Nowra Warriors had been active for some years, and in 1908 their key office-bearers were Oswald Sullivan as president, and Ephraim Mison as secretary.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The vice-presidents included Rev. Ronald Cameron, and Dr Albert Bobart who was also appointed as honorary surgeon.
Looking resplendent in their black and gold guernseys with four-inch bars, they were still playing in the South Coast Rugby Football Union, and their opponents were Berry, Gerringong, Kangaroo Valley, Kiama and Roseby Park (then known as Waratahs).
Referees travelled from Sydney to officiate at their matches, and they were paid £1 if they were able to make the 4.30pm train back to the city, or an extra 10 shillings if they had to stay overnight.
READ MORE HISTORY
There was some co-operation with nearby competitions, for South Coast combined with Wollongong to form an Illawarra side that participated in Country Week.
However it was not entirely amicable, for even though South Coast had beaten Illawarra 6-3 in their trial match, they had only five of the 15 chosen for Sydney.
Nowra's representatives, Mison and Borrowdale were prominent in the victory over Northern Rivers, and the others from this competition were Rankin (Berry), O'Brien and Watkins (both Gerringong).
It would be another five years before rugby league reached the Shoalhaven, and the mood was shown in the Shoalhaven Telegraph's heading in its sporting column, "League at Last".
A meeting at the Prince of Wales Hotel, Nowra on Saturday, April 26, 1913 decided that "a branch of the league be formed in Nowra".
It was a local competition, with delegates present from Nowra clubs Warriors and Wallabies, along with Kangaroo Valley and Captain's Point (location of the naval college).
Harry Maroney was elected president with Cec Rauch as secretary and T. Wilkinson as treasurer, and an executive comprised one delegate from each club.
There was support from the business sector, with Junction Street businessman Charlie Knopp appointed patron. Known locally as "The Lollie King", he offered a shield for the premiers and 13 gold medals for the players.
The opening round in early May saw Nowra Warriors win 10-nil over the home side at Kangaroo Valley; and the Nowra Wallabies scored 9-5 over the Captain's Point Death Adders at Nowra Showground.
Prominent sportsmen from those 1913 sides included Artie Smith (Warriors) and Pro West (Wallabies). With all the players coming from a rugby background, well-known referee A.G. Ballerum came from Sydney to explain the new rules to the locals.
Matches were arranged with Sydney clubs which were eager to travel to Nowra.
Remarkably a combined Nowra side won 21-2 over a visiting Mosman outfit, the star being Ephraim "Beefer" Mison who prior to the formulation of rugby league had had a season with St George, and he was the best known Nowra player of this era.
However a fortnight later the locals were brought back to earth through a 29-6 loss to Eastern Suburbs.
The following season (1914) the South Coast group was formed with the Warriors one of the inaugural clubs, and Nowra newspaperman Cec Rauch was secretary.
Information thanks to Shoalhaven Historical Society.
