North Sydney District Rugby League Club Formed

7th February 1908

A public meeting was held at the School of Arts, Mount St, North Sydney, on Friday evening, to form' a team to affiliate with the New South Wales Rugby Football League. There was a large attendance. Mr. Clark, M.L. A., who was in the chair, said he was in an awkward position, as he was vice-patron of the North Sydney District Football Club, but he was always on the side of breaking down a monopoly, and that he was not present to say anything about professional or amateur football. Mr. Hoyle, who addressed the meeting, said that those present were free men, and that they could please themselves