32–16 (Eastern Suburbs first match)

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This was the opening match of the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership

The match was played on 20th of April 1908(the Easter weekend) at Sydney's Wentworth Park ground.

Eastern Suburbs 32 (4 J. Stuntz, W. Smith, L. D'Alpuget, H. Miller Tries ; 2 L. Jones, L. D'Alpuget Goals; H. Miller Field Goal) defeated Newtown 16 (J. Scott, H. Hamill , + 2 Tries ; 2 Goals) at the Wentworth Park Ground. The referee for the match was E. Hooper, the crowd figure was 3000 and the admittance was sixpence.

Newspaper reports of the match were enthusiastic with one journalist describing the match as “A capital display considering that the contestants have as yet only a fair acquaintance with the rules.”. Another, writing in The Sydney Mail, described it as “The best game of the day".

Newtown three-quarter Jack Scott had the honour of scoring the first ever try in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership when he took an intercept early in the match. The Eastern Suburbs clubs first try scorer was W. Smith.

The line-ups that day were:
Eastern Suburbs:

Newtown:

  • E Hurlford
  • Jack Scott
  • C Meredith
  • F Cheadle
  • L Fairburn
  • E Burdett
  • J MacFarlane
  • T McIntosh
  • E Courtney
  • J Williams
  • H Hamill
  • B Noble
  • C Powell.

[edit] References

  • The story Of Australian Rugby League; Gary Lester