Albany 2026: How the passion, drive, ambition of legendary footballer Darrell Panizza was nurtured in the city

A dashing wingman before converting to a brilliant defender, Darrell Panizza is one of the finest footballers to come out of Albany.

He didn’t start in the city, having been born just out of Bunbury, but he arrived at the Royals Football Club as a bright spark with a winning mentality.

Since those days, Albany has always been in his heart for wherever his travels have taken him, in football, life or business, he has returned to the city.

While he made the most of his sporting talents to enjoy a shining personal career, there are plenty of others who been able to sparkle too thanks to his involvement with the Royals, the Great Southern Storm, the Great Southern Football League and the Great Southern Academy of Sport.

The move to Albany was sold to him by his dad who said it was a chance to win some footy games, and it didn’t take him long to get down to Royals, then the city’s premier side.

Once there, he quickly made his mark.

His colts debut came in 1974, his senior-team outing following two years later, with Panizza paying tribute to legendary figure Joe Menegola, the club president who helped found the club in 1945.

“I went to Royals because I was told it was a footy club which knew how to win,” Panizza said.

“Joe was such an icon; he was the first to play me on the wing and that decision is pretty much what made my game.

“I remember my senior debut, against North Albany in 1976.

“I was nervous because I didn’t know many of the players and only a couple of us played footy at school.

“Allen ‘Shorty’ Daniels was playing on me and I kicked four goals.”

Like Panizza, Daniels went on to star in a Claremont side which also included brothers Phil and Jim Krakouer.

“I had plenty of people around who were good people,” Panizza reminisced.

“They all looked after us young ones – they taught us how to smoke and drink red wine at half-time – and when we needed a bit of a talking to, they were very good at pointing out where we were going wrong.

“My dad told me: ‘You’re lucky you can play footy because you were no bloody good at school.’”

Football was always going to be Panizza’s dream job and he made the move to Claremont, which was then, as now, the pathway to greatness for Albany talent.

He made the first of his 274 league appearances for them in 1979 and went on to win three grand finals, plus three fairest and best awards.

He played for WA six times, including memorably the 1982 State of Origin game, and was on the radar of Geelong the following year – but Claremont wouldn’t let him go.

His next move ended up being to the SANFL where he played for Woodville for three seasons before heading back to the Tigers and four more grand final appearances.

Does he regret missing out on the Geelong move?

“Why would I be sad at anything I missed out on?” he said.

“If you play one AFL game, have you actually made it?

You have to be lucky in sport and make the most of your opportunities – but it can be brutal

“I am resilient and I have drive and a fear of failure – I just want to be the best person I can be in sport, life and business.”

Albany set him on his way – and welcomed him back.

“I played my last game aged 37 and met people who were dedicated and disciplined,” he said.

“Everything started in Albany and it was there I found the right people who gave you the belief that you can do things.”

He turned to coaching after playing, leading Claremont to the 1996 flag before returning to Albany to coach his beloved Royals.

From 2001-2006 the club won six premierships in a row, and he had a second spell in the coaches’ box in 2024 and 2025, combining club footy with a prosperous business career in insurance.

The Royals’ coaching connection came to an end last year and his passion now is helping young people follow in his footsteps.

He is the founder and driving force behind the Great Southern Storm, the development program for young footballers, both male and female.

Panizza’s passion – and his legendary status – mean Claremont come to Albany for a prestigious WAFL colts’ match every year, with nine Storm players in the Tigers’ ranks for the 2026 event.

“It’s about having people who have done the journey and finding a way to educate clubs in the city that we’re not mushrooms here who live in the dark,” Panizza said.

“I know what it takes to get to that level – and to make it to the AFL is even harder.

“We have just got to give young players every opportunity and that’s why we keep beating the drum.”