RL1908 - Rugby League Football History

Season 1902 - Sydney Clubs

A Photographic Souvenir was released in 1902 of the Sydney first grade teams. It is currently available for viewing on-line at The State Library of New South Wales.

The clubs featured in the photos from the 'Town and Country Journal' are: The Glebe, The University, North Sydney, South Sydney, Newtown, Balmain, Eastern Suburbs and Western Suburbs.

All eventually took form in the NSWRL competition in 1908 (except University who joined in 1920).

South Sydney Rabbitohs' founding father - Arthur Hennessy - was vice-captain of Souths RU club in 1902

While some will say that the pre-1908 era of rugby in Australia is 'owned' by the game of rugby union, at RL1908 we take the view that rugby league is entitled to equally share this common history.

Many of the players and officials in these photographs were the stars of the era and went on to become key figures in the formation of rugby league.

Much of the culture existant in 1902 - for example club jersey design and colours - is still in use by many of these clubs today.

This Souvenir booklet is being shown as part of the Library's 'Run the Ball - Australian Rugby' exhibition.

If the game of rugby league is no longer to be seen as a form of 'Australian rugby' (hence its exclusion from the exhibition), then lets hope the State Library will be holding a similar exhibition on the history of rugby league in Australia in the near future.

However, the initial two images from the 'Run the Ball' exhibit may be of interest - though when reading the captions be aware it was written for a RU audience (the 1908 Kangaroos had their name long before the 'Australian' RU side sat down to choose 'Wallabies'!).
All links are to the NSW State Library site. RL1908 cannot guarantee that links will remain/are active.

1899 'Australian' cap

1908 Wallabies' jersey

View the 1902 Sydney clubs Photographic Souvenir