THE WALLAROO FOOTBALL CLUB, Australia’s first football club dedicated to rugby, was founded in Sydney in 1870. Guided by Australian-born Rugby School ‘old boys’, Wallaroo was Sydney’s version of the now famous London member-based rugby clubs Richmond (1861), Blackheath (1858), Harlequins (1866) and Wasps (1867).

Throughout the late 1800s, Wallaroo was Sydney’s premier club 14 times. Wallaroo was a prestige institution and the foundation stone and leading influence of the game in Australia. Yet in 1900, after a ‘monstrous injustice’ was done, the club was driven from the field and left defunct.

“In 1870 the first football club, the Wallaroo, was formed. Before that the University students, although they had no regularly formed club, played several scratch matches with members of the army or navy or any team that could be got together. After the formation of the Wallaroo Club the University formed a club.“
— Australian Town and Country Journal, 16 December 1893

IN THE LATE AUTUMN OF 1870, an advertisement in the Sydney papers called upon those interested in rugby football to attend a meeting for the purpose of forming a club. Only five men put in an appearance. Nothing daunted, they launched the club under the name of the Wallaroo FC.

The Wallaroo FC was the first football club in Australia to adopt Rugby Rules at its opening meeting—this was before the formation of both the RFU in London and the NSWRU in Sydney.

“Rugby football was established in New South Wales in 1870 when the Wallaroo Club was formed.”
— The Sydney Morning Herald, 18 April 1931

Throughout the 19th century, Wallaroo FC was the most powerful and influential club in Australian rugby. It was a ‘cosmopolitan’ club, similar to England’s Wasps, Harlequins, and Blackheath, drawing its gentlemen members from across the Sydney area based on social standing and sporting merit rather than local residency.

In its early years, Wallaroo FC played a restricted schedule of matches against military teams, the University of Sydney, and The King’s School. Following Wallaroo FC’s lead, other rugby clubs were formed, and when club rugby took hold, Wallaroo FC reigned supreme. By the end of the century Wallaroo FC had been Sydney’s premier club 14 times.

Wallaroo FC was also a leading hand in advancing the rugby code in Australia—resisting the introduction of other football codes, organising the first representative contests between the colonies, and adopting the now-iconic Waratah emblem for the New South Wales team.

However, just weeks before the kick-off to the 1900 season, and despite having won the 1899 premiership, Wallaroo FC was brought down by rivals determined to implement local football and district electorate boundaries in place of social membership clubs.

“Mr. W. M. M. Arnold [of WFC] said he was in favor of any sort of football; but the amendment meant the killing of every club in the union. Offers would be made to players, to live in certain districts, and have free board and lodging. It would be a monstrous injustice to wipe out existing clubs.”
— Australian Town and Country Journal, 1 October 1898

Despite Wallaroo FC‘s protests, and an exception having been made for the Sydney University club (of course!), the ‘monstrous injustice’ was soon done.

On 30 September 1899, Wallaroo FC had played what turned out to be their last club rugby competition game.

All website text & content © Sean Fagan

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