Sydney Roosters (Eastern Suburbs)

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

The Sydney Roosters, formerly known as Eastern Suburbs, are the only remaining club that has been ever-present in the premiership.

Easts were founded at a meeting held at Paddington Town Hall on January 24 1908, continuing the use of the red, white and blue colours of the local rugby union club they left behind. Their jersey colours and design were styled on the playing strip of the 1899 Great Britain RU team to Australia.

Easts were one of the stronger clubs of the new rugby league competition, fielding six players who sailed to England with the First Kangaroos. The ‘Tri-colours' started the season without their star player Dally Messenger who was recovering from the New Zealand ‘All Golds' tour. With players such as Albert Rosenfeld. Dan Frawley, Sandy Pearce, Larry O'Malley and Lou Jones Eastern Suburbs were quite a capable team without Messenger.

'The Master' was there long enough though to ensure that Easts were always going to be in the top bracket of clubs at seasons end. Eastern Suburbs made the Final of 1908 against South Sydney, with both clubs missing their Kangaroos who had already left for England. In a close and spirited match Souths raced to a 14-9 lead until late in the game. Easts scored a last-ditch try in the corner to narrow the gap to two points, but the conversion was unsuccessful and Souths hung-on grimly to win.

In 1911 Easts had the benefit of Messenger's presence after he was selected for the Kangaroos but declined to tour. Glebe finished as minor premiers and Easts took them on in the Final, knowing a win would see a challenge re-match in a Grand Final. With Messenger to the fore the Tri-colours beat Glebe 22-9.

In the decider Glebe held an 8-4 lead until the last ten minutes. From a high Easts kick, a concussed Glebe fullback misjudged the take and Easts picked up the loose ball to score a try. Messenger converted the try and kicked a field goal shortly after to secure the win for Easts 11-8 and their first premiership.

In 1912 Easts and Glebe were again the top two clubs, though the premiership was now to be awarded to the minor premiers. With four matches remaining they met - the winner virtually assured of the title. A crowd of over 25,000 endured heavy rain as the game was slogged out on a muddy pitch.

Both teams traded goals and the scores were locked at 4-all near time. From an Easts scrum win, wide out near the sideline, Dally Messenger called for the ball and kicked a mighty field goal to secure a win for the Tri-colours by 6-4. Easts then duly won their remaining games to take the title, ultimately losing only one game all season.

Eastern Suburbs became the first club to achieve three premierships in a row in 1913. Easts had amassed a team of outstanding talent, ten of their players had represented Australia and another 3 had achieved NSW honours. With Dally Messenger again leading the way, they were beaten in just two matches during the season.

Even by the end of the 20th century, this Eastern Suburbs line-up was still one of the best to ever take the field in the Sydney club competition. The team included Messenger, his brother Wally, Sandy Pearce, Larry O'Malley, Les Cubitt, Dan Frawley and 'Pony' Halloway - names that are still well known.

Easts finished runners-up in 1919 (Balmain) and 1921(North Sydney) in the ‘first-past-the-post' era meaning they couldn't challenge for the title.

In 1923 Easts and Souths finished together as joint minor premiers, resulting in a Final. Easts scored a thrilling 15-12 win, with a late try to captain Harry Caples proving the difference. The players in the Easts team of 1923 have largely been overlooked in favour of the more glamorous ‘Roosters' sides, even though Caples, ‘Bluey' Watkins, Clarrie Ives, Bill Richards and Arthur Oxford had all represented Australia.

The Tri-colours rose again in the mid-1930s with arguably one of the best club teams ever seen in the premiership. The youngest member of the Easts team of the golden era was Dick Dunn: "It had equally the best players that ever played football now or before. Like when you look at the backline: Thicknesse, Norman, Beaton, McKinnon, Totty, O'Loan, Dowling - and the forwards Andy Norval, Harry Pierce, Joe Pearce, Ray Stehr, Tommy McLachlan and Max Nixon. They were just supreme in all parts of the game."

