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Glebe Rugby League return

Messages
11,361
great little story

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After it was killed off 86 years ago, plans are afoot to resurrect one of rugby league's great foundation clubs, the Glebe Dirty Reds, in time to rejoin the NSWRL fold in 2017.

The club, which some historians believe was probably the first to join the breakaway professional code in 1908, was voted out of the competition in 1929 after three lean years. There were suggestions at the time that Glebe's demise was hastened after Balmain and South Sydney brokered an unholy alliance to get rid of the Dirty Reds to bolster their own territories.

In an ironic twist, Glebe spokesman Darren Flynn told Fairfax Media that after meeting with the NSWRL last Tuesday the Dirty Reds planned to enter their junior teams into Balmain's junior competition.

The famous Burge brothers, resplendent in their Glebe jerseys. From left: Laidley, Peter, Albert and Frank.

Credit: Ian Collis Library
The famous Burge brothers, resplendent in their Glebe jerseys. From left: Laidley, Peter, Albert and Frank. Credit: Ian Collis Library
"The plan is to have a semi-professional senior side in either the Ron Massey Cup or the Sydney Shield and, depending on the demand locally. There'll be teams run in the Balmain Junior League as well," Flynn said.

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Flynn, who produced 2GB's rugby league coverage in the early 2000s and who has called the NSW Cup, said he thought of the idea to revive Glebe six years ago.

"During [the NSW Cup calls] I spent a fair bit of time at Henson Park watching Newtown and time at North Sydney Oval watching North Sydney and the work Newtown has done to build their crowds and generate atmosphere is incredible.

"When I went to my first game there there was probably a few hundred people, but on reunion day this year - it is the last game of every year - there would have been 4000 people there. That's because they provided a match-day experience for families that's affordable. It's played out of a suburban ground at the same time every week - 3pm on a Saturday."

Flynn said he was inspired by the fact Newtown and Glebe had a similar demographic. But, he said, there also was a great story to share about the Dirty Reds.

"Some of the greats of the game played for Glebe," he said. "Frank Burge, Chris McKivat, the Gray brothers [Bert and Frank], but unfortunately they're largely forgotten. I know people are aware of Frank Burge, but they're not all that familiar with the exploits of the players of Glebe and the contribution they made to league in the early days."

During its 22 years in the NSWRL Glebe did not win a premiership but it produced 12 internationals, four of whom - Burge, Les Cubitt, Arthur Halloway and McKivat - were honoured in the game's 2008 centenary celebrations.

"The NSWRL has been very supportive," Flynn said. "They made it clear what we'd need to demonstrate in order to be considered for one of the semi-professional competitions and they've been very helpful in terms of some of our community programs and youth programs.

"They'll help us along the way to make that a reality. Basically, they couldn't have been more positive and encouraging. They certainly want to see Glebe back because they obviously have a commitment to their foundation clubs."

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...e-banishment-at-rookwood-20160122-gmcfbl.html
 

CC_Roosters

First Grade
Messages
5,221
Awesome, hope it becomes reality.

Saddens me that rugby league seemingly just forgets about areas and moves on to new ground without much resistance, the city and inner west being a prime example
 

rightleftin

Juniors
Messages
1,888
Annandale returned circa 1995 via un U/19 team that dominated the Balmain/St George competition t then disappeared as these guys moved onto grade football.
 
Messages
3,000
Glebe does not have any teams in the Balmain JRL in 2016.

They indicated on Twitter that the plan was to launch teams in 2017.

It will be a challenge to get juniors as Leichhardt Wanderers have really strengthened over the last few years and train/play pretty close to Glebe. There is also Leichhardt Juniors, Balmain PCYC and probably some South Sydney JRL teams not to far away from Glebe
 

kbw

Bench
Messages
2,502
What is interesting in the Balmain district is that they have quite good junior numbers and even better junior development. Yet they only have 2 open age teams in the SCC, both from Fivedock and in 2nd and 3rd division.

Where do the players go ?
 
Messages
3,000
What is interesting in the Balmain district is that they have quite good junior numbers and even better junior development. Yet they only have 2 open age teams in the SCC, both from Fivedock and in 2nd and 3rd division.

Where do the players go ?

When I was involved a lot just give up due to work etc. They have always only had between 1 and 3 senior teams at least since around 2000.

There is Concord Burwood in Ron Massey which has some juniors . There is also UTS tigers in the uni comp that play out of the Leichhardt area I believe.
 

rightleftin

Juniors
Messages
1,888
What is interesting in the Balmain district is that they have quite good junior numbers and even better junior development. Yet they only have 2 open age teams in the SCC, both from Fivedock and in 2nd and 3rd division.

Where do the players go ?

The problems in the Balmain juniors starts well before you get to A grade:

There is only 1 team in U/19's - Balmain Jnrs Utd - this club has no other teams. There are only 3 teams in U/17, 4 teams in U/16 and 5 teams un U/15 - these 12 teams are split between 8 clubs so there is not much continuity.
Dundas has 15's and 17's, Enfield has 19's and 15's, Five Dock and Carlingford have 15's and 16's, with the others having only 1 team - Holy Cross 17's, Wanderers and Concord Burwood 16's and North Ryde 15's,
 
Messages
3,000
Balmain Jnrs isn't actually a club. It was just a way of giving kids from multiple clubs a game without having to decide which club to play for as a few clubs had some registered but not enough for a full team. I believe a lot of the players are from North Ryde, Carlingford and Dundas.

They've done great work in Balmain getting a lot of players from 6s to 13s then it does drop off.
 

kbw

Bench
Messages
2,502
This Balmain Jnrs is a sensational idea and I see they are in div2 so its not about elite players.
 

Tigers1986

Juniors
Messages
1,315
Nothing will be said until a month before the season because the NSWRL deep down don't care for the RMC or Shield comps.

I've heard rumblings that Glebe will enter a RMC team to replace Kingsgrove (they'll go to Shield).
 

rightleftin

Juniors
Messages
1,888
Glebe's facebook site states that they are trying to put an A Grade side together for 2017 with no mention of RMC for next year.
 
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