Thursday 25 April 2019

Anzac Day Clashes (2019)


2019 marks 106 years since the start of World War I and 104 years since the inception of ANZAC Day in Australia. When the Great War ended in 1919, troops returning home were not met by parades and huge fanfare, because they arrived home to a country in the grips of the Influenza epidemic, which was so bad, people were not allowed to congregate in large groups, and if they were going to be in a populated area, they had to wear face masks.

In Rugby League, vast numbers of players and even officials from all over the country, volunteered to serve and protect their nation and the Commonwealth, many of whom lost their lives.

In 1927 the NSWRL held its first ever games on ANZAC Day, when all 4 matches from Round 2 took place.

Balmain defeated Newtown 14-13 at Wentworth Park
Wests defeated Glebe 12-4 at the SCG
University defeated Norths 21-9 at North Sydney Oval
St.George defeated Easts 23-7 at Earl Park.

Those were the first 4 of a total of 239 games played on ANZAC Day.

Interestingly enough, only 1 of those 8 sides and 1 of those 4 venues will be seen in the NRL on ANZAC Day in 2019, when the Roosters play at the SCG against the St.George-Illawarra Dragons.

In 1927, St.George, led by captain-coach and Immortal Frank Burge, took on the Roosters in the very first of what is now a traditional ANZAC Day match.



St.George vs Eastern Suburbs
Frank Meighan Fullback Rick Bevan
Stan Brain Wing Les Steel
Eric McCormack Centre Tom Barry
George Carstairs Centre George Harris
Frank Saunders Wing Hugh Byrne



Arnold Traynor Five-Eighth Larry Hedger
Bill Benson Halfback Norm Pope



Aub Kelly Lock George Boddington (c)
Bill Hardman Second Row Tom Fitzpatrick
Frank Burge (c) Second Row George Clamback
Jim Warwick Front Row G Hall
Arthur Justice Hooker Arthur Oxford
Clarrie Tye Front Row H Kavanagh


Former Bears player Lal Deane was the referee for this game, where a crowd of 5000 turned up to watch the match at Earl Park.

The game started with both sides playing expansive football which had the crowd on their feet and showing great appreciation. Frank Saunders and George Carstairs were very good early on, however it was the tri-colours who scored first when Arthur Oxford kicked a penalty goal. The Dragons hit back with a penalty goal to Eric McCormack and then later in the half Arnold Traynor and McCormack both kicked a field goal each to give the Dragons a 6-2 lead at halftime.

The Easterners resumed play in glorious style, as they broke through the Dragons defensive line, before the ball was kept alive and put through many hands before Tom Fitzpatrick dived over to complete a spectacular try under the posts. Oxford converted and Easts lead 7-6.

Tom Barry suffered an injury and this gave the Dragons an advantage. Some splendid passing and strong running saw the Dragons run away with the game, as they scored 5 unanswered tries late in the second half. Frank Saunders bagged a try double. George Carstairs and Jim Warwick also crossed for tries, as did Frank Burge, who scored a typical long range try after making a strong run that saw him break through the defensive line from inside his own half. McCormack converted just one of the 5 tries as the Dragons ran away with the match to win 23-7.

