(history by Jamie Papa).

The Willagee Rugby League Football club plays out of Webber Reserve in the suburb of the same name in Perth, West Australia. Willagee currently fields senior 1-‘ Grade, Reserve Grade and WLT (Women’s League Tag) teams competing in the Smarter Than Smoking NRLWA competition. The club also fields GLT (Girl’s League Tag) and junior teams in most age-groups. The club has 35 Life Members with many of them currently still active within the club. The club boasts 6 senior players that have tallied over 250 senior games in their careers. Lead by inaugural President Henry Grieves, the Willagee Rugby League Club was founded initially as a junior club in 1962. It enjoyed strong growth & success on the field which later lead to the club entering the senior competition in 1966. The club initially played as The Ants” brandishing the clubs first Jersey of basic black with matching shorts and socks. A few years later the clubs committee decided on a name change which lead to the famous Bear logo being worn that we see today. The club was comprised of local talent and was successful in two U 18’s & 1 Reserve Grade premierships in the late 1960’s. Training sessions were held twice a week at Winnacott Oval. Training in those early days sometimes consisted of jogging from the oval along Archibald Street into Jemerson Street then continuing through the “Pineys”. The 1970’s saw the Willagee club firmly embedded into the 1st Grade competition and fielded teams from as young as U 6’s upward to senior 1″ grade. The club at the time was represented by a young and active committee and it was during this decade that THE BEARS began attracting players from the eastern states and abroad. The club had strong ties with many eastern based players and clubs which saw over the coming decade, many players trek from the eastern states of NSW & QLD, New Zealand, Europe and even South America occupying permanent residency here in the west. The 1980’s is regarded as the clubs most successful decade with many Willagee players successfully representing WA. The club was the envy of many sporting clubs in the surrounding area boasting a dedicated committee & vibrant social life. The competition in those days was competitive so much so that the WARL was overtly proud of its 12 team competition. The BEARS played in two Reserve Grade Finals in the 80’s however, it was the 1986 performance that’s fondly remembered playing arch rivals Fremantle in the decider and winning in front of a parochial 3,500 spectators at Webber Reserve. The club has had many great players lace a boot on but there has been none more prominent than the King of Kograh Lord Ted Goodwin who played 116 games for the Dragons between 1972-78. Ted went on to play for Newtown and Western Suburbs including 9 representative caps for both NSW and Australia respectively. Teddy captain coached the Bears in the late eighties even playing alongside his 17yr old son Luke who also went on to play at 5 ARL clubs (Canberra, Penrith, Canterbury, Western Reds, Western Suburbs) and the London Broncos in the English Super League. The nineties saw mixed results and due to the fallout of the Super League war and the demise of the Western Reds WA Ruby League fell on difficult times losing %e ra’ clubs. The early 2000’s saw Willagee compete in the lower grades while it got itself back on it’s feet. Willagee entered the senior competition in 6 and has competed there till this day. In the last 5 years the club has had mixed results winning the reserve grade competition in 2012 and the Pt na e reaching the semi finals in 2013-14. The WLT Team finished 2015 with both a minor premiership and a Grand Final appearance to there credit, a st or the Willagee club. 2016 and the coming years are being looked upon with enthusiasm and excitement.

Senior Premiers 2017

Season 2000 WARL Metro Results

Bears 8 – Cowboys 26
Bears 36 – Brothers 10
Bears 30 – Warriors 4
Bears 36 – Knights 20
Bears 34 – Brothers 22
Bears 28 – Cowboys 30
Bears 44 – Sea Eagles 0
Bears 36 – Warriors 24
Bears 42 – Jets 10
Bears 50 – Warriors 4
Bears 54 – Monarchs 16
Bears 42 – Knights 20
Bears 48 – Warriors 4
Bears 42 – Brothers 16
Bears 34 – Cowboys 24
Bears 56 – Warriors 6
Bears 34 – Jets 34
Bears 60 – Brothers 28
Bears 10 – Cowboys 18 (Major Semi)
Bears 40 – Jets 16 (Preliminary)
Bears 12 – Cowboys 14 (Grand Final)

Results for Season 2003

Sat, 3rd May – Willagee Bears 40 def Armadale Warriors 20
Sat, 10th May – Willagee Bears 60 def Brothers 8
Sat, 17th May – Willagee Bears 26 def Applecross Jets 14
Sat, 24th May – Coastal Cowboys 28 def Willagee 24
Sat, 31st May – Willagee 56 def North Beach 24
Sat, 7th June – No Games
Sat, 14th June – Willagee 24 def Armadale 4
Sat, 21st June – Willagee 46 def Brothers 12
Sat, 28th June – Applecross Jets 16 def Willagee Bears 12
Sat, 5th July – Willagee Bears 48 def Cowboys 10
Sat, 19th July – Willagee def North Beach (forfeit)
(Scratch match, 10 per side Willagee 102 def Nth Beach 4)
Sat, 26th July – Willagee 44 def Armadale 4
Sat, 2nd August – Willagee Bears 24 def Brothers 18
Sat, 9th August – Willagee Bears 42 def Applecross Jets 6
Sat, 16th August – Willagee Bears 34 def Cowboys 18
Sat, 23rd August – Willagee def North Beach (20 – 0,forfeit)
Sat, 30th August – Southern 32 def Applecross 18
Sat, 13th September- Raiders 1st Grade 26 def Bears 24
Sat, 20th September- Brothers 32 def Raiders 20