The NSWRU declared Wallaroo the 1894 premiers and inscribed the winning team’s medals with each player’s name. However, on presentation night the Union dramatically reversed its decision and awarded the title to Randwick. Wallaroo protested vigorously, even seeking to appeal to England’s RFU, but all avenues were denied. The club never accepted the decision and continued to claim the 1894 premiership as its own.
What purpose did rules serve if they were ignored? It came down to a vote of all the club delegates. It was a premiership decided on popularity and envy.
WALLAROO FC ANNUAL MEETING 1895
“The twenty-sixth annual meeting of the Wallaroo Club was held on 19th inst. at the Oxford Hotel. Mr. W. M. M. Arnold occupied the chair. The annual report stated that “your first-team secured the premier position in the senior competition, but this position was, through circumstances needless now to go into, awarded to another team, whose actions your committee cannot but regard with strong feelings of disapproval.”
— The Sydney Mail, 30 March 1895
THE 1894 PREMIERSHIP SYSTEM
Club rugby in Sydney during the 1890s featured a system that seems bizarre by modern standards. In seasons featuring semi-finals and finals, competition points and points-differential tallies continued to accrue until full-time in the last final.*
In truth, these late-season matches were not premiership play-offs. Introduced in 1892, they were knockout games for two entirely separate back-to-back trophy competitions: the Association Ground (SCG) Cup and the Agricultural Society Shield. The premiership proper had no finals.
However, rather than just award the premiership to the team at the top of the ladder before the Cup and Shield games kicked-off (the team today we would call “minor premiers”), it was tradition to keep adding competition points (and for/against) to the ladder.
If a team was far enough ahead on the table, the results of the trophy finals had no impact on deciding the premiers. This occurred in 1899 when Wallaroo won 12 of their 13 regular-season games, prompting the NSWRU to declare them premiers before the two trophy series even began.
But what happened in 1894 to cause the ultimate “premiership heist”?
THE ASSOCIATION GROUND (SCG) CUP – FINAL (11 August 1894)
Randwick had performed poorly over the season and it took a fortunate last-minute win over Paddington in the final regular round to gain last place in the top four and a chance for the Cup.
Here they surprised SUFC in the semi and even more unexpectedly in the Cup final, beat Wallaroo by 4–3 (one drop goal to one penalty goal) on 11 August.
“Wallaroo had hard luck. It was difficult to understand how it was that they could go so close time after time and yet fail at the last moment.”
— The Australian Star, 14 August 1894
Full of breezy swagger, and seemingly familiar with the latest ladies evening silks catalogue, the Randwicks fashionably styled their club colours as “amber and indigo,” but their jerseys were really a discordant combination of yellow and dark blue in unevenly sized hoops.
THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY TROPHY – SEMI-FINALS (15 August 1894)
With only the Agricultural Society Trophy semi-finals on Wednesday 15 August 1894 and the final on Saturday 18 August remaining, the four teams still in contention were Wallaroo, Sydney University (SUFC), Pirates and Randwick.
Despite years of criticism over their hapless habit of drawing semi-final match-ups out of a hat, the NSWRU refused to change. The inevitable happened: heavyweights Wallaroo and SUFC were drawn together in the first Trophy semi, leaving Pirate and Randwick to battle it out in the other with the absolute certainty that one of these lesser clubs would be in the Trophy final.
However, for Wallaroo the premiership was the main prize, and with four points awarded for a win and a very strong for/against record, they only needed to defeat SUFC in the Shield semi-final, as they could then no longer be caught on the ladder by Pirate or Randwick (Wallaroo had a superior for/against points).
In the Shield semi-finals, Wallaroo defeated SUFC 16–0, while Randwick held off the Pirates 8–3.
THE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY TROPHY – FINAL (18 August 1894)
For the second Saturday in succession, Randwick and Wallaroo met in a trophy final. Wallaroo’s convincing win over SUFC had essentially locked up the premiership.
“Should Wallaroo be defeated this afternoon they will still hold the premiership, as the record of points now stands Wallaroo 32, Randwick 28, and a win for the latter would bring them equal, but Wallaroo have much the best record as far as scores go.”