All ANZAC Day Clashes 1927-2018
1927 Glebe 4   Wests 12   Sydney Cricket Ground
1927 Newtown 13   Balmain 14   Wentworth Park
1927 Norths 9   University 21   North Sydney Oval
1927 St George 23   Easts 7   Earl Park
1928 Balmain 10   Souths 22   Birchgrove Oval
1928 St George 7   Newtown 2   Earl Park
1928 Easts 13   Norths 10   Agricultural Showground
1928 Wests 14   University 25   Pratten Park
1929 Balmain 18   Wests 18   Birchgrove Oval
1929 Norths 10   Easts 10   North Sydney Oval
1929 Souths 28   Glebe 2   Sydney Sports Ground
1929 St George 19   University 0   Earl Park
1931 Norths 0   Balmain 2   North Sydney Oval
1931 Souths 22   Newtown 17   Marrickville Oval
1931 St George 12   Wests 19   Earl Park
1931 Easts 40   University 2   Sydney Sports Ground
1932 Balmain 12   Souths 26   Birchgrove Oval
1932 Norths 10   Wests 25   North Sydney Oval
1932 St George 23   University 7   Earl Park
1932 Easts 28   Newtown 12   Sydney Sports Ground
1933 Newtown 7   Souths 9   Marrickville Oval
1933 Norths 8   St George 13   North Sydney Oval
1933 Easts 16   Balmain 3   Sydney Sports Ground
1933 Wests 32   University 22   Pratten Park
1934 Balmain 5   Wests 18   Leichhardt Oval
1934 Newtown 5   St George 10   Marrickville Oval
1934 Norths 3   University 4   North Sydney Oval
1934 Souths 3   Easts 0   Sydney Sports Ground
1935 Newtown 5   Easts 14   Marrickville Oval
1935 Norths 20   Canterbury 5   North Sydney Oval
1935 Souths 24   University 19   Sydney Sports Ground
1935 St George 8   Wests 16   Sydney Cricket Ground
1936 Balmain 13   Wests 30   Leichhardt Oval
1936 Newtown 20   Canterbury 4   Sydney Cricket Ground
1936 Norths 41   University 5   North Sydney Oval
1936 St George 7   Souths 11   Earl Park
1938 Balmain 22   Norths 5   Leichhardt Oval
1938 Canterbury 28   Wests 3   Belmore Sports Ground
1938 Newtown 3   St George 20   Henson Park
1938 Souths 21   Easts 14   Sydney Cricket Ground
1939 Canterbury 10   Balmain 30   Belmore Sports Ground
1939 Newtown 10   St George 32   Henson Park
1939 Norths 7   Easts 27   Sydney Cricket Ground
1939 Souths 8   Wests 6   Sydney Sports Ground
1940 Balmain 10   St George 10   Sydney Sports Ground
1940 Easts 23   Canterbury 9   Sydney Cricket Ground
1940 Wests 16   Souths 11   Cumberland Oval
1940 Norths 13   Newtown 6   North Sydney Oval
1941 Balmain 22   Norths 7   Leichhardt Oval
1941 St George 16   Canterbury 19   Sydney Cricket Ground
1946 Canterbury 31   St George 12   Belmore Sports Ground
1946 Easts 13   Balmain 20   Sydney Cricket Ground
1947 Norths 19   Canterbury 38   Sydney Cricket Ground
1947 Parramatta 13   St George 23   Cumberland Oval
1947 Wests 32   Easts 4   Pratten Park
1949 Manly 0   Souths 32   Brookvale Oval
1949 Newtown 41   Wests 17   Sydney Cricket Ground
1949 Easts 12   Norths 2   Sydney Sports Ground
1950 Balmain 20   Easts 11   Drummoyne Oval
1950 Canterbury 10   St George 13   Belmore Sports Ground
1950 Manly 18   Wests 25   Pratten Park
1950 Parramatta 8   Newtown 23   Sydney Cricket Ground
1950 Souths 23   Norths 15   Redfern Oval
1951 Canterbury 10   Parramatta 18   Belmore Sports Ground
1951 Manly 17   Souths 29   Brookvale Oval
1951 Norths 5   St George 25   Sydney Cricket Ground
1951 Easts 17   Newtown 10   Sydney Sports Ground
1951 Wests 40   Balmain 17   Pratten Park
1952 Manly 7   Wests 8   Sydney Cricket Ground
1952 Parramatta 12   St George 24   Cumberland Oval
1952 Easts 12   Balmain 2   Sydney Sports Ground
1953 Canterbury 20   Balmain 15   Belmore Sports Ground
1953 Manly 17   Newtown 14   Brookvale Oval
1953 Parramatta 11   Norths 17   Cumberland Oval
1953 Souths 23   St George 10   Sydney Cricket Ground
1953 Wests 19   Easts 17   Pratten Park
1955 Norths 35   Easts 16   North Sydney Oval
1955 Parramatta 28   Balmain 16   Cumberland Oval
1955 St George 30   Manly 12   Sydney Cricket Ground
1956 Balmain 22   Easts 9   Leichhardt Oval
1956 Newtown 14   St George 4   Sydney Cricket Ground
1956 Norths 16   Manly 49   North Sydney Oval
1956 Parramatta 22   Canterbury 21   Cumberland Oval
1956 Wests 11   Souths 14   Pratten Park
