History

FORMATION OF THE CLUB

“A general meeting was convened for Monday 19th of April 1915 in the Carlton Club Hotel
for the purpose of considering the question of amalgamating Nth Brisbane and Toowong
Football Clubs, the object being to make a stronger combination in the interests of the
Queensland Rugby League.

Mr R C Draney Asst Hon Sec QRL was appointed to the chair others present being Messrs D
Hickey W Doherty A Williams T Healy G Bohane D Harvey W Graham A E Calligan B
Ambrose O Hardy Andrew C Westbrook H Sunderland F Cumberland.

Mr Draney explained the object of the meeting and after much discussion it was decided to
amalgamate the clubs to be known as Western Suburbs Football Club.”

These were the opening notes of the official minutes, for the formulation of the new Western
Suburbs club, as penned by honorary secretary, Fred Cumberland, on 19 April 1915 – six
days before the legendary landing of military troops on the shores of the Gallipoli
peninsula.

And so it was, on 19 April 1915 – six days before the legendary landing of military troops
on the shores of the Gallipoli peninsula – at the Carlton Club Hotel, that Wests was
formed. Mr. Alby Williams was elected the club’s first president, and he would later
become the club’s first life member. A remarkable feature of that first year was the
active part of Fred Cumberland, who undertook the triple role of Secretary, Treasurer and
club captain. His commitment to the game saw him recognized with BRL life membership in
1928. Cumberland passed away in 1968.

THE FIRST GAME - The club’s first official match took place in torrential rain at the
Brisbane Exhibition Grounds on the 2nd of May 1915. Drawn to play against the seasoned
Bulimba club, the first footballing success of Wests – or simply Suburbs as they became
affectionately known - came in the form of a magnificent 13-0 victory. Utility forward Tom
Healy is credited with officially scoring the club’s first try. Another forward, Ernie
Hampson also scored a try, while winger Dobbyn Hickey scored a try and kicked two goals. The
full side that day was J.McGrath, D.Hickey, A.Kelly, D.McLaughlin, M.Hickey, H.V.McCabe,
F.Cumberland, T.Healy, T.Callaghan, C.Meekin, W.Dunn, D.Harvey and E.Hampson. The referee
was the colourful A.E.Ambrose.

FORMATIVE YEARS – The club incredibly qualified for the grand final in its inaugural year,
unluckily going down to the league’s powerhouse club Valleys 10-9. However, the underlying
story of the club was that of lack of player numbers, poor player commitment both on and off
the field, and disappointing commitment of some officials and supporters. With the club in
turmoil and as a consequence, nearly folding after its first year, a special meeting was
then called by president Alby Williams. The incredible turnout and subsequent commitment of
those who attended, was the only thing that kept the club alive and into 1916. Mick Scott,
Tom Sweeney and Jack McGuire were then won over from rugby union, and teamed up with other
greats Norm Potter, Bill Richards, Jim Bennett, and Bill Dunne, to create a most formidable
football team. Wests methodically destroyed the local competition with dazzling football the
likes of which the Brisbane public had never seen. Losing only 2 games that year, Wests met
Valleys in a fiery grand final rematch, and came out victors 4-2 in the first-ever tryless
match. For the next 6 years, the “Paddo Boys” from the Western Suburbs club re-wrote
every conceivable league record, including two seasons as undefeated premiers in 1920 and
1922. Historians and long-time club supporters alike, often regard this as the golden era of
Wests.

CLUB COLOURS - The official club colours by constitution are red and black 4" (100mm)
bands, commencing with black across the shoulders. Additionally, the socks are red and black
hoops, with red tops.

Originally, club officials agreed upon red and royal blue as the official club colours,
reflecting the red and black colours of 1909 foundation club North Brisbane, and the black
and blue colours of the strong Toowong junior club. However, due to the Great War, blue dye
like so many things, were in short supply, thus black was adopted in its place. In lieu of
losing blue from the jersey design, the club elected to wear blue shorts instead. Since
then, the club colours have never changed, however there have been some jersey design
changes. Material shortages during WW2, saw the club wear second-hand junior club jerseys
which were a dark red (almost maroon) with a black V. On returning to the constitutional
(four inch wide) red and black bands after the war, the next major change was the addition
of the panther logo in 1968. In 1976, Wests became the first Queensland club to display a
sponsors logo – the famous QRX - on their jerseys and shorts. 1982 then saw the
introduction of the State League concept, where Wests adopted an all red strip with a single
black band across the torso and sleeves. In 1989, the club then reverted once again back to
the traditional strip still worn today.

