The Western Reds represented arguably the league’s biggest gamble among the four teams admitted to the expanded 20-team ARL competition in 1995, based in the AFL heartland of Perth alongside the Auckland Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys and South Queensland Crushers.
Powerbrokers were optimistic of the Reds attracting a sizeable following in the outpost and becoming a force on the strength of eight well-attended first-grade matches from 1989-94. Celebrated former St Gregory’s schoolboys coach Peter Mulholland was recruited as the Reds’ inaugural mentor after guiding North Sydney Bears to a reserve grade title in 1993. Controversial former Kangaroo Mark Geyer was the club’s first high-profile signing, joined on the roster by the likes of foundation captain and Australian Test lock Brad Mackay, dual Dally M Medal-winning fullback Michael Potter and 1992 rookie of the year Matthew Rodwell.
The famed WACA Ground was the fledgling Reds’ adopted home – and 24,932 supporters packed into the iconic venue on Sunday, March 12 for their inaugural premiership match against 1992-93 grand finalist St George.
“[The WACA] was tough because of the hardness of the cricket pitch in the middle,” Potter told Big League with a wince. “They tried to get the grass a bit longer to take the edge off it.”
The showdown had an extra edge for Potter and Mackay. Teammates in the Dragons’ 1992 grand final loss, Potter was captain and Mackay the Clive Churchill Medal winner as the Saints went down to the Broncos again in the ’93 decider.
“That made it a bit more spicy – I think Brad got targeted more than I did – but it was an intense game, played in the right spirit and I think the St George boys really enjoyed coming over to Perth,” recalls Potter, who exited with a hamstring injury during the first half.
On a 34-degree day in Perth, the Western Reds adapted quickly to the challenging home conditions. Centre Jeff Doyle scored the club’s historic first try in the 14th minute, before robust hooker Matt Fuller muscled over and winger Tim Horan dotted down for a 16-0 lead.
The Saints rallied with tries either side of halftime to Noel Goldthorpe and skipper Mark Coyne, trimming the deficit to eight points.
But while Reds enforcer Geyer wound the clock back in a dominant man-of-the-match display, young Dragons firebrand Gorden Tallis was sin-binned in a pivotal moment at the hour mark. Towering back-rower Peter Shiels and veteran forward David Boyd scored to clinch a euphoric debut win, with Wayne Bartrim’s late try mere consolation for the visitors in a 28-16 result.
“[Five-eighth] Dale Fritz had a top game, ‘MG’ (Geyer) played the type of game we all know he’s capable of and Fuller worked tirelessly,” coach Mulholland praised post-match.
Geyer’s redemption narrative in his first top-grade match in more than 18 months – after explosive departures from Penrith and Balmain in the preceding couple of years – was the overwhelming individual takeaway from the historic encounter. The ex-Test star’s three seasons with the Reds would ultimately be characterised by injuries and lengthy suspensions, however, before finishing his career with a memorable stint back with the Panthers.
“It was a great feeling, a great result,” Potter says.
“Just the experience, there was a lot of camaraderie and banter between the players. Before and after there was a lot of optimism around the town about rugby league.
“The fans were great, they just kept coming back as we had a little bit of success. That was one of my highlights playing rugby league, being in a town that was building something special – it’s unfortunate they were a casualty of the Super League war.”
The Reds were brought back to earth somewhat courtesy of a 54-14 thrashing at the hands of Newcastle a week later. The club was just four games into its existence when the Super League upheaval turned the rugby league world upside down. The Reds’ move to jump onboard with the rebel organisation proved divisive – Mackay and gun mid-season arrival Craig Innes sided with the ARL, while CEO Gordon Allen resigned.
The club’s on-field performances in 1995 were more than satisfactory, though, winning half of its 22 games in 1995 to finish 11th – “extraordinary for a first-up team,” declares Potter. The Reds remained in finals contention until the penultimate round of the regular season that year, but they spiralled to 16th in 1996 and fared poorly during the 1997 Super League premiership under Dean Lance.
The reunification of the game under the NRL banner sounded the death knell for the Reds – neither faction was willing to shoulder the club’s crippling debt and they folded less than two weeks after the Super League grand final.
The second incarnation of a Perth-based club’s prospects of long-term success are considerably more promising, underpinned by the WA government’s backing and a partnership with foundation side North Sydney Bears, who have been pushing for NRL reinclusion in some form for more than 20 years.
“I think they’ll be better prepared, having a longer build-up, and the NRL is that much more professional now,” Potter predicts.
“I think they’ll be supported well and the WA government is offering plenty of support – which I’m not sure [the Reds] had back in 1995.”
