raiders  | 1
| 1994  | Canning Bulldogs  | 4
| 1995  | Belmont Steelers* | 4
| 1996  | South Perth Lions  | 12
| 1997  | Fremantle Roosters  | 7
| 1998  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 5
| 1999  | Canning Bulldogs  | 5
| 2000  | Joondalup Giants  | 1
| 2001  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 6
| 2002  | South Perth Lions  | 13
| 2003  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 7
| 2004  | South Perth Lions  | 14
| 2005  | South Perth Lions  | 15
| 2006  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 8
| 2007  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 9
| 2008  | South Perth Lions  | 16
| 2009  | South Perth Lions  | 17
| 2010  | South Perth Lions  | 18
| 2011  | South Perth Lions  | 19
| 2012  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 10
| 2013  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 11
| 2014  | South Perth Lions  | 20
| 2015  | Fremantle Roosters  | 8
| 2016  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 12
| 2017  | Fremantle Roosters  | 9
| 2018  | Fremantle Roosters  | 10
| 2019  | Fremantle Roosters  | 11
| 2020  | Joondalup Giants  | 2
| 2021  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 13
| 2022  | Fremantle Roosters  | 12
| 2023  | North Beach Sea Eagles  | 14
| 2024 | North Beach Sea Eagles |  15

* Denotes club dissolved and no longer exists

## Regional Competitions

[edit]

### East Pilbara Rugby League

[edit]

* Tom Price Steelers Rugby League Club
* Paraburdoo Pirates Touch & Rugby League Football Club
* Pannawonica Panthers

### Goldfields Rugby League

[edit]

* Goldfields Titans (Kalgoorlie)

### Kimberley Rugby League

[edit]

* Kununurra Thunder
* Ord River Bulls

### Pilbara Rugby League

[edit]

The Pilbara Rugby League is a seven club competition in the north-west of Western Australia. The clubs are:[6]

* Broome Jets
* Karratha Broncos
* Karratha Roosters
* Karratha Storm
* Port Hedland Hawks
* South Hedland Cougars

## Notable WARL juniors competed in the NRL and NRLW

[edit]

This article may contain unverified or indiscriminate information in embedded lists. Please help clean up the lists by removing items or incorporating them into the text of the article. (February 2015)

|

### Fremantle Roosters

[edit]

* Russell Addison (1960-61 South Sydney Rabbitohs)
* Brian Wedgewood (1967-70 Canterbury Bulldogs)

### South Perth Lions

[edit]

* Jon Grieve (1991-97 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles & Western Reds)
* Jon Green (2006-13 Canterbury Bulldogs, St George Illawarra & Cronulla Sharks)[7]
* Bryson Goodwin (2007-20 Cronulla Sharks, Canterbury Bulldogs & South Sydney Rabbitohs)[8]
* Bronx Goodwin (2007-12 Canberra Raiders, Cronulla Sharks & St George Illawarra)[8]
* Cory Paterson (2007-14 Newcastle Knights, North Queensland Cowboys & Wests Tigers)[9]
* Rueben Cherrington (2022 - Parramatta Eels)
* Kurt De Luis (2021-22 Manly Sea Eagles)

### Canning Bulldogs

[edit]

* Luke Goodwin (1992-99 Canterbury Bulldogs, Penrith Panthers, Western Reds & Western Suburbs Magpies)[8]

### North Beach Sea Eagles

[edit]

* Jarrad Millar (1997 Western Reds)
* Daniel Holdsworth (2004-14 Cronulla Sharks, St George Illawarra & Canterbury Bulldogs)[10]
* Josh Rogers (2023- Brisbane Broncos)

### Belmont Steelers

[edit]

* Matt Petersen (2002-08 Parramatta Eels, North Queensland Cowboys & Gold Coast Titans)

### Joondalup Giants

[edit]

* Lee Te Maari (2006-10 St George Illawarra, Canterbury Bulldogs & Parramatta Eels)[11]
* Curtis Rona (2014–16 North Queensland Cowboys, Canterbury Bulldogs)[12]
* Waqa Blake (2015- Penrith Panthers, Parramatta Eels)[13]
* Anneka Taia-Stephens (2018- St George-Illawarra Dragons)

### Willagee Bears

[edit]

