Soem

Evidence has emerged to prove that the game of rugby league was in the thoughts of Sydney football men at least five years before previously believed.

The game’s official history, released this week (A Centenary of Rugby League, 1908-2008), includes the fascinating revelation that `rugby league talk’ was in the air as early as 1902 – even though the game did not kick off in Sydney until April 1908.

The following is an edited excerpt from the outstanding history compiled for the game’s Centenary by David Middleton and Ian Heads, a licenced Centenary of Rugby League product available in all good book stores:

Until recent times rugby league’s telling of its genesis story has generally created an impression of a helter-skelter rush to the breakaway between the two codes taking place in a single year, 1907.

But beneath the surface, there is evidence of a slower build-up, of eyes turned much earlier to `Mother England’ where the Northern Union clubs had cut their ties with the rugby union head body in 1895, and of a more measured tread towards the high drama of 1907.

In a forensic research exercise, Sydney-based sports historian Sean Fagan identified in  newspapers from 1899 onwards various robust opinions a professional code would one day come to Sydney. 

Supporting Fagan’s view, the clear memories of 1902 held by Boer War veteran Arthur Millbourne Lowe and recounted in a 1950s’ publication, are of special interest. Lowe, just back from the war in ‘02  tells how he was promptly elected secretary and MRU delegate of  Manly Rugby Union club.

He relates the words of club captain Francis O’Grady in encouraging him to take the two roles: “We will be in a bad position for players as many are going to sling rugby union in and wait for the English Northern Union (rugby league) rules to start here, unless they get a better deal from the Rugby Union.”

Later in his reminiscences Lowe writes colourfully of a meeting in which he confronted  the `big and bearded president’ (sic) of the Rugby Union, Mr. Mathews Drew, at a meeting (Mathews Drew was then Hon Secretary of the Metropolitan Rugby Union which controlled Sydney’s club football).

He recounts how he spoke out for better conditions for rugby players and of Mathews Drew’s roared response: “Lowe, you are out to bring professionalism into rugby union!” Lowe’s retort included a stunning claim, “A lot of the best players have already handed their names in to some persons representing the Northern England Rugby League (sic).
 
Excerpt from: A Centenary of Rugby League, 1908-2008 – The Definitive Story of the Game in Australia, by Ian Heads and David Middleton. Published by Pan Macmillan Australia Pty Ltd. On sale now..