Western Districts Rugby Football Club Limited (WDRFCL) is the commercial arm as distinct from the playing entity of the organisation commonly and collectively referred as “Wests” or “the Bulldogs”.
A rugby club originally called Western Districts Rugby Union Club was founded in 1951 and commenced playing activities at Marist Brothers College Ashgrove and later at the Normanby Oval on Gilchrist Avenue. In 1961, the club amalgamated with the Toowong Rugby Club and found a permanent home at Toowong Memorial Park, Sylvan Road Toowong. A modest clubhouse was erected in 1968 and extended from time to time thereafter. Incorporated as a Company in 1974, the Club won it’s first Hospitals Cup Premiership in 1977.
The advent of a new commercially based and financed clubhouse in 2017 occasioned an operational restructure in 2018 which saw the club assume responsibility for the leasing and management of the clubhouse and grounds and divesting itself of control of all playing activities in favour of a new entity to be known as Wests Bulldogs Rugby Club Inc.
Coincidentally with the restructure, the Constitution adopted on incorporation in 1974 was revised to reflect the changed administrative arrangements. The principal change is to restrict membership to the existing Life and Permanent Members at the time of the change whilst also offering Ordinary Membership in return for a once only subscription of $1000.
The club, founded as nothing more than a single team without any assets in 1951, has become a significant joint venture between the inextricably linked commercial and playing entities with assets in excess of ten million dollars, membership of around 800 and catering for the rugby activities of over 600 players.