1957 Newtown 13   Souths 7   Henson Park
1957 Parramatta 10   Manly 17   Cumberland Oval
1957 Wests 27   Easts 16   Sydney Cricket Ground
1958 Newtown 7   Manly 12   Sydney Cricket Ground
1958 Parramatta 5   Balmain 7   Cumberland Oval
1959 Canterbury 3   Norths 36   Belmore Sports Ground
1959 Newtown 7   Souths 5   Henson Park
1959 Parramatta 2   Manly 7   Cumberland Oval
1959 St George 15   Easts 6   Sydney Cricket Ground
1960 Manly 13   Newtown 12   Sydney Cricket Ground
1960 Wests 22   Parramatta 8   Pratten Park
1961 Balmain 6   Parramatta 9   Leichhardt Oval
1961 Canterbury 18   Newtown 13   Belmore Sports Ground
1961 Norths 17   Manly 9   North Sydney Oval
1961 Souths 9   Wests 17   Redfern Oval
1961 St George 13   Easts 7   Sydney Cricket Ground
1962 Canterbury 26   Manly 3   Belmore Sports Ground
1962 Norths 19   Newtown 27   North Sydney Oval
1962 Souths 23   Balmain 16   Redfern Oval
1962 St George 30   Parramatta 9   Sydney Cricket Ground
1962 Wests 24   Easts 11   Pratten Park
1963 Balmain 13   Easts 5   Leichhardt Oval
1963 Newtown 11   Canterbury 19   Henson Park
1963 Parramatta 8   Manly 13   Cumberland Oval
1963 Souths 9   Norths 11   Redfern Oval
1963 Wests 8   St George 5   Sydney Cricket Ground
1964 Canterbury 11   Manly 31   Belmore Sports Ground
1964 Parramatta 17   Easts 11   Cumberland Oval
1964 St George 14   Balmain 4   Sydney Cricket Ground
1964 Wests 13   Norths 14   Pratten Park
1965 Souths 8   Wests 4   Sydney Sports Ground
1965 St George 24   Parramatta 5   Kogarah Oval
1966 Newtown 15   Souths 11   Sydney Cricket Ground
1967 Balmain 13   Manly 15   Sydney Cricket Ground
1967 Canterbury 13   Parramatta 10   Belmore Sports Ground
1967 Souths 15   Newtown 17   Redfern Oval
1967 St George 22   Easts 7   Kogarah Oval
1967 Wests 19   Cronulla 7   Lidcombe Oval
1967 Norths 18   Penrith 6   North Sydney Oval
1968 Canterbury 12   Norths 9   Belmore Sports Ground
1968 Manly 22   Easts 13   Sydney Cricket Ground
1968 Newtown 21   Balmain 25   Henson Park
1968 Souths 15   Cronulla 9   Redfern Oval
1968 Parramatta 21   Penrith 6   Cumberland Oval
1969 Manly 13   Balmain 18   Sydney Cricket Ground
1969 Wests 12   Parramatta 18   Lidcombe Oval
1970 Parramatta 12   Newtown 18   Cumberland Oval
1970 Easts 7   Souths 18   Sydney Cricket Ground
1971 Newtown 7   Wests 6   Henson Park
1971 Canterbury 26   Penrith 16   Belmore Sports Ground
1971 Norths 10   Manly 20   North Sydney Oval
1971 Easts 23   Cronulla 17   Sydney Sports Ground
1972 Balmain 8   St George 17   Sydney Sports Ground
1972 Canterbury 13   Easts 7   Belmore Sports Ground
1972 Cronulla 12   Wests 18   Endeavour Field
1972 Newtown 23   Penrith 5   Henson Park
1972 Norths 14   Souths 19   North Sydney Oval
1972 Parramatta 7   Manly 9   Cumberland Oval
1973 Newtown 16   Wests 14   Henson Park
1973 Easts 15   Souths 16   Sydney Cricket Ground
1974 Balmain 20   Canterbury 28   Leichhardt Oval
1974 Easts 41   Parramatta 0   Sydney Sports Ground
1975 Balmain 5   St George 31   Leichhardt Oval
1976 Balmain 18   Penrith 4   Leichhardt Oval
1976 Cronulla 11   Easts 22   Endeavour Field
1976 Manly 38   Norths 13   Brookvale Oval
1976 Wests 23   St George 13   Lidcombe Oval
1977 Manly 0   Easts 20   Sydney Cricket Ground
1977 Newtown 10   Cronulla 37   Sydney Cricket Ground
1978 Cronulla 35   Penrith 9   Sydney Cricket Ground
1978 Norths 16   Newtown 5   Sydney Cricket Ground
1978 Easts 22   St George 6   Sydney Cricket Ground
1979 Easts 9   St George 22   Sydney Cricket Ground
1980 Easts 14   Wests 7   Sydney Sports Ground
1981 St George 23   Penrith 15   Kogarah Oval
1982 Cronulla 7   Manly 13   Endeavour Field
1982 Illawarra 45   Canberra 0   Wollongong Showground
1982 Newtown 8   Parramatta 21   Henson Park
1982 Norths 28   Easts 12   North Sydney Oval
1982 Souths 27   Wests 22   Redfern Oval
1983 St George 45   Balmain 12   Kogarah Oval
1984 Balmain 16   Souths 2   Leichhardt Oval
1984 Illawarra 10   Canberra 14   Wollongong Showground
1984 Manly 12   Norths 26   Brookvale Oval
1984 Penrith 24   Cronulla 12   Penrith Park