Easts finished 1934 as joint minor premiers with the slightly more experienced Wests team, but were beaten by the Magpies 15-12 in the Final.

With the great Dave Brown setting point scoring records all over the place, Easts headed the 1935 season by a massive eight points.

Even the mighty Souths couldn't stop the tide in the Final as Easts scored six tries to defeat them by 19-3 and claim the Tri-colours fifth title.

In 1936 they repeated the dose, this time it was Balmain who copped a 32-12 hiding in the Final. A shortened season in 1937 to allow the Kangaroos to leave for England, saved another club from a Final belting by Easts - they were unbeaten minor premiers and automatically awarded the premiership. It was the second time that Easts had won three premierships in a row.

Easts supplied eight players for the Kangaroo tour and found the going a bit tougher in 1938. However, they got cracking at the end of the season and reached the Final from fourth place. In somewhat of a surprise they met Canterbury - a team they had beaten by 87-7 only three seasons earlier - but found them more than a formidable opponent. In the second half Canterbury pulled away from Easts to win 19-6.

Led by tough forward Ray Stehr there was still plenty of talent left in the Easts side of 1940 and they went on take the minor premiership before gaining revenge on Canterbury with a 24-14 win. Easts had won four titles in six seasons. In 1941 Easts were yet again in the Final but ‘went missing' as St George surprised them with a 31-14 hammering.

The last members of Easts greatest ever side, Stehr and Dunn, were at the helm in 1945. Also in the side were youngsters Wally O'Connell, Lionel Cooper and Johnny Hunter. Easts took the minor premiership - their seventh in 13 seasons - one point ahead of Newtown.

However, it was fourth placed Balmain that won through to the Final. With both clubs on 8 premiership titles (3 behind Souths), the battle to edge ahead was a determined affair. The final score was 22-18 with Dick Dunn proving the difference as he scored 3 tries and 5 goals in a 22-18 win.

The next 25 years saw few highlights for Eastern Suburbs.

The club changed its playing strip away from the hoops to a V style modelled on the popular and entertaining French teams (who also wore red, white and blue) that visited Australia in the '50s and '60s. Easts also became known as 'the roosters' once the new jerseys took the field - according to the players it was because of the cock badge on the French jersey.

In 1960 Easts made the Grand Final...and ran head first into the mighty St George club in the middle of its record title run. Captained by Jack Gibson, the Easts side was smashed 31-6.

The club then fell into its worst ever era with regular finishes at the tail of the field. It culminated in the 1966 season where Easts failed to win a game, finishing an incredible 15 points behind the second last placed North Sydney.

It was a credit to the fortitude of the club that it was able to quickly put 1966 out of mind as they finished 1967 in fourth place. Significantly, the coach was Jack Gibson in his first year as an off-field general.

The 1970s provided a more fulfilling decade for Easts as they made four Grand Finals, winning two. In 1972 they led Manly early, before missed opportunities eventually saw Manly win 19-14.

Now backed by a powerful League Club, the Roosters regained Gibson as coach along with a talented team that included Mark Harris, John Brass, Bill Mullins, Russell Fairfax, Johnny Mayes, John Peard, Ron Coote, Ian Schubert and captain Arthur Beetson.

In 1974 and ‘75 Easts lost only five regular season matches as they completely dominated the Sydney scene taking both premierships. In 1975 they set a record of nineteen wins in a row. The record-run ended with a 8-5 loss to St George in the first semi-final. However, a fortnight later the Roosters avenged the loss and won the premiership, with a 38-0 victory in the Grand Final.

The Roosters continued to be one of the top clubs through the remainder of the decade. The 1980 side, coached by Bob Fulton, stormed home late in the season to take the minor premiership from Canterbury. After thrashing Wests 41-5 in the Final, Easts were installed as favourites to win the Grand Final. Canterbury had other ideas though as they easily accounted for the Roosters 18-4.

