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St George Dragons
Sean Fagan of RL1908.com
Part
1 / Part
2
Beginning to 1959
No
club's history should be confined only to its good years, but
taking account of the St George Dragon's story allows no other
approach.
After
an attempt to be one of the game's founding clubs in 1908 failed,
the St George RLFC eventually made its appearance 13 seasons later
in 1921.
A
meeting was held at Rockdale in early 1908 to establish a St George
Rugby League team for the inaugural season of the game in Sydney.
However, significant pressure from the district rugby union club
meant no players signed on and plans were abandoned.
The
St George district entered a team in the Sydney Third Grade competition
in 1910, wearing red and white hooped jerseys. The following season
saw the establishment of the St George Junior League under the Western
Suburbs district. St George also had their first Presidents Cup
team in 1911.
The
district's junior strength improved as the decade progressed, however
all calls to allow St George to enter First Grade were rejected,
primarily as the League were reluctant to introduce a ninth club,
and with it a weekly bye. In late 1920 though the indications were
that the club would be admitted for the following season. In mid-October,
the League eliminated Annandale and granted entry to St George.
In
its first game St George played against the Frank Burge led Glebe
side, losing 4-3. The St George side included Lyall Wall, George
Carstairs, Reg Fusedale, Clarrie Tye and was captained by Test great
Herb Gilbert (who had played for Souths, Easts, Wests and Hull).
The
club initially lacked a permanent home ground until securing Earl
Park in 1925. In 1921 St George played University at an unenclosed
Hurstville Oval in front of 10,000 fans - only the 640 who filled
the grandstand were able to be charged.
Early
on the club was called the "Saints" or the "Dragon Slayers" before,
rather ironically, becoming St. George's adversary - the "dragon"
itself.
Saints struggled in its first seasons until the arrival in 1927
of the man who was the greatest forward the rugby league world had
seen - Frank Burge.
After
finishing last in 1926, under Burge's control St. George made it
to the premiership decider in 1927. An astounding turnaround that
was only foiled in the Final by one of South Sydney's golden teams
20-11.
Burge's
disciplined approach would have a profound effect on the club and
the "red and whites" spent the majority of the seasons that followed
at or about the top end of the table. St. George made its first
Grand Final appearance in the 1930 decider, losing to Wests 27-2.
The
club was captain-coached by former Kangaroo Harry 'Mick' Kadwell
in the 1933 season when they made the Final against Newtown. The
match was level at halftime, before the Blubags finished the stronger
to take the premiership.
St.
George Dragons were also runner-up in the 1937 season to Easts,
with the minor premiers being automatically awarded the premiership.
1941
saw fans flock to the game as St George fought from fourth place.
In the semi-final against Balmain 27,000 fans saw St George beat
the Tigers for the first time in three seasons, by 32-8, and win
a place in the premiership deciding Final against Easts. As the
three clubs who finished the regular season in front of St George
were all jointly in first place, the Tri-Colours had no "right-of-challenge"
to fall back on if beaten in the Final.
A
crowd of almost 40,000 packed the SCG to see St George blitz the
great Easts side by 31-8 to take their maiden title. Best for St
George were centre Gordon Hart and captain Neville Smith in a sparkling
display of free-running rugby league. Easts captain Ray Stehr acknowledged
the performance by stating "It was an honour to have been beaten
by such a side - next year will have to equip ourselves with lassoos!"
St
George Dragons were controversially beaten in the 1942 Grand Final
by Canterbury after they kicked a late penalty goal to win 11-9
in a close fought finish.
St
George finally settled on its famous red-V jersey design in the
mid-40's after using various jerseys until that time (including
the red-V for the first time in 1929).
The
Dragons finished the 1946 regular season as minor premiers and hopes
were high for another premiership. However, Balmain proved their
nemesis in the finals series beating St George twice (22-14 and
13-12) to take the title. The Tigers side featured a young Harry
Bath in the second row.
The
1949 season pitted the St George Dragons in another Grand Final,
this time it was against a South Sydney side on its way to becoming
one of the best teams of the century - although even their great
deeds were soon to be outdone by the Dragons.
In front of over 55,000 spectators at the SCG, the Dragons defeated
the Rabbitohs 19-12. The Saints side included Johnny Hawke, Doug
McRitchie, Matt McCoy, Noel Pidding, Ron Roberts and "Dutchy" Holland.
South
Sydney were at their best by 1953 and avenged their earlier Grand
Final loss by defeating St George 31-12. But the experience for
the St. George players in that team, including Norm Provan and Ken
Kearney, would prove invaluable.
After
Balmain disposed of the all-conquering Rabbitohs in the Final of
1956 to end an era, a record 62,000 spectators crammed the SCG to
see the Tigers take on St George for the title. No one could have
predicted that the Dragons win that day (by 18-12) would be the
first of eleven straight premierships for St George.
Much of the credit of St. George's success can be attributed to
Ken Kearney, who had returned from England introducing many new
coaching techniques and plays to the Sydney game.
After
taking the 1957 Minor Premiership by seven points, the St George
Dragons thrashed Manly by 31-9 in the Grand Final. The Dragons side
now boasted Norm Provan, Ken Kearney, Brian 'Poppa' Clay, Harry
Bath, Tommy Ryan and Eddie Lumsden.
Wests inflicted upon the Dragons only their third loss of the 1958
season in the major semi-final (34-10), before St George turned
the tables again in the Grand Final with a 20-9 win.
St
George Dragons History Part 2 >
Copyright
© 2006 - Sean Fagan. All rights reserved - the article above may
not be reproduced (in full or part) in any form without written
permission.
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