Ed Fry
Encyclopedia
Ed "Son" Fry was a pioneer Australian rugby league
and rugby union
footballer. He was one of the founding players of rugby league in Australia at the time of the rebel code's breakaway from rugby union.
had defeated the All Blacks
14–0 in their second of two matches in 1907 and so were expected to be tough opponents. The first professional game was played on the Royal Agricultural Society Ground to a sell-out crowd of 20,000. Played under rugby union
rules, the All Blacks led 6–0 at halftime and closed out the match, winning 12–8. The game was deemed to be a great success, as the organisers had not expected more than 12,000 people. The second game, a mid-week game, was held in front of a crowd of 3,000. The All Golds, who had made several changes, defeated the "All Blues" 19–5. They then won the third match of the series 5–3 in front of a crowd of 8,000.
Ed Fry played in all three matches and along with the other Australian rebel players was promptly blacklisted by the New South Wales Rugby Union
for breaching its fundamental principle of amateurism.
, Arthur Hennessy
, S George Ball and John J McGrath, Fry was one of five founders of the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club
,
attending meetings in October 1907. Fry played for the Rabbitohs in their inaugural season 1908, and was a member of the run-on side in South's first-ever game on 20 April 1908 (Easter Monday) at Birchgrove Oval against North Sydney
. He played nine games at centre that season, scoring two tries and was a member of the club's first premiership winning team, playing in the August 1908 final against Eastern Suburbs
.
In 1908 he was selected in the first New South Wales side
to play a national selection series against a Queensland side. The New Zealand AtoZ website reports that in the first ever interstate clash a particular Queensland tackle rendered one NSW player – Ed Fry – completely naked from the waist down although it did not stop him from scoring a try.
In the 1910 season, Fry turned out for the North Sydney Bears
making just one first grade appearance. In retirement he remained actively involved with the South Sydney club through till his death in 1968.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
footballer. He was one of the founding players of rugby league in Australia at the time of the rebel code's breakaway from rugby union.
Rugby union career
Fry was one of the New South Wales rugby union players who matched up against the first professional New Zealand team, Albert Baskiville's 'All Golds' in three matches in Sydney in August 1907. The New South Wales rugby union sideNew South Wales Waratahs
The New South Wales Waratahs are an Australian rugby union football team, representing the majority of New South Wales in the Super 15 Super Rugby competition...
had defeated the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
14–0 in their second of two matches in 1907 and so were expected to be tough opponents. The first professional game was played on the Royal Agricultural Society Ground to a sell-out crowd of 20,000. Played under rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
rules, the All Blacks led 6–0 at halftime and closed out the match, winning 12–8. The game was deemed to be a great success, as the organisers had not expected more than 12,000 people. The second game, a mid-week game, was held in front of a crowd of 3,000. The All Golds, who had made several changes, defeated the "All Blues" 19–5. They then won the third match of the series 5–3 in front of a crowd of 8,000.
Ed Fry played in all three matches and along with the other Australian rebel players was promptly blacklisted by the New South Wales Rugby Union
New South Wales Rugby Union
The New South Wales Rugby Union is the organisation responsible for the sport of rugby union in most of the state of New South Wales, Australia...
for breaching its fundamental principle of amateurism.
Rugby league career
Along with Billy CannBilly Cann
Wiliam A. "Billy" Cann was an Australian rugby league footballer for Souths, New South Wales and Australia. He primarily played at lock and is considered one of the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century...
, Arthur Hennessy
Arthur Hennessy
Arthur Stephen "Ash" Hennessy was an Australian pioneer rugby league identity. He was a seminal figure in the creation of the South Sydney Rabbitohs for whom he played and later coached...
, S George Ball and John J McGrath, Fry was one of five founders of the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
,
attending meetings in October 1907. Fry played for the Rabbitohs in their inaugural season 1908, and was a member of the run-on side in South's first-ever game on 20 April 1908 (Easter Monday) at Birchgrove Oval against North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
. He played nine games at centre that season, scoring two tries and was a member of the club's first premiership winning team, playing in the August 1908 final against Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
.
In 1908 he was selected in the first New South Wales side
New South Wales Blues
The New South Wales cricket team are an Australian first class cricket team based in Sydney, New South Wales...
to play a national selection series against a Queensland side. The New Zealand AtoZ website reports that in the first ever interstate clash a particular Queensland tackle rendered one NSW player – Ed Fry – completely naked from the waist down although it did not stop him from scoring a try.
In the 1910 season, Fry turned out for the North Sydney Bears
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
making just one first grade appearance. In retirement he remained actively involved with the South Sydney club through till his death in 1968.
Sources
- Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
& Hudson, Glen (2006) The Encyclopedia of Rugby League Players, Gavin Allen Publishing, Sydney - Whiticker, AlanAlan WhitickerAlan J. Whiticker is an Australian non-fiction author with currently over 30 published books.Whiticker writes primarily on matters pertaining to the history of the sport of rugby league in Australia, but has also published works on subjects as diverse as the Wanda Beach Murders and an adaptation...
& Collis, Ian (2006) The History of Rugby League Clubs, New Holland, Sydney - Heads, Ian and Middleton, David (2008) A Centenary of Rugby League, MacMillan Sydney