FAMOUS NAMES – A cavalcade of the game’s top administrators have been produced by Wests.
The “grand old man of football”, Mr. Peter Scott was the first president of the BRL in
1922. Mr. Scott retained this position until his death in 1956, at the age of 92. He also
had the honour of being a life member of both the BRL and QRL, and the league also honoured
him with the naming of one of the seasons annual trophies after him. Peter’s son Mick
Scott, was the BRL’s first chairman from 1923-1925, and was the first life member of the
BRL. He was also a Brisbane selector, club secretary and Wests life member. Frank Burke was
a life member of Wests and the QRL, and was honoured with the naming of Lang Park’s first
grandstand in 1961. Jack McMahon was a life member of Wests, a club delegate to the BRL, a
BRL delegate to the QRL, a life member of both the BRL and QRL, and was honoured with the
naming of the original Purtell Park grandstand after him. Tom Purtell, who was a 1932 and
1936 premiership player, 1935/36 state representative, club official, Wests life member in
1944, presided over the club for 20 years, and had the honour of having our home ground
named after him. Other notable names include Ernie Keefer, J.C.Slaughter, Charlie Hurst,
Gordon Treichel, Hugh Kelly and Keith Hobbs, all of which earned the honour of club life
membership and most holding honorary positions at both the BRL and QRL.

CONTROVERSY – The Wests club has also been involved in more than its own fair share of
controversy. In 1918, the game’s hierarchy and Wests officials went head to head in a
fierce dispute over the “Ricketty Johnston” affair. The League had stripped Wests of
competition points for playing Albert Johnston, a Balmain signing, whom the League regarded
as a “ring-in”. Wests challenged the ruling on precedents but the league stood firm,
resulting in Wests response to forfeit the remainder of the season. This incident set in
motion events that would eventually see the formation of the Brisbane Rugby League (BRL) in
1922. In 1956, referee Col Wright was forced to abandon the major semi-final between Wests
and Brothers, when test duo Duncan Hall and Alex Watson refused to leave the field after
being sent off. And it didn’t get any easier once “Mister Personality” himself, Barry
Muir, joined the club in 1958. Speaking his mind freely, Muir often upset the officialdom
with his antics, including leading Wests to walk off Lang Park in a match against Valleys in
1968, not to mention the unsavory incident that ended his Brisbane career later that year.

HALCYON DAYS – Wests were synonymous with the Brisbane rugby league’s halcyon days of
the 1970’s. Early on, Lang Park doubled as the Panthers home and the league’s
headquarters, in those days when massive Lang Park crowds and record suburban attendances
flocked each week to witness a true glamour side of rugby league. Names like Warren Orr,
‘Yogi’ Thompson, Richie Twist, Arty Connell, Wayne Stewart, Ian Robson, Bob Green and
Ray McCarron raised the bar on rugby league spectacle, as they graced Brisbane football
fields and thrilled the masses. Coming oh, so close to premiership glory in both 1970 and
1972, many thought the long premiership drought would continue when even the signing of the
great John Sattler could not prevent the Panthers downward spiral to last in 1974. However,
the club turned it all around under the leadership of new coach Ron Raper and superstar,
duel-international Geoff Richardson. Coupled with emerging young talent of the likes of Norm
Carr, Greg Oliphant, Greg McCarthy, Steve Crear, John Ribot and Garry Prickett, the Panthers
took all before them as they won the club’s first back-to-back premierships, and became a
fixture at the top of the game for the rest of the decade. This was a time when the old
adage once again emerged, that when Wests were doing well the game was doing well. How
prophetic that was ….

HOME GROUNDS – The first training ground for the Wests club was situated at the Domain
near the Botanical Gardens. Training nights were Tuesday and Thursday commencing at 8:00pm.
The club then trained at Albert Park for a number of years, followed by a return to the
Botanical Gardens. During 1926, the club eventually based itself at Lang Park, where they
remained until 1972. The following year, the club’s new facilities at Purtell Park were
ready, with the first senior games played there in 1974. The first match played at Purtell
Park was a Woolies pre-season match against Redcliffe on 17 March 1974, in front of an
unofficial crowd of 18,000.

THE PANTHER – The Panther emblem was conceived at the end of the 1967 season by then
assistant secretary, Mr. Jim Orr. Dozens of designs for the new logo were then submitted for
consideration before the oval design of the leaping panther submitted by Frank McMillan was
finally ratified by the committee. The new logo and presentation of it on the club jersey
was officially launched at Lang Park on 30 March 1968. The 1980’s version of the club logo
of the panther head inside the “Q”, came into being in 1981 when the Brisbane league
standardized all the club logos.

