Newtown Jets / Bluebags

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

Newtown were one of the founding clubs of premiership Rugby League in 1908.

After having played, and lost, the 1981 Grand Final their record stood at three title wins along with seven times as runners-up. While not a flash success rate, it was comparable to the achievements of fellow 'founders' Western Suburbs and far better than North Sydney.

Unfortunately for the Jets (called Bluebags prior to 1973) the inclusion of expansion clubs Illawarra and Canberra to the NSWRL competition in 1982 focussed attention on the contribution being made by each of the inner-city clubs.

During 1983 Newtown moved to Campbelltown to secure their future utilising the growing supporter and junior base on the outskirts of Sydney. By the end of the season Newtown was out of the competition. The Newtown area, including surrounding suburbs Marrickville, St Peters and Lewisham had changed by the early 1980s. The area was increasingly being used for light industry, while most of the remaining residents were elderly or migrants. It made for operating and funding a Rugby League club in the district a difficult challenge.

The relocation to Campbelltown was to be financed by the sale of the Newtown Leagues Club. However, in a depressed real estate market, the already financially strapped Newtown club couldn't sell the club to complete the move in time.

Newtown was then suspended from the competition for the 1984 season. The Jets were never asked back into the competition and in 1987 Wests moved in on the Campbelltown area.

A century earlier the Newtown area had been a stronghold of the rugby game. Marrickville had been one of the more competitive teams in the original Sydney rugby competition (in the 1890s). It was absorbed into the Newtown district rugby union club when it started in 1900. The press reported at the time that the area was "particularly strong in juniors".

The Newtown Rugby League Club was the second club formed under the NSWRL banner (14th January) - though some members of the club insist Newtown was first (8th January). All newspaper reports confirm the date as 14th January. When Glebe was excluded in the late 1920s, Newtown became (and still is) Rugby League's oldest club in Australia.

At its inaugural meeting the Newtown members resolved to continue wearing the 'royal blue' jersey of the rugby union club. Newtown fared modestly in Rugby League's first season finishing sixth out of the nine clubs. The defection of the Wallabies at the end of 1909 was a great boon for Rugby League, but more particularly for Newtown. Many of the best Wallabies resided in the Bluebags' area including Bill and Viv Farnsworth, Paddy McCue, Jack Barnett and Charles 'Boxer' Russell.

With eleven wins and two draws for the 1910 season, Newtown won the minor premiership and a place in the Final against second placed Souths. With wins in the first two seasons of Rugby League in Sydney, the Rabbitohs were keen to grab their third title in a row.

It looked to be so with Souths ahead 4-2 and the final bell due to sound. Souths' fullback Howard Hallett put in a clearing kick from his own line looking for touch and the end of play. However Newtown's centre Albert Hawkes raced across field near the halfway line, catching the ball on the full just inside the touchline.

He immediately claimed a 'fair catch', giving the Bluebags a shot at goal for an unlikely two points and the premiership (a draw was enough for first placed Newtown to secure the title). Newtown's captain Russell came across for the difficult kick but everyone recalled that he had missed easier kicks earlier in the match. However he set aside the pressure and landed a booming goal to square the game at fulltime. Newtown were awarded the title after Rugby League's first drawn decider.

From 1912 to 1925 the NSWRL awarded the premiership title automatically to the team on top after the home and away games. This didn't help Newtown who finished as runners-up in 1913 and 1914.

Newtown finished the 1929 season in fourth place earning a semi-final against St George at Earl Park. The Bluebags won 8-7 and a place in the Final against South Sydney. The Rabbitohs had won the previous four titles (a record) and, as minor premiers, would have to be between twice by Newtown to miss making it five in a row. Newtown were no match for Souths who easily won 30-10.

The 1933 season opened with Newtown losing its first four matches. However, it was a Kangaroo tour year and most of the front running clubs gave up their best players for the second half of the competition. Newtown, not surprisingly given their form, lost only one player - hooker Arthur Folwell. The Bluebags lost only once in the back-end of the club rounds and took the minor premiership in a spectacular charge to the top.

However, this left them facing Souths who had won seven of the previous eight seasons. Newtown produced an inspiring performance to hold out a fast finishing Rabbitohs outfit 17-12. With a 'right-of-challenge' still in their pocket Newtown faced off against St George in the Final. The Bluebags escaped the clutches of the Dragons towards the end of the game winning 18-5. It was Newtown's first premiership title in twenty-six seasons.

The following Kangaroo tour year of 1937 also proved to be fruitful for Newtown as they defeated a depleted Easts side by a whopping 57-5 in the City Cup Final. A young Frank Hyde, playing centre for the Bluebags, grabbed a hat trick of tries.

The third premiership win for Newtown came in the 1943 wartime Grand Final. Captained by the colourful and famous Frank 'Bumper' Farrell, Newtown took on the fancied North Sydney side. The men from across the harbour were led by Frank Hyde and his Norths' side had shown no sympathy for his former club, having beaten Newtown three times already that season.

The Grand Final was played at the SCG before a record crowd of 61,922, though there were thousands more on roofs and vantage points outside the ground. Newtown countered the short-kicking tactics of the Bears into an advantage of their own, resulting in a 35-7 win to the Bluebags. Stars of the day for Newtown were forward Charles Cahill along with backs Len Smith and Tom Kirk.

Newtown looked set for back-to-back titles after finishing as minor premiers in 1944. However after blitzing St George by 55-7 in the first semi-final, injuries and war duties ravaged the side including the key losses of Len Smith and Herb Narvo. Newtown fought on but lost to Balmain by 19-16 (Final) and 12-8 (Grand Final) to finish the season as runners-up.