1984 St George 24   Parramatta 20   Kogarah Oval
1984 Easts 54   Wests 6   Sydney Sports Ground
1985 Illawarra 0   Canterbury 6   Wollongong Showground
1985 Balmain 8   Easts 12   Leichhardt Oval
1985 Canberra 44   Wests 12   Seiffert Oval
1985 Norths 10   Penrith 22   North Sydney Oval
1985 Parramatta 16   Cronulla 12   Belmore Sports Ground
1985 St George 20   Manly 16   Sydney Cricket Ground
1986 Souths 2   Canterbury 26   Sydney Cricket Ground
1987 Manly 18   Easts 10   Brookvale Oval
1988 Manly 14   Souths 28   Brookvale Oval
1989 Illawarra 8   Canberra 44   Seiffert Oval
1989 Easts 6   Canterbury 30   Sydney Football Stadium
1992 Illawarra 23   Manly 10   Wollongong Showground
1993 Balmain 26   Parramatta 2   Leichhardt Oval
1993 Knights 19   Illawarra 18   Newcastle International Sports Centre
1993 Norths 18   Souths 20   North Sydney Oval
1993 Penrith 12   Cronulla 26   Penrith Park
1993 St George 14   Brisbane 20   Kogarah Oval
1993 Easts 14   Gold Coast 12   Sydney Football Stadium
1993 Wests 4   Manly 11   Campbelltown Sports Ground
1994 Canterbury 22   Wests 16   Belmore Sports Ground
1996 Easts 62   Souths 0   Sydney Football Stadium
1998 Adelaide 12   Cronulla 22   Adelaide Oval
1998 Balmain 10   Canterbury 26   Leichhardt Oval
1998 Melbourne 22   Penrith 14   Olympic Park
1998 North Qld 16   Easts 50   Willows Sports Complex
1999 Balmain 28   Wests 16   Leichhardt Oval
1999 Canberra 21   Knights 21   Bruce Stadium
1999 Cronulla 18   St George-Illawarra 16   Endeavour Field
1999 North Qld 20   Brisbane 20   Willows Sports Complex
2000 Canterbury 22   Melbourne 44   Stadium Australia
2002 St George-Illawarra 20   Easts 24   Sydney Football Stadium
2003 Parramatta 14   Brisbane 20   Parramatta Stadium
2003 Easts 20   St George-Illawarra 24   Sydney Football Stadium
2004 Brisbane 32   Penrith 14   Lang Park
2004 Easts 11   St George-Illawarra 8   Sydney Football Stadium
2004 Wests Tigers 30   Manly 22   Leichhardt Oval
2005 Easts 24   St George-Illawarra 26   Sydney Football Stadium
2006 Easts 12   St George-Illawarra 22   Sydney Football Stadium
2007 Easts 18   St George-Illawarra 4   Sydney Football Stadium
2008 St George-Illawarra 26   Easts 6   Stadium Australia
2008 Brisbane 32   Souths 18   Lang Park
2009 Melbourne 14   Warriors 14   Olympic Park
2009 North Qld 26   Manly 12   Willows Sports Complex
2009 Easts 0   St George-Illawarra 29   Sydney Football Stadium
2010 St George-Illawarra 28   Easts 6   Sydney Football Stadium
2010 Canberra 24   Souths 26   Bruce Stadium
2010 Melbourne 40   Warriors 6   Docklands Stadium
2011 Melbourne 14   Warriors 18   Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2011 Easts 10   St George-Illawarra 24   Sydney Football Stadium
2012 Melbourne 32   Warriors 14   Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2012 St George-Illawarra 28   Easts 24   Sydney Football Stadium
2013 Melbourne 28   Warriors 18   Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2013 Easts 34   St George-Illawarra 10   Sydney Football Stadium
2014 Brisbane 26   Souths 28   Lang Park
2014 Melbourne 10   Warriors 16   Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2014 St George-Illawarra 14   Easts 34   Sydney Football Stadium
2015 Brisbane 28   Parramatta 16   Lang Park
2015 Melbourne 10   Manly 12   Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2015 Warriors 28   Titans 32   Mt Smart Stadium
2015 Knights 24   North Qld 26   Newcastle International Sports Centre
2015 Easts 12   St George-Illawarra 14   Sydney Football Stadium
2016 Melbourne 42   Warriors 0   Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2016 Knights 10   Manly 26   Newcastle International Sports Centre
2016 St George-Illawarra 20   Easts 18   Sydney Football Stadium
2017 Melbourne 20   Warriors 14   Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2017 Easts 13   St George-Illawarra 12   Sydney Football Stadium
2018 Melbourne 50   Warriors 10   Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
2018 St George-Illawarra 24   Easts 8   Sydney Football Stadium