Not Going The Full 80

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

Rugby league contests end after 80 minutes of play...most of the time...

Cutting from the front page of Sydney's Sun-Herald the morning after the 1954 NSW v Great Britain match that was abandoned with 24 minutes still to play. The Blues were ahead 17-6.

At the game's elite level in Australia there are less than a handful of another type of ending - the abandoned match - a contest that for some reason or another has kicked-off, but come to an end long before the 80 minutes has expired.

While bush footy, A-Grade and junior competitions can have their wilder moments or weather interventions that lead to officials calling a premature end to a match, it is a rare happening at the professional level.

The most famous (or should that be "infamous"?) instance was the NSW v Great Britain match, played in front of 27,000 fans at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 10 July 1954.

Sixteen minutes after half-time, with the Blues ahead 17-6, referee Aub Oxford had seen enough wild brawling and found his words being ignored, that he blew his whistle one last time, declared "No contest!" and walked off the field, taking the touch judges with him.

Held a week before the Ashes-deciding 3rd Test, the Englishmen had selected a "second string" team - with just three men who had played for the Lions in the 2nd Test in Brisbane, the clear objective was to do as much physical harm to the Kangaroos playing in the NSW team as the game would permit.

Clive Churchill, who was particularly sought out by the Poms that afternoon, remarked later that "Every English tackle was like a dirty punch." Understandably, the NSW team recognised full well the situation they were in, and responded with their full might.

Referee Oxford had spent much of his time trying to quell the rising tension, and just after half-time he strongly warned Lions' half Alf Burnell for a "heavy dumping tackle" on his Blues opposite, Keith Holman. Burnell's team mate, Ray Price, then expressed some thoughts of his own to one of Oxford's touch judges. That was enough for Oxford - he sent Price off.

When play resumed players from both sides began punching and kicking in every tackle, and many resorted to the use of the "stiff-arm tackle." Amidst it all the Lions scored a try.

A few minutes later Burnell quickly followed up a kick heading towards Churchill. Upon arriving the Englishman let loose a wild punch that, while Churchill quickly ducked, went on to strike NSW winger Noel Pidding in the back of the head. Pidding and Burnell began trading blows, and it very quickly grew into a wild and chaotic free-for-all brawl involving just about every player.

Oxford continually blew his whistle, and aided by his two touch judges attempted the stop the fighting, but it was all futile - nothing short of the police intervening seemed likely to restore order. A Sydney newspaper describing the scene as "the most disgraceful brawl in Australian rugby league history."

So Oxford walked from the field and back into the SCG Members' Stand, leaving the brawling players blissfully unaware that the match was over. The players soon came to realise that the game was not going any further, and returned to the change rooms.

The Englishmen were baited by the crowd in the Members Stand, calling out "You are dingoes!" and "Why don't you go home!" - Price, along with 19 years old Billy Boston, climbed through the dressing room window and onto the front verandah landing, and were quickly surrounded by 30 or more of the disgruntled spectators. Richard 'Dickie' Williams, the Lions tour captain, quickly grabbed Price and Boston, dragging them back inside.

Naturally, a public furore and newspaper controversy followed the dramatic happenings. The NSWRL held an inquiry, but in the end League President 'Jersey' Flegg, at his expedient and wily best, simply accepted an apology from the Lions match captain Charlie Pawsey and the team managers, and all attention quickly moved on to the 3rd Test.

Oxford though had heard and seen enough - he immediately retired, never taking up the whistle again.

Just two seasons later, Brisbane referee Colin Wright had his hands full at "the Gabba" in the first grade semi-final between Brothers and Wests.

With Brothers in front 16-8 and less than 20 minutes to play, Wright sent-off Wests' Test stars Alex Watson and Duncan Hall. Both men refused to leave the field. So referee Wright called the contest off and he left the field instead. The Bob Bax coached Brothers team went on to win the Grand Final.

In the NSWRL/NRL premiership no match has been called off early.

In the 1909 Final, Balmain refused to take the field against Souths, forfeiting the match. While the Rabbitohs did kick-off the match, then carry the ball over the goal line for what was described as "a farcical try," it was done to ensure there was no lingering doubt as to Souths' claim to the premiership title. The name of the try-scorer was not recorded by any Sydney newspaper.

Some matches have come close to being called off early.

In a match against Canterbury in March 1970, North Sydney players, led by captain Ken Irvine, were so incensed by the performance of referee Keith Page, that they began to walk from the field. Page had sent two Bears off, and the rest of the team began to follow them. Standing nearby, Norths coach Roy Francis appeared to initially encourage the team to keep walking, before cooler thought prevailed and the game continued. Canterbury eventually won 16-14.

In July 1995 Sydney Roosters' coach Phil Gould thought his side was getting poor treatment from rookie referee David Jay against Manly at Brookvale Oval. Deep into the second half with the Sea Eagles closing in on the Roosters lead, Gould walked to the touchline, waving for his team to leave the field just as a scrum was being called. Roosters' skipper Sean Garlick was unsure of what Gould's intentions were, kept his team on the field, and hung on for a 21-16 victory.

The weather has almost led to matches being stopped. In the opening round of 1990 between Balmain and Manly a fierce thunderstorm hit Leichhardt Oval near half-time, unleashing lightning and large hail-stones. The players sheltered in the tunnel while referee Eddie Ward conferred with team captains Benny Elias (Tigers) and Michael O'Connor (Sea Eagles) as to whether to keep on playing. Despite the risks, the game went on, with Manly winning 14-12.

With the modern game played more at night under lights than at daytime, the risk perhaps of a match being curtailed early remains a possibility. A handful of club games have been temporarily stopped due to a partial or complete loss of lighting.