~ A Journal devoted to the interests ol Rugby Lea.gu• Football, and containin6 the only authorised List ol Names, Numbera, Colora and Positions of Player• .. Published by the N.S. W. ~ Rugby . Football Lea.gue at their Office, 165 Phillip Street, Sydney, N.S. W. Vol. 4-No. 2 (COPYRIGHT) S~DNEY, MAY 12, 1923. Price-Threepence With these three fine stalwarts (2 internationals Grand and the other an inter­ Opening-Season 1923. state rep.) ·l!!lalmaln have the nucleus of a forward BRIGHT., KEEN RU.GGER. team that is likely to turn the Premiership into 'Dh~'· class of football shown by the clubs another channel, which, in thus '.early all probablllty, will lead in the season, the neat, spkk their way. and span manner in which each appeared on the field, marked another notch in the A. FRASER• . League's slogan, "Efficiency leads to suc­ cess;" and the officials of each district club are to be complimented on, their neat- ness. That the League fa always wide awake seeking improvements, is proved by th~ number of innovations introduced in order to minimise the risk of injury to those· par­ ticipating. One of these was the intro­ duction of the p~ier ··mac_he boundary poles, which have saved many a player colliding with them from, perhaps, serious injury. In the past, players have oftimes been forced against th.e. hardwood uprights with disastroµs results, and the League authorities cast about to find means to . o_bviate this, and have now adopted padding the posts to a height of sfx feet, so that the new,~omer to the matches will see a couple of stout, padded legs at each end of the field, which remind one of a rather lengthy batsman at the wickets. These are small items, no doubt, but they tend to show that the League is not built up on the old conservative lines, and is ready to study its players' comfort as well as that .of the public. Pratten Park has also been renovated and banked, so that it will now accom­ modate a crowd of about twenty thoui::­ and. This is as it -should be, for West­ Last Saturday ushered in what promises to be-if we ar8' to ern Suburbs give promise of playing a judge by the_brightness of the football shown, and the keen leading part in the competition, and their interest taken by the thousands who braved th,_e overhanging home ground will yet feel the need of leaden sky, to cheer their favorites on-a splendid season from · india-rubber walls if they continue to show every point of view. such promise. When one pauses to think of the thousandf of League The League is also taking a deep interest Rugby followers who postponed their football feast till this in the encouragement of country football~ round, or were attracted by the great counter~:;i.ttractions of the for the code has gained such a hold on this. day, the numbers ot enthusiasts who chanced a ducking at each State and Queensland that· the demand for match must be accounted as more than satisfactory. And · coaches to instruct and play with country such counter-attractions as they were-Randwick races, to start centres has become so great that rivalry­ with, then th8' "Head of the River" struggle, which attracted between the various districts seems to 'put an unprecedented crowd to the Parramatta River. metropolitan rivalry entirely in the shade~ THE RUGBY LEAGUE NEWS. May 12, 1923- ~- iiJ~r i lt!lb1lllta9itt Ntins Vol. 4-No. 2 (OOPYRIOHT) SYDNEY, MAY 12, 1923. Price- Threepence To-Day's to-day, opposed to Glebe, and it be­ North Sydney look like register­ Games. hoves the wearers of mar oon to ing their second successive win sharpen up a great deal i n their against the youthful St. George­ Now that we have witnessed. the attacking movements ·.as well as to team, but ..the .red and white brig... opening matches of the serious stiffen- up their defence, for Souths ade can· be dep~nded upon to put competitions, when every district give pr.omise of having a nippy.com­ up· a stiff fight before they strike club is striving to outdo the other bination that will fully test the their colours, and, if, indeed, they in order to notch a couple of points powers of Glebe. When these were to come out victorious over. more on the premiership table, we teams met for the first time last the flying premiers, what sort of a· are able to gauge the capabilities of season Glebe had a r unaway vic­ following would they have to wit-­ the clubs more closely as to how