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Western Reds/Perth

Messages
4,375
This is not a thread about expansion. Rather nostalgia.

Before there was the Storm, Rams, Mariners and Titans there was the boys from the west. The mighty Western/Perth Reds. Brought in as one of 4 new franchises in 1995 they had a successful first season missing the finals by a couple of points. Seeing as we just had a game in Perth this week and the Pirates bid fledging and moving forward I felt it was the right time to do a thread on them. So what were your favorite memories regarding the Reds? Do you or anyone you know own any merchandise or memorabilia? Attend any of their home or away games?

Firstly their first year squad was very decent, they upset St George in their first game and were the only one of 4 new sides to win on their debut. With Brad Mackay and Mark Geyer they had house hold names. Loved their ARL jersey, not so much their Super League jersey. Thought their original logo was cool. It's a real shame that they were cut. They probably wouldve been a side attracting 18k regularly and performing decent if they had stayed on. Share your Red memories, post pics, upload articles. Lets talk all things Reds.

Previous threads:
Adelaide Rams
http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=422848

Illawarra Steelers
http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=421977

Gold Coast Giants/Seagulls/Chargers
http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=421265

Hunter Mariners
http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=420721

South Queensland Crushers
http://forums.leagueunlimited.com/showthread.php?t=419667
 

flippikat

Bench
Messages
4,378
I still cannot believe that they were lumbered with all travel costs for all teams in and out of Perth. It's almost as if they were set-up to fail.
 

DC_fan

Coach
Messages
11,980
Should never ever have been kicked out of the competition. The worst decision in the history of the game.

Could you imagine how strong the Reds would be today.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,420
no R&B they never, just Perth!

The atmosphere at the first game at the WACA sounded awsome on the TV replay I have seen. Only time I saw them play was at the Don Valley stadium in Sheffield v the Sheffield Eagles in the ill fated World club challenge. They lost! I thought at the time I hope they get better by the time I get to Perth next year, sadly when I got there they ahd gone and my 15 years of top flight RL wilderness began!

Some of my collection of Reds stuff I have picked up along the way.
424324_10200399674613238_759615484_n.jpg
 

Saint Doc

Coach
Messages
11,060
They had the best superleague jersey of any team IMO.

telstracup-per-kearns.jpg


I remember a Peter Mulholland quote after their first ever game, it was something along the lines of "I've been preparing for this game for 2 years and I've got 5 days to prepare for the next!"
 
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PARRA_FAN

Coach
Messages
17,001
Imagine the Reds today, a good RL ground, a lot of juniors coming through, plenty of interest, also it would definately work from a TV ratings point of view, pretty much all their home games would be live into Sydney/Brisbane in decent time slots.

It was disappointing they got kicked out in 1997, I mean when we wanted a truly national competition, Perth would be one of the last teams you want kicked out.

Mark Geyer, a former Reds player, keeps saying the interest over there was great, whilst they're big on AFL, there are also a lot of people who follow Rugby League.

I remember the WACA cricket test in 1994, Australia Vs England. In the background there was a huge banner of the Western Reds so I suppose there wouldve been plenty of promotion for the new team.

Back then as a kid I was excited to see the 4 teams come into the competition. Good colours, Red, Black, Yellow and White.

Even after they got kicked out, like the Mariners, a number of players continued their career at Melbourne.

Matt Geyer, Robbie Kearns, Wayne Evans, Rodney Howe, Paul Bell.

They also had players like Mark Geyer, Brad Mackay, Mick Potter, Julian O'Neill, and Pommy International Barry Jon Mather.

On paper they had a decent side but unfortunately results didnt go their way.

Someone could correct me on these, was Peter Parr, now the Cowboys CEO, their football manager?

And did they play a few games at the Perth Oval, which is now nib Stadium?
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,420
Imagine the Reds today, a good RL ground, a lot of juniors coming through, plenty of interest, also it would definately work from a TV ratings point of view, pretty much all their home games would be live into Sydney/Brisbane in decent time slots.

It was disappointing they got kicked out in 1997, I mean when we wanted a truly national competition, Perth would be one of the last teams you want kicked out.

Mark Geyer, a former Reds player, keeps saying the interest over there was great, whilst they're big on AFL, there are also a lot of people who follow Rugby League.

I remember the WACA cricket test in 1994, Australia Vs England. In the background there was a huge banner of the Western Reds so I suppose there wouldve been plenty of promotion for the new team.

Back then as a kid I was excited to see the 4 teams come into the competition. Good colours, Red, Black, Yellow and White.

Even after they got kicked out, like the Mariners, a number of players continued their career at Melbourne.

Matt Geyer, Robbie Kearns, Wayne Evans, Rodney Howe, Paul Bell.

They also had players like Mark Geyer, Brad Mackay, Mick Potter, Julian O'Neill, and Pommy International Barry Jon Mather.

On paper they had a decent side but unfortunately results didnt go their way.

Someone could correct me on these, was Peter Parr, now the Cowboys CEO, their football manager?

And did they play a few games at the Perth Oval, which is now nib Stadium?

Yes re Peter parr. Played a couple of games at Perth oval and even played out at bassendean I believe for one game.
I have heard some horror stories of player behaviour from reds players, some treat it as a paid holiday!
 

Fire

First Grade
Messages
9,669
That's a pretty cool collection.

l_1995%20extreme%20team0002.jpg


^ Brad Mackay, best Perth player ever.
 

beave

Coach
Messages
15,527
In all honesty, they should have booted my assclown mob before they booted Perth.
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,816
Imagine the Reds today, a good RL ground, a lot of juniors coming through, plenty of interest, also it would definately work from a TV ratings point of view, pretty much all their home games would be live into Sydney/Brisbane in decent time slots.

It was disappointing they got kicked out in 1997, I mean when we wanted a truly national competition, Perth would be one of the last teams you want kicked out.

Mark Geyer, a former Reds player, keeps saying the interest over there was great, whilst they're big on AFL, there are also a lot of people who follow Rugby League.

I remember the WACA cricket test in 1994, Australia Vs England. In the background there was a huge banner of the Western Reds so I suppose there wouldve been plenty of promotion for the new team.

Back then as a kid I was excited to see the 4 teams come into the competition. Good colours, Red, Black, Yellow and White.

Even after they got kicked out, like the Mariners, a number of players continued their career at Melbourne.

Matt Geyer, Robbie Kearns, Wayne Evans, Rodney Howe, Paul Bell.

They also had players like Mark Geyer, Brad Mackay, Mick Potter, Julian O'Neill, and Pommy International Barry Jon Mather.

On paper they had a decent side but unfortunately results didnt go their way.

Someone could correct me on these, was Peter Parr, now the Cowboys CEO, their football manager?

And did they play a few games at the Perth Oval, which is now nib Stadium?

Should never ever have been kicked out of the competition. The worst decision in the history of the game.

Could you imagine how strong the Reds would be today.

Like AFL in Sydney and Brisbane pre-SL war, Union barely had any presence in Perth until the Reds demise. No surprise that the ARU started taking Wallabies tests to Perth in 1998, the year after the Reds folded. Now, union - as well as the addition of the Western Force in the Super Rugby comp in 2006 - have cannibalised the majority of fans and supporters who probably would've still been following the Reds had they remained in the NRL today. And yes, making the Reds pay all the travelling expenses of the away sides, followed by Ch9 Perth ceasing to televise Reds matches in their final season, meaning that RL matches on FTA over there being shafted back to the early hours of the morning (hence their exposure/publicity on TV in Perth pretty much fizzled away), was pretty much the death knell especially if Nth QLD and the Warriors didn't have those conditions to adhere to.

When the Reds do eventually get admitted into the NRL, they've got a lot of ground to make up on union and will need to be reasonably successful within their first few years. I don't believe league will overtake AFL there in the short-term given that the AFL has two strong sides there with high membership numbers, but I do believe union would still barely have any presence over there had the Reds not been kicked out (and furthermore, the Western Force definitely wouldn't be around)
 
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undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,816
Yes re Peter parr. Played a couple of games at Perth oval and even played out at bassendean I believe for one game.
I have heard some horror stories of player behaviour from reds players, some treat it as a paid holiday!

http://stats.rleague.com/rl/crowds/western_reds.html

They played one match at Perth Oval (which I faintly remember seeing highlights of it on the news later that night as it was on a Sunday arvo and they won it)
 

undertaker

Coach
Messages
10,816
They had the best superleague jersey of any team IMO.

telstracup-per-kearns.jpg

I remember those Telstra payphone cards during the SL year. Remember my dad using one of them at a public payphone to call our relatives in Sydney. Ah, the days before nearly everyone had mobile phones:lol:
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,420
Any pics/ did they ever wear any other jerseys ?

1995 home
wa-reds-home-rugby-shirt-1994-to-1996-s_1075_1_500x400.jpg


1996 home
$(KGrHqJHJEMFF),9F5n(BReRiCHBC!~~60_35.JPG


1997 SL
wa-reds-home-rugby-shirt-1997-s_2682_1_500x400.jpg


2008 home
wa-reds-home-rugby-shirt-2008-to-2009-s_361_1_500x400.jpg


I am guessing they didn't have an alternate strip 95-97? I have a Western Reds 1995 shirt with a NSWRL badge on it rather than ARL badge so guess they must have used that for pre seaosn games?
 

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