* Royce Hunt (2016- Canberra Raiders, Cronulla, Wests Tigers)
* Jordan Pererira (2018- St George Illawarra Dragons, Brisbane Broncos)
* Shanice Parker (2019- Sydney Roosters, Newcastle Knights)

### Ellenbrook Rabbitohs

[edit]

* Jackson Topine (2020-23 Canterbury Bulldogs)

### Rockingham Coastal Sharks

[edit]

* Kennedy Cherrington (2020-2024 [Sydney Roosters][Parramatta Eels])
* Rueben Cherrington (2022 - Parramatta Eels)

### South Headland Cougars

[edit]

* Ilaisaane Finau (2015 Australian Jillaroos)

## See also

[edit]

* Sports portal
* Western Australia portal

* Rugby league in Western Australia

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e f g "WARL – Our History". Western Australian Rugby League. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
2. ^ "WA Rugby League Staff Members". Western Australian Rugby League. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
3. ^ 1982 Western Australia vs Australia at Rugby League Project
4. ^ "NRL approves fresh Perth bid to bring back the Bears". Retrieved 24 April 2025.
5. ^ "Hopes of a Bears revival alive as ARLC signs fresh agreement with WA government". Retrieved 24 April 2025.
6. ^ "Pilbara Rugby League". Retrieved 15 September 2012.
7. ^ Barrows, Tim (10 February 2010). "Jon Green embarks on Perth with Dragons". The Age. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
8. ^ a b c Taylor, Nick (2 June 2015). "Goodwin chasing win for Souths and softer landing". The West Australian. Retrieved 3 June 2015.
9. ^ Proszenko, Adrian (8 July 2007). "How a Brave Dad and dead uncle spurs this young knight to chase dreams of glory". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 15 March 2015.
10. ^ Forrest, Brad (6 March 2014). "DJ looks set for chance in halves". St George & Sutherland Shire Leader. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
11. ^ Webeck, Tony (18 April 2014). "Roosters trash a Cowboy". NRL.com. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
12. ^ Stewart, Antony (22 April 2014). "North Queensland Cowboys Perth Product Curtis Rona strengthens West Coast Pirates NRL expansion case". Townsville Bulletin. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
13. ^ Walshaw, Nick (26 April 2015). "Waqa Blake a Future State of Origin Star". The Daily Telegraph. Sydney. Retrieved 30 April 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* NRL Western Australia on Facebook

* v
* t
* e

Rugby league in Western Australia

Federations|

* NRL Western Australia
* Western Australian Women's Rugby League

Representative team|

* Western Australia rugby league team

NRL clubs|

| Current|

* Perth Bears (3027-)

|

Former|

* Western Reds (1995-1997)

S. G. Ball Cup|

* West Coast Pirates

Competitions|

* NRLWA Premiership
* East Pilbara
* Goldfields
* Kimberley
* Pilbara

NRLWA clubs|

* Ellenbrook Rabbitohs
* Fremantle Roosters
* Goldfields Titans
* Joondalup Giants
* Kalamunda Bulldogs
* Kwinana Wolves
* Mandurah Storm
* North Beach Sea Eagles
* Rockingham Coastal Sharks
* South Perth Lions
* South West Warriors
* Willagee Bears

* v
* t
* e

Rugby league in Australia

National federation|

* Australian Rugby League Commission

National teams|

* Kangaroos
* Jillaroos
* Prime Minister's XIII
* Indigenous
* Women's Indigenous
* Junior Kangaroos
* Schoolboys
* Wheelaroos

State federations|

* New South Wales
* Northern Territory
* Queensland
* South Australia
* Tasmania
* Victoria
* Western Australia

Other federations|

* University
* Masters
* Women

Events|

* All Stars
* NRL Nines
* City vs Country
* State of Origin
* Women
* World Club Challenge

Competitions|

* National Rugby League
* NRL Women's Premiership
* NRL Under-20s
* State Championship
* Affiliated States Championship
* Schoolboy Cup

Honours|

* Clive Churchill Medal
* Dally M Medal
* Hall of Fame
* The Immortals

Media|

* Big League
* Rugby League Week
* The Footy Show
* Fox League
* Friday Night Football
* NRL video games

Lists|

* Clubs
* Stadiums
* Premiers
* Wooden spooners

Rugby league in
Australian Capital Territory
New South Wales
Northern Territory
Queensland
South Australia
Tasmania
Victoria
Western Australia
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