The 75-year history of a proud club like Easts deserves a fitting celebration of the rugby, the lasting team bonds, the fun and the hard work that have made it all possible.
The club has decided to elevate the 2022 season with a rolling week-on-week celebration of the milestones, past and present players, the champion women of Easts and the juniors we all hope to inspire to be the next “Tigers For Life.”
The Premiership success
The Tigers have a proud claim to winning the Hospital Cup five times in 1997, 1999, 2008, 2013 and 2020 as well as the Doughty Shield as a champion club on six occasions in 1987, 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2009 and 2020’s golden “six-from-six” season. The 2008 and 2020 teams went on to capture the crown as Australian Club Champions the following year. No club has won more women’s premierships (nine) than Easts and the quest is on for a three-peat in 2022.
What should never be forgotten is that it took 50 years of effort and ambition to win the Hospital Cup for the very first time in 1997. For 1997 premiership captain Peter “Bull” Murdoch, the essence of what makes Easts Rugby Club has never changed now he looks on as a 55-year-old board member.
“I arrived at Easts as a 17-year-old. The camaraderie, the inclusiveness, the enjoyment through all the grades, always supporting a mate in need…those things have always been a big part of what makes the club,” Murdoch said. “It’s a place you can always have an incredible amount of fun with rugby thrown in. I’ve stuck around ever since.
History that lives on
The 2022 side is honouring the history of the club’s trailblazers in their unique ways. There are moves called “Bull” (a non-passing one!), “Spindle” (named after 1997-1999 premiership winner Richard Graham) and others that recognise them through their nicknames.
The high achievers of club history are numerous. Thirteen in all have won the Premier Rugby Player of the Year gong from inaugural Rothmans Medal winner Bruce Cooke (1975) to Alex Evans Medallist Ben Mowen (2020). For 2022 captain Tom Milosevic, the landmark of 75 years and what it means for the baton to be carried on by the current team is resonant.
“I think it’s really special. Any time you put on an Easts jersey, walk through the club or spend time in the clubhouse on a game night you can feel the history,” Milosevic said.
“You are going to have a conversation with someone you don’t know in the crowd who has been touched by the club or the community around it. Genuinely, I think the boys understand the importance of the anniversary year and doing well.”
All this sprouted from the most humble of beginnings in 1947 when the Queensland Rugby Union started an Old Boys division for past students of GPS schools. Brisbane State High School Old Boys was formed.
In 1948, many of the same players started the Colts club, which assumed the name of Eastern Districts in 1949 for the QRU’s push to district rugby to capture the eastern suburbs of Brisbane. From those roots, 29 players have progressed to the heights of wearing the green and gold jerseys of the Wallabies and the Wallaroos or Australia’s teams in sevens, under-20s and Under-18s.
The clubhouse that stands on the site at Bottomley Park was opened in 1979. For more information, click on the Commemorative booklet 1979 booklet. (pdf 4.6MB) For Easts to celebrate this 75-Year milestone in the grandest way, we need you.
Past players, coaches, supporters, parents and volunteers are the living history of the club so please notify of any memorabilia finds or just send a classic Tiger tale to Michael Lucas ([email protected]) or Jim Tucker ([email protected])
