life and football 1920s-1960s in Tumut, Gundagai, Cootamundra, Young, Harden-Murrumburrah, Junee, Temora, Barmedman, West Wyalong, Cowra, Grenfell and Boorowa
My dad and his twin brother were part of the Ardlethan team that played Barnedman in August1923. Rugby League was intruduced to Ardlethan in 1921 and some of the players in the team came from the tin mines.
I would like to know if this team played Maher Cup or whether this was just a one off event.
After WW1 the boys went to Yanko Ag. and they had bought a farm in Bekom and were stock and station agents in Ardlethan for some years.
They were originally from Woolwich in Sydney and played Rugby Union for Hunters Hill in 1914.
I have photos of the 1923 Ardlethan side and also a photo of the 1914 HHRUFC side that I would like to share with you. Is there a special e-Mail address that I can send the photos to
Hi Jay, I wonder if the following may be related?
In 1925 West Wyalong achieved a rare defeat of Cootamundra in a Maher Cup match in which two mysterious Robertson brothers played. One’s initial was D., the other I don’t know. The Robertsons hadn’t played for West Wyalong in a big match before and the Coota officials were very reluctant to hand over the Cup. The big question was did they live within the required 10 miles of West Wyalong. Coota couldn’t work it out, but warned Wyalong that if they played the brothers again there would be a protest. They didn’t play again. Five years later the West Wyalong club patron confessed that they had ‘won the Maher Cup with player Robinson [sic] who lived fifteen and a half miles away and had no clearance’.
My dad and his twin brother were part of the Ardlethan team that played Barnedman in August1923. Rugby League was intruduced to Ardlethan in 1921 and some of the players in the team came from the tin mines.
I would like to know if this team played Maher Cup or whether this was just a one off event.
After WW1 the boys went to Yanko Ag. and they had bought a farm in Bekom and were stock and station agents in Ardlethan for some years.
They were originally from Woolwich in Sydney and played Rugby Union for Hunters Hill in 1914.
I have photos of the 1923 Ardlethan side and also a photo of the 1914 HHRUFC side that I would like to share with you. Is there a special e-Mail address that I can send the photos to
Hi Jay, I wonder if the following may be related?
In 1925 West Wyalong achieved a rare defeat of Cootamundra in a Maher Cup match in which two mysterious Robertson brothers played. One’s initial was D., the other I don’t know. The Robertsons hadn’t played for West Wyalong in a big match before and the Coota officials were very reluctant to hand over the Cup. The big question was did they live within the required 10 miles of West Wyalong. Coota couldn’t work it out, but warned Wyalong that if they played the brothers again there would be a protest. They didn’t play again. Five years later the West Wyalong club patron confessed that they had ‘won the Maher Cup with player Robinson [sic] who lived fifteen and a half miles away and had no clearance’.
Hi Jay. I am very interested in the Robertson brothers. My email is neiljpollock@gmail.com and phone 0448440110.