Eastern Suburbs were frustrated again in 1981. After winning the minor premiership the Roosters lost both their opportunities at clinching a Grand Final place and sat by as Parramatta and Newtown took the limelight.

The 1987 season provided Easts' fans with real hope of another title win. With a tough forward pack that included Trevor Gillmeister, Hugh McGahan, Dean Rampling, David Trewhella and Craig Salvatori the Roosters appeared to have the much needed fire power ‘up front' to mount a serious challenge at semi-final time.

After finishing in second place behind Manly, the two sides met in the major semi for a Grand Final place. The two packs tore into each other in one of the toughest battles seen for many seasons. With both teams scoring one try each, Manly edged out the Roosters 10-6. The bumps and bruises were so deep that while Manly enjoyed a week off to recover, Easts were faced with Canberra in the final. The fleet-footed Raiders ran the Easts side ragged winning 32-24.

Highlights were few until the mid-1990s when the club secured the signature of Australian Test five-eighth Brad Fittler from Penrith amidst the Super League dramas. The Roosters were able to build a formidable team around the brilliant and inspirational Fittler.

In 1997 the side contained powerful front rowers Terry Hermansson and Jason Lowrie, together with Adrian Lam, Luke Ricketson, David Barnhill, Scott Gourley, Matt Sing, Andrew Walker and Ivan Cleary. Now called ‘Sydney City' the team reached the Final against defending premiers Manly in the ARL competition. Two late Roosters tries saw the teams level at 16-16 before Manly escaped with a field goal to end the season for Sydney City.

In front of nearly 95,000 fans the ‘Sydney Roosters' played the Grand Final of 2000 against the powerful Brisbane Broncos. Under coach Graham Murray the Roosters had performed admirably to reach the decider. Sydney Roosters repeatedly attacked the Broncos line but were repelled by stern defence.

Despite the best efforts of Fittler's side - that included Lam, Luke Phillips, Shannon Hegarty, Ryan Cross, Bryan Fletcher, Craig Wing and Craig Fitzgibbon - the Broncos won 14-6.

Under coach Ricky Stuart in 2002 the Roosters surprised most judges by reaching the Grand Final again. Stuart had implemented a more aggressive defence that upset most teams in an era where the ‘retreating defensive line' was the expected norm.

Bolstered by the rapid improvement in English hard man Adrian Morley the Roosters began to turn the game back to its physical side.

The Roosters made heavy going against the New Zealand Warriors until mid-way through the second half of the Grand Final. At that point Fittler stepped up to gain his side the advantage with a classic 40/20 kick.

The Roosters scored from the scrum win and went on to take the match 30-8.

It was the club's twelfth premiership, pushing them past Balmain into third place on the all-time winners list, headed by Souths on 20.

As premiers, the Roosters knew every match of 2003 was going to be hard work as teams rose to take them on. Finishing in the top four the 'Chooks' had no trouble winning their semi-finals and duly took their place in the Grand Final as favourites.

The eastern Sydney side though couldn't kick clear of their opponents Penrith throughout the match. The arrival of wet weather on game day curtailed the Roosters style and they were beset with dropped ball at critical times. That was all it took for a committed Penrith team to gain the ascendancy and take the premiership in an upset.

The Roosters again reached the Grand Final in 2004 - their fourth in just five seasons. However, the club lost a close encounter to Canterbury. While this period is the tri-colours' best era since the 1970s, it has produced just one premiership and three Grand Final losses.

Brad Fittler retired after the Grand Final, and the club failed to reach the 2005 play-offs. The Roosters have recruited play-makers Braith Anasta and Ashley Harrison for 2006, which gives them every opportunity to ignite a charge towards yet another Grand Final.

Copyright © 2006 - Sean Fagan. All rights reserved - the article above may not be reproduced (in full or part) in any form without written permission.