In 1900, the strongest Rugby Union clubs resided in
Glebe, Balmain, Newtown and South Sydney. These clubs were all required to
field three grades of teams which saw them drawing players from neighbouring suburbs.
Glebe were the most dominant and successful club during
these early years of the 1900’s while their neighbouring suburb Annandale were
a second grade feeder club for Glebe.
In 1908, when Glebe moved from the Metropolitan Rugby
Union to the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL), soon followed by the
Newtown, Balmain and South Sydney clubs, Annandale officials were optimistic
that this might provide them with an opportunity to finally move into the first
grade competition, however was not an option that the Metropolitan Rugby Union
(MRU) were even contemplating.
The NSWRL had a reasonably successful debut season
followed by a tumultuous beginning to their 1909 season, however a daring coup
on the Rugby Union’s elite playing ranks, financed by entrepreneur James
Joynton-Smith saw the MRU decimated for a second year.
The rebel Rugby Union players of 1909 played in 3
exhibition games billed as the Kangaroos v the Wallabies. After the third game,
The NSWRL had failed to raise enough funds to repay Joynton-Smith, so a fourth
match was scheduled to be played on the same day as the 1909 final between
South Sydney and Balmain on September 18.
On August 28, 1909, Annandale announced that they had
disbanded from the MRU and had joined with the NSWRL. On the same day five
Annandale players, coupled with some Newtown Rugby Union players, participated
in an exhibition game against Eastern Suburbs, in the undercard match before
the Australia v Maori Test at the Royal Agricultural Ground. With some lenient
officiating by the referee towards the newcomers, as they were new to the
rules, they won the game 8-5.
On September 3, 1909, the MRU gathered to discuss the
rebel players and decided to formally expel Jack Barnett, Alby Burge, Jack
Hickey, Paddy McCue, Chris McKivat, Peter Burge, Robert Craig, Edward Mandible,
Arthur McCabe and William Farnsworth for their involvement in the Wallabies
exhibition games.
The following day, the MRU cited the Annandale club and
the Newtown players who participated in the exhibition game against Eastern
Suburbs
After these players were expelled, the MRU board then
turned their attention to Annandale and ruled that a decision would be made on
their fate at a later date.
On September 18, the Kangaroo’s and Wallabies played
their fourth exhibition game which, despite Balmain refusing to participate in
the final, still generated just enough income to fully repay Joynton-Smith.
Four days later, the MRU met again and decided to expel
Newtown players R.Gavin and Viv Farnsworth, along with five Annandale players
and a second grade Newtown player for their involvement in the exhibition game with
Eastern Suburbs.
Two of the expelled Annandale players were Angus Lennon
and Robert Gray who both spoke about the code switch. Lennon revealed that “we
went over (to Rugby League) because Annandale will never have a decent show of
forming a district club while we are Glebe’s district.” This sentiment was one
that run deep within many at the club.
Gray revealed, “I had one night’s meeting to learn the rules. Arthur Hennessy was there;
we met at the corner and went to the training room. The only reason I went over
was because I thought I would like the League rules better.”
On March 14, 1910 the Annandale Rugby League Club held
its first official meeting at the Collondale Hall. The meeting was presided
over by Horrie Miller, Harry Flegg and Edward Larkin, officials of the game’s
governing body.
It was at this meeting that the New South Wales Rugby
League officially declared that Annandale would be the eighth team to join
their first grade competition for the 1910 season, effectively replacing the
recently departed Newcastle side, despite not having a designated home ground.
They would take the field wearing maroon and gold coloured jumpers.
The first secretary of the Annandale club was Walter
Henry Clutton, a member of the Liberal Party and a Police Sergeant. The
vice-president elected at the same meeting was Alderman James Robertson, who
was also the Mayor of Annandale. In mid-August 1910, Clutton resigned from role
with the Annandale club to focus on his political career. Both Clutton and
Robertson put forward nominations to be the Liberal candidate in the seat of
Kahibah at the 1910 federal election. Clutton won the nomination, however his
joy was short lived when he managed to obtain just 15% of the votes in his
seat. In 1918 he served in WWI in Rabaul, before contracting malaria and being
discharged.
Annandale’s first game was on April 30, 1910 against
Newtown, where they were overwhelmed by eventual premiers Newtown 31-6. They
then went down in a close contest to neighbouring Balmain 8-2 the following
week before facing their former parent side in the MRU, Glebe. Annandale again
put in another spirited display but went down 17-10. After losing to Easts 20-12
in their 4th game, Annandale then won 5 and drew 1 of their next 9
games to finish the season respectably. One of those wins came in Round 9
against Glebe by 10-7. It would be the only time in 23 games that they achieved
the feat.
1911 saw Annandale again win 5 and draw 1 of their 14
games, this time finishing 5th. Utility forward Robert Stuart became
the first man playing for Annandale to be selected to represent Australia when
he was named in the Kangaroo squad to tour England in 1911-12. He played 2 games
on tour but no Tests.
Despite a respectable first few seasons, it was revealed
in 1912 that Annandale still had no training
ground. When the team first formed they trained on a block of land known as
Johnstone’s estate. In the two years after, many buildings have been erected in
this area making the land smaller and inadequate. Annandale secretary W. Lennon
needed a large enough venue for the 74 players from all 3 grades to train on.
He approached Petersham council for use of Petersham Oval, Leichhardt council
to use Leichhardt Park, the trotting association for Epping grounds and to the
city council to use Camperdown Park. Each request was denied. He also applied
to the city council to have Federal Park upgraded for training purposes, as it
did not contain dressing sheds, no water, no lights which was also denied.
Despite these difficulties, the team did not give up and made the most of what
they had. The club slid backwards, winning just 2 games.
In 1913 the
Annandale club elected James Giltinan as their president. Giltinan was the man who
helped finance and organise Rugby League’s birth just 6 years earlier. It was
also in this year that Annandale decided to withdraw from the second grade
competition. The club managed just 3 wins through the year, finishing equal
last with Wests.
The 1914
season was the first of a number of disastrous seasons for the club as they
struggled to compete with all clubs. They had just 1 win, 1 draw and 11 losses
as they approached their final game against competition leaders Souths. Newtown
were second on the ladder and needed to win their game against Norths, and for
Souths to lose to Annandale for them to become premiers. The Newtown players
invited Annandale to train with them at the Metters ground, Newtown’s home
ground, as well as offering a one pound reward if they could beat Souths.
Newtown went
on to Norths 20-12. Souths however were caught by surprise at the enthusiasm of
the Annandale side and at halftime, their game was locked at 3 all. But 3
second half tries to nil in Souths favour saw them win 14-5 and claim the
premiership.
If the
geographical disadvantage inflicted upon Annandale wasn’t enough, the First
World War saw a number of players in the area enlist in the war effort. They
won 3 of 14 games in 1915 and 4 of 14 games in 1916.
Their first
game of 1917 against neighbouring rivals Glebe saw about the greatest
controversy in the games existence at that time. Dan Davies played for Glebe in
their 26-5 win, however Annandale protested as they knew that Davies was living
in Annandale, not Glebe, therefore he should have played for Annandale. Glebe
had their 2 competition points deducted for the win and Davies was banned for
life. Davies returned and played in Newcastle. The NSWRL decided to ban almost
every player, administrator and club in the Newcastle competition. The decision
was eventually overturned in 1921.
Over the
next 4 seasons, Annandale won just 2 of their 55 games, each season they played
a rougher and more unattractive style of play. This saw crowd figures for
Annandale games drop and potential local players lose interest in the game,
resulting in Annandale relying at times on borrowed players from outside their
region. In 1918 and 1920 they failed to win a single game.
On October
13, 1920 the NSWRL Committee decided at a meeting to axe Annandale due to their
poor record, poor style of play and inability to field a team of local players.
Four of the other eight clubs that voted to axe Annandale were Balmain, Glebe,
Newtown and Wests, all of whom would benefit from their demise. Shortly after
the decision was passed, delegates of all 4 clubs set about splitting up the
Annandale region so that they would all get a share.
A motion to
rescind the decision was put forward but was emphatically voted against, and with
that, the existence of Annandale whimpered into non-existence.
Annandale
1910-1920
Played 163,
Won 26, Drew 6, Lost 131, For 1118, Against 2756
*******This article appeared in Rugby League Review magazine*********
