- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
This is not an invitation for league or rugby bashing. Nor is it an apology or complete affirmation of rugby’s past. Rugby’s past is, on the whole, positive. However, noble amateurism may have masked more deep-seated problems brewing well before 1908 league breakaway in Australia.
We are all cognisant of the Judas Gold argument to explain the league breakaway. This is the position of the NSWRU and commentators such as Peter Fitzsimmons.
The Judas Gold argument becomes somewhat more tenuous when you consider the unspoken part of the breakaway in Australia.
Throughout the 1910s, 20s, and 30s in Sydney’s West and South, and even North of Sydney, there was an immediate and profound movement of amateur rugby players and new players to amateur league.
Yes, amateur league.
They had no coaches, provided their own kit, boots and oranges. They were definitely not paid.
In some country areas it was not so much a movement, but a desertion.
There were no leagues clubs, licensed club premises or sponsors. Teams came and went, but more came than went, linked into their local communities not by money, but locality and identity.
In my region alone there were the following:
1909/10 – 1912: Fairfield United, Liverpool Wanderers, Campbelltown Kangaroos, Camden, Smithfield,
Cabramatta, Cordeaux (Lorrycomp)
1913: Wentworthville, Parramatta (1st of3)
1920s: (Railwaycomp) Lidcombe, Auburn, Granville, Merrylands, Fairfield, Cabramatta, Mt Pritchard, Parramatta
1920s/30s: Parramatta, RootyHill, Wallacia, Penrith, Wentworthville/Blacktown, Westmead, Riverstone, Prospect, Castle Hill, Kingswood, Pittown, Mt. Druitt, Toongabbie.
Ordinary people often do not leave written reasons, they just vote with their feet. The Judas Gold argument long favoured fails to explain this loss. At this time league was more under-resourced than us.
We should not be uncomfortable with our resurgence, nor with our ability to buy league players, but our past sanctimonious amateur pretensions do not adequately explain why we lost the ordinary punter.
Resources were on our side from the 1910 to the 1930s.
I do not want Australian rugby to again become a boutique domestic sport played by a few for a few and principally orientated overseas as our new competitor really wants.
We should be confident with our resurgence based as it is on professionalism and our superior international dimension,improved game and ability to now buy league players.
Any rugby supporter who wishes for the demise of league in Australia should at the present time be careful what you wish for.
The old foe is still a potent ally in the battle for juniors.
Love this article? Nominate it for The Roar’s Armchair Sports Writer Award. Or vote now for this week’s nominated articles.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.