tory by 6 tries and 3 goals (24) ness their n ext mat ch against they are likely to shape with the to Souths' solitary try, and 2 goals Glebe in the fourth round, for n ext colours up. The meeting to-day of ('(), but the men from Surry Hills Saturday they have Eastern Suburbs and Newtown, were not to be denied ·in the second the bye. Last who were successful in their open­ round, for, persevering with a team season Norths put up a total of 7& ing matches against Uni. and Glebe of colts· they turned the tables and points to 10, viz., fi rst round, 41. respectiv:ely, should produce the ran out winners, scoring 3 tries (9 tries 7 goals), to 8 (2 tries 1. brilliant, sparkling class, of foot­ and 3 goals (15) , to 2 tries and goal) ; second ·i·otmd, 35 (7 tries T ball that has made our C()_~e so at­ 2 goals (10), so that on the season goals), to a solitary goal (2), so tractive to the public. TlJe form they finished even. that the propects or' the Saints shown by both teams was far, in advance of wll a t one would expect thus early in the season, and each executed some beautiful combined efforts that brought the thousands to their feet to applaud them on to do greater things. The battle for supremacy in the hooking de­ partment should rather favour the Blues; and, if so, Easts' backs will be fully tested in defence, for the suburban three-quarters seem to be a happy family and showed some N.s.w-. RUGBY very neat and q_lassy m ovements. FOOTBALL LEAGUE. On the other ·hand Easts have such a really great side, both back Designs are invited for and forward, that the idea of de­ ' \ feat does not trouble them, for Premiership medals. when they unwind some of their brilliant bursts goalwards they £6 - 6 - 0 will be given for combine and back up so well that each accepted design. they are well nigh irresistible. In the opening match last season Designs will be received up Easts found holes in the defence of till 5 p.m. on Tuesd~y, 5th the Blues and won by 18 ( 4 tries 3 goals) to 10' ( 2 tries 2 ·goals) , June.- while the Tricolors were again Furthe~fparticulara on application_to:• successful in the second round, H. R. MILLER . when they scored a similar num­ Ii ber of tries, 4, and 1 goal - 14. Secretary, 165 Phillip St., City. Newtown replying with 1 try and a goal - 5, so that it is up to them to put their best efforts for­ ward to turn the tide of defeat. South Sydney will* give their new jerseys an airing for the first time 4 THE RUGBY LEAGUE NEWS. May 12, 1923. WEEKES' HOTfL CAFE .&ad. Bottle· Department CO•JfEB JIASEJl'r .&.•D ~ CA.S'l'LEBB.&.G• S'l'.. B'l'S Phone: M32 Clt,'. emerging victorious are, to say the least, remote. ----"Tedda" Courtney proved con- medical advice, for he took the "University, on* their showing clusively to those who contend that field (after "Zam Buk" had patched 1'8.gainst . -Easts, . should put up a t~e. vet~ran- ''.lags _sµperfluous on him up) with a badly-damaged in- "\Sterli~g forward ·st-r:i!ggle -wjth. the the:' field" Jhat-h§.· is.,. just as danger­ ·'·s-tep, caused through being spiked formidable Balmain side, btit they ous with his flying driving tackle by a comrade whilst training. -will need to sharpen up a great as ever he was. When he made Seddon's increased weight, gained ·deal in attack, and . pay more at­ that sensattpnal dive which stopped duri,ng .· the summer, now places ·tention to defensive methods to Norths' · sturdy full-back, Ted put him in the running for the highest keep the Black and Gold out, for the seal on his right to represent 11,0nours, for . his football leaves ·Main's selectors have dug out a the black-jerseyed brigade. little ·to ·be de-sired . • Last Saturday -very solid and fairly well-balanced he was easily the nippiest man on ·team whose outstanding feature is the mu<l.-"P." Herman Peter!?* has again demon- ,solidity, both back and forward. ·1:" l3almain won the initial match last strated his versatility when the go­ * ing is inclined to be soft underfoot, Ray Norman was quite proud or -season, running up 3 tries 2 goals, his te~m's display last Saturday, and while the· students failed to score. and also showed that he has the quick perception to seize an open­ reckons, with a little more combina­ The second round brought a sensa­ tion~in the- rearguard, the premier- tion, for Uni., playing the game .of _ ing, for, finding that his two star wingel's ,were .