— The Daily Telegraph, 18 August 1894
“The Wallaroos are the premiers of the year, and yet they may win neither of the great trophies of the season. They have already been beaten in the Cup final, and they may be beaten by the same club in the Shield final to-day. In the event of the Randwick winning the big battle the clubs will have equally good records, so far as wins and losses are concerned, but the Wallaroo men hold the lead by a big majority of points for and against, which will settle the premiership in their favor. They have scored 121 points against 22, and Randwick have compiled 61 against 29… The Wallaroos have scored 32 points, Randwick 28, University 28, and Pirates 24. The Randwicks will have to beat Wallaroo by 63 points to nil to win the premiership. No possible show of this.”
— The Bird O’ Freedom, 18 August 1894
Wallaroo played with great determination in an attempt to win the final and the trophy. Contemporary newspaper accounts give no indication that the team, knowing they had already secured the premiership, eased off in any way.
In a fierce contest played in heavy rain and mud at the SCG, Randwick produced another upset, winning 8–0.
“By the result of this match Randwick have swept the board of all the trophies, while Wallaroo gain the premiership.”
— The Daily Telegraph, 20 August 1894
WALLAROO FC DECLARED PREMIERS (27 August 1894)
While as soon as the final was over conjecture and debate began as to what each club had won, it was generally acknowledged, as in the lead up to the final, that per the NSWRU’s rules the Wallaroos were the premiers.
“The position of affairs was warmly discussed in the pavilion of the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday evening after the match, and several rules bearing on the subject were carefully conned. Claims were made for the premiership on behalf of both clubs, but there is no doubt that it will be awarded to Wallaroo.”
— The Sydney Mail, 25 August 1894
There was some conjecture that Wallaroo, having the best overall record, had also won the Agricultural Society Trophy despite losing the final. Wallaroo did not press this claim, believing it was not the intention of the NSWRU rules, and were content to let the trophy be decided on the field.
However, a growing campaign soon emerged within the Sydney rugby community and the press to award the premiership to Randwick, or to declare the clubs joint premiers.
“That as winners of both the Association Cup and the Ag. Shield, the Randwick Club is placed in a ridiculous position when asked to play second fiddle for the”Premiership” to Wallaroo, whom they twice decisively downed at the close of the season.”
— Truth, 19 August 1894
“In answer to a question, the chairman [James McManamey – ex SUFC & NSW, current referee] said that in his opinion Randwick had won the Agricultural Society’s trophies and that Wallaroo and Randwick were a tie for the premiership. The premiership medals would either have to be divided between them or more medals procured. Mr A M [‘Monty’] Arnold moved that Wallaroo be declared premiers, and the chairman withdrew the opinion he had expressed. The further consideration of the question was deferred until next meeting.”
— The Sydney Morning Herald, 21 August 1894 (reporting on NSWRU meeting 20 August)
On 27 August 1894, the NSWRU confirmed Wallaroo as premiers. Randwick were awarded the Association Ground Cup and Agricultural Society Trophy.
“Wallaroo was awarded the premiership of the senior clubs by 9 votes to 6 at the Rugby Union committee meeting last night. It was also decided that the Association Ground Cup and Agricultural Society’s trophies should be presented to Randwick.”
— The Australian Star, 28 August 1894
“The Rugby Union has declared the Wallaroos premiers, though how in the name of all that is logical they arrived at the decision is beyond our ken. They say that Monty Arnold can twist many of the committee men around his thumb, and it really looks as if his satellites answered to the call on this occasion.”
— The Bird O’ Freedom, 1 September 1894
PRESENTATION EVENING BATTLE LINES DRAWN (26 November 1894)
For three months the matter appeared settled. The premiership medals had been inscribed with the names of the Wallaroo players.
However, a notice in The Sydney Morning Herald on 26 November 1894 for the upcoming presentation evening revealed that Randwick officials had launched a fresh challenge for the title.
RANDWICKS PROTEST WALLAROOS AS PREMIERS (3 December 1894)
At the meeting it was put by ‘Monty’ Arnold and others that on the reading of the rule they could only conclude that the Wallaroos had the best record.
It was countered by McManamey that the rule was drafted purposely to give the Union power to take cognisance of whatever facts might arise during the season.
