Wests Panthers - History

History

The club's roots trace back to the first game of rugby league played in the state - a game between North Brisbane and Toombul in 1909. By 1914, a club from Toowong had also entered the Brisbane junior competition, and by 1915 it had merged with North Brisbane senior club, forming the Western Suburbs District Rugby League Football Club.

After winning their first premiership in 1916, they became the first major club in Queensland to go through the season undefeated in 1920, something they would do again in 1922, winning the first premiership conducted by the newly-formed Brisbane Rugby League. In 1927 one of the club's best known players, Tom Purtell, began 56 year association with the club. Purtell was a hooker for Wests until 1941, and was involved with the club in a management level until 1969, including a 20 year unchallenged stint as President.

Although they won a total of 12 premierships, their most successful period was the early 1990s. Even though the Brisbane Broncos had already had a huge effect on the standard of play and the and popularity of the local club competition, Wests were runners-up in 1991, and Premiership winners in 1992 and 1993, before again being runners up in 1994. They were a founding member of the Queensland Cup in 1996, and were runners-up to Norths in 1998. However after the turn of the century Wests were losing more games than they were winning, and following a disastrous year in 2003 when the lost all 22 games of the season, including a club record 78-0 loss to Norths at Bishop Park, the club decided to depart the Qld Cup competition, deciding to instead guarantee their survival by participating in lower grades only, and planning to re-enter the Qld Cup competition at a later date.

In 2005 Wests made the Mixwell Colts Challenge grand final, although after leading at half-time they were eventually defeated by Norths. At seasons' end the Broncos, who had had a feeder club arrangement in place with Wests for the past few years, pulled out and linked with the Aspley Devils. At the same time Wests merged with Hills District to form the Western Districts Panthers for 2006 onwards. In 2008 the Colts team won the Fogs Challenge defeating Aspley 30-16 in the Grand Final, the clubs first premiership as a new entity.

In 2009 the meteoric rise of the club back to the big time continued with a memorable 30-24 win over arch rivals Redcliffe in the Fogs Cup, Grand Final. Played at Stockland Park, Kawana the Panthers proved to tough for the Dolphins overcoming a 24-22 deficit to claim the title. Adam Breen had a memorable day scoring 3 tries, too add to his 20 during the regular season and the leading try scorer title. The win continued the Golden Run of Coach Craig Ingebrigtsen, who last year coached the Fogs Colts grand final winning team.

In 2010 former club great Tony Currie takes over as club president in a bid to return Wests to the glory days in the State League. As part of the restructure the club will be based out of its spiritual home Purtell Park, which is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar upgrade.