NOTABLE PLAYERS – Simply listing the club’s international representatives does not do
justice to a club steeped in tradition of rugby league excellence. Interestingly, Wests
international players list comprises players covering every role in a rugby league team.
Following is a snapshot of past rugby league greats, all who proudly wore the red and black
:- Cec Aynsley, Jim Bennett, Barry and Shaun Berrigan, Eric Bishop, Craig Bowen, Arch Brown,
Jason Bulgarelli, Norm and Wayne Carr, Arty Connell, Mark and Steve Crear, Tony Currie, Ken
Day, Henry Denny, Sam Faalafi, Harry “Mucker” Fewin, Duncan Hall, Josh Hannay, Justin
Hodges, Neil Holding, Harold Horder, Alan Hornery, Arthur ‘Spragg’ Hunt, Viv Irwin, Rod
Jensen, ‘Ack’ Jones, Chris Kahler, Reg Kay, Adrian Lam, Kevin Langer, Des Lea, Peter
Luppi, Mark Maguire, Col McAlister, Ray McCarron, Greg McCarthy, Ken McCrohon, Jamie
McDonald, Aaron Morgan, Barry Muir, Shane O’Flanagan, Greg Oliphant, Warren Orr, Andy
Platt, Garry Prickett, Norm Pope, Norm Potter, Tom and Jack Purtell, Steele Retchless, John
Ribot, Bill Richards, Geoff Richardson, Horrie Robertson, Ian Robson, Alan Rothery, Brad
Rowcliffe, Michael Ryan, Stan Ryan, Brett Seymour, Daniel Strickland, Wayne Stewart, Graham
Strutton, Tom Sweeney, Semi Tadulala, Rob Tanielu, Rob Thompson, Brad Thorn, Richie and
Jason Twist, Shaun Valentine, George and Paul Vautin, Alex Watson, Brent Webb, John White,
Noel White, Alan Wieland, Col Weir, Bill Whitmore, Stan Williams, Henry and Max Williamson.
Some name coaches include Ron Raper, Gary Grienke, Wayne Treleaven, Barry Muir, John Lohman,
Norm Pope, Tony Currie, John Sattler, “Ack” Jones, Kev Lingard, Ted Verrenkamp, Duncan
Hall, Hugh Kelly, Don Oxenham and Graeme “Scotty” Macrae.

HONOUR BOARD – With Wests playing in the grand final in their inaugural season, then
winning it only a year later, an early precedent of premiership success and a high playing
standard were established early in the club’s history. This is one aspect of the Wests
club which has become part of everyday life. Additionally, before Wests juniors were formed
in 1956, Wests won a number of premierships (included below) in junior grades.

First Grade : 1916-20(undef)-22(undef)-32-36-48-52-54-75-76-92-93

Second Grade : 1926(undef)-33(undef)-34(undef)-47-57-65-76 -2009

Third Grade : 1923-27-30(undef)-31(undef)-33-34-50-51-55-59-64-77

Fourth Grade : 1969

Colts (U/19) Grade : 1986-2002-2008

2nd Division : 1975-90

U/23 : 1979 86

U/21 : 1978-87

U/18 : 1931-82

U/17 : 1928-87

(Fred Harrold Flag : 1981-83-85)

U/16 : 1933-35-36

TROPHIES

Club Championship : 1932-33-34-50-52-56-57-60-75-76

Old Buffers Cup : 1922-25

Presidents Cup : 1933-34-41-48-52-55-56-58-60-69-72

Peter Scott Memorial Trophy : 1972

Pike Cup : 1932-34-48-50-52-54

Patrons Cup : 1936-37-41

Peter Hickey Cup : 1952

Vic Jensen Cup : 1931

Quinlan Cup : 1936

Fullarton Cup : 1936

Kaye Cup : 1931

Red Cap Shield : 1951

Pre-season Competition : 1970-75-76-83-97-99

Sevens Competition : 1992

Knockout competition : 1916-17

Special Competition : 1939-50

4IP Competition ; 1971

Minor Premiers : 1920-22-32-33-34-36-48-50-52-54-58-72-75-93

AFFILIATE CLUBS – Wests have always enjoyed the largest following of all the Brisbane
clubs, benefiting from the western suburbs district always being a major rugby league
stronghold. Many affiliate junior clubs emerged in the area, including the likes of Ithaca,
Police Boys, Paddington, Kelvin Grove and Toowong. In 1956, the Wests-Ithaca club changed
its name to Western Suburbs Juniors. Over the next 20 years, the Wests club was heavily
involved in the creation of other junior affiliate clubs, such as Mitchelton, Arana Hills,
Centenary, Kenmore and Inala. In most cases, the red and black colours along with the
panther logo were also adopted.

CLUB SONG –

(To the tune of “Alexander’s Ragtime Band”)