McManamey then sought to put aside Wallaroo’s favourable for/against advantage by saying that the Paddington result (29 to 5) was against a new club at the start of the season, and Glebe were a demolarised team (beaten 35 to 3). On the Randwick side they had won two finals at the end of the season over Wallaroo (there was no mention that Wallaroo had beaten Randwick 6 points to nil in mid-June). McManamey thought the ‘appeal had been made with perfect justice and honesty’.
And so the meeting debate went to and fro.**
“What is the use of having rules unless you abide by them?”
“By the same reasoning you wouldn’t award the Melbourne Cup to ‘Ruonalf’, would you? He led all the way till the final straight.”
The motion to rescind the Wallaroo as premiers title was put and carried on the voices by a large majority. A ballot was demanded and taken, with the result 38 for Randwick and 20 for Wallaroo. An amendment was proposed that the premiership was a tie, however it too was ‘negatived by 35 votes to 23’.
It had come down to a vote of all the club delegates. It was a premiership decided on popularity and envy. And everyone knew it.
“I feel certain that nine out of every ten players and supporters of the various senior clubs were well aware that in the event of a tie [competition points] occurring tbe match points [for/against tally] should decide.“
— George Graham, NSWRU vice-president & rules committee*
Richard Arnold for the Wallaroos moved:
“That the matter of the premiership for the past season be referred home to the English Union for decision, and that the record of the two clubs and a copy of the rules be also sent home.”
Arnold’s amendment was defeated 35 to 15. Then the final motion was put and carried by 34 votes to 16:
“That the Randwick Football Club be declared the winners of the premiership competition, 1894.”
The trophies were presented to Randwick, but the premiership medals — already engraved with Wallaroo players’ names — were withheld.
POSTSCRIPT
The following season, despite the reasoning of the large majority that found and voted in favour of Randwick as rightful premiers, the NSWRU through its rules committee amended the rules back to the 1892 version — once again awarding the premiership on the best overall record across the entire season, irrespective of winning either or both of the trophies.
Despite the tumult and criticism that a team winning both finals could miss out on being premiers, had the on-field results of 1894 repeated again in 1895, Randwick would not have been declared the premiers.
Wallaroo FC never accepted the 1894 reversal and has always recognised the premiership as its own. At its annual meeting after winning the 1899 competition, it was recorded as won by “the club for the first time since 1894.” ***
* The Referee, 5 September 1894, George Graham letter & The Sydney Mail, 25 August 1894
** The Referee, 5 December 1894; Daily Telegraph & The Sydney Morning Herald, 4 December 1894
*** The Sydney Morning Herald, 28 March 1900
Note 1: The Randwick FC jersey was in unevenly sized hoops of amber and indigo. The jersey design was copied by the South Sydney district rugby union club when it was founded in 1900, changing the colours to red and green. This jersey remains a tradition with the present day NRL club the 1908 founded South Sydney Rabbitohs. Funnily enough, like ‘amber and indigo,’ the now famous ‘myrtle and cardinal’ too were colour descriptors from late 19th century evening silks and other ladies fashion catalogues, as was the Petersham club’s ‘bismarck and coral’, and the Manly Federal club had ‘maize, grenat and blue’. Naturally, schoolboys took this craze further: when at The King’s School, future Wallaroo FC captain ‘Paddy’ Lane entered athletic races, he proudly did so in his chosen colours of ‘smashed beetle and white’.
Note 2: The current Randwick District Rugby Union Football Club (RDRUFC) was estabiished in 1921 as a second grade club and then in 1923 as a first grade club. The Sydney clubs competition did not convert to a district clubs and boundaries system until 1900. The ‘Randwick Football Club’ (‘Randwick F.C.’ / “Randwicks’) in this story above existed 1882-99 and did not restrict itself to using resident footballers from the Randwick area. It was subsequently referred to as ‘the old Randwick’ club, particularly after the entry in 1923 of the RDRUFC to the Shute Shield – for example The Referee 17 October 1923 & 5 October 1933. In 1973 the RDRUFC toured the UK to “commemorate the 50th anniversary of its foundation”.
WallarooFC1870.com – All website text & content © Sean Fagan
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