The controversial exclusion of Newtown's Len Smith from the 1948 Kangaroos proved fateful to the competitiveness of the Bluebags. Smith was the incumbent captain-coach of Australia and was so disgusted by the events that he retired from all Rugby League duties at the end of 1948. His contribution to the Newtown club over the ensuing seasons would have proven to be invaluable.

It was not until the mid-1950s that Newtown was again a serious premiership force. The club took the minor premiership in 1954 and 1955 with Dick Poole, Bobby Whitton, Henry Holloway, Gordon Clifford, Brian Clay and Kevin Considine standing out. Unfortunately the Bluebags fell to South Sydney in both Grand Finals.

The 1955 decider was very closely fought out. In a titanic struggle Newtown was down 12-11 in the final minutes. A last gasp long-range penalty goal attempt from Clifford just missing. Despite being the best performed side for two seasons, the club had nothing in the trophy cabinet to show for it.

The following two decades saw Newtown as semi-finalists on few occasions. The 1962 season appeared to provide the most promise. A young side captained by Tony Brown finished the regular season just one point behind minor premiers St George and ahead of third placed Western Suburbs. Newtown had beaten the 'red and whites' at the SCG in mid-season and looked to be mounting a serious effort to end the Dragons' reign. However, a crippling injury toll at semi-final time saw the Bluebags exit the play-offs after two losses.

Newtown snared fourth place for the 1966 semi-finals, confronting Manly in the first game. The Bluebags fought valiantly back from a 10-0 deficit to be behind only 10-9 with ten minutes remaining. While Bob Carnegie and Bob Keyes delivered inspirational performances for Newtown, the Sea Eagles held on to win. It was a near thing and an ounce of luck would have changed the result.

Newtown soon had a brief moment of joy, winning the Endeavour Cup - a now long forgotten tournament that introduced six-tackle football in matches played between the teams that missed out on the 1970 semi-finals. Former player Jack Gibson took over as coach in 1973 and produced immediate results as Newtown (now Jets) won the coveted Wills Cup pre-season competition.

The club improved across all grades and by the end of the home and away rounds had secured the NSWRL Club Championship for the first time in its history. The season was also highlighted by a memorable finals surge by the First Grade team led by Brian 'Chicka' Moore, John Floyd, Lionel Williamson and Neil Pringle. After finishing in fourth place for the play-offs, the Jets defeated Canterbury 13-2 in the preliminary semi-final, before drawing 12-all with St George in the minor semi-final.

Two days later (Tuesday) the sides met in a replay in front of over 27,000 fans at the Sports Ground where Newtown prevailed by 8-5. A weary Newtown side backed up four days later in the Final against Cronulla. A lethargic start quickly saw Newtown behind by 18-4 before rallying in the second half, although it wasn't enough and they bowed out 20-11.

The promise of 1973 was quickly tempered. Gibson left for Eastern Suburbs (who won the next two seasons) and a poor second round in 1974 resulted in a disappointing seventh place finish. The club struggled for the remainder of the 1970s, though it was not without enterprise in trying to capture form and supporters. The most spectacular was the recruitment for the 1977 season of American footballer Manfred Moore from the Oakland Raiders. Unsurprisingly though, his on-field performances revealed his complete lack of knowledge of Rugby League football.

In 1979 Warren Ryan took over the coaching role and the club opened up the chequebook. By the 1981 season Newtown had assembled a side that was physically imposing, though the lack of flashy players saw few rate them as serious contenders. Led by Tommy Raudonikis the side included Graeme O'Grady, Geoff Bugden, Ken Wilson, Ray Blacklock, Phil Gould, Phil Sigsworth and Steve Bowden.

Rated 50/1 to win the premiership in March of 1981, by the end of the regular season Newtown had secured a second place finish behind Easts. The first semi-final saw the Jets lose a very tight struggle to Parramatta by 10-8. Newtown then confronted the flashy Manly side in one of the most violent games in living memory.

In the first minutes of the match a scrum erupted into a brutal brawl that eventually involved nearly every player on the field. After Newtown's prop Steve Bowden and Manly's Terry Randall were sent from the field in the aftermath, the Jets powered to a 16-0 lead before finally winning 20-15. Bowden was subsequently suspended and the club had to battle on without his services.

In the Final the Jets beat the favoured Eastern Suburbs side 15-5. Newtown were pitted against a young Parramatta side searching for their first Grand Final win. A victory for Newtown would hopefully provide the catalyst for a revival of the club.

Early in the second half the Jets took the ascendency. Tom Raudonikis ran from the base of a scrum inside the Eels' quarter to score Newtown's third try and hold an 11-7 lead. With only fifteen minutes left on the clock, Parramatta were still behind.

Deep in their own half, the Eels gambled on a sixth-tackle running play breaking out for a converted try to take them to a 12-11 lead. Two tries to Parramatta in the final five minutes saw them finish 20-11 in front.

Newtown supporters suffered further disappointment in 1982 after the club made it to the Final of the mid-week competition. Facing a star-studded Manly side the Jets hoped to force an upset, however another trophy eluded them as the Sea Eagles found form to win 23-8.

It had all turned sour for Newtown so quickly. At the end of the 1982 season most of the best players left and by 1983 the club was struggling for survival.

The club continues today to play in NSWRL competitions, including matches against many of its old adversaries (Norths, Balmain and Wests). In 2004 Newtown played against a NRL club for the first time, meeting Melbourne Storm in a pre-season trial at Henson Park.