Joe Wilson, Dan Dempsey, Les Heidke and Hector Gee – Image courtesy of Picture Ipswich

This year Ipswich Rugby League celebrates 100 years. However, it was reported by Queensland Times journalist ‘Five Eighth’ in 1930 that football had been alive and well in Ipswich long before 1909. The first official game recorded was on 9th October 1909, and the match between a Brisbane Metropolitan representative side that consisted of interstate and international players, and a side selected from Ipswich Rugby Union players was played at the North Ipswich Reserve. The Brisbane side won 43 to 10.

Ipswich affiliated with Queensland Rugby League officially in 1910. In this same year Ipswich entered the Brisbane competition and won the Premiership against Toombul as well as winning both the senior and junior competitions. The growing Ipswich competition suffered a disruption during the outbreak of World War I but when full competition resumed in 1917 the game continued to flourish.

The 1920s and 1930s were considered the ‘Golden Years’ for Rugby League in Ipswich. The enthusiasm, foresight, and financial support from Jacky Stephenson was thought to be largely responsible for those years. Stephenson was also involved with Queensland Rugby League, and to quote ‘Five Eighth’, “lent able assistance in putting Ipswich and Queensland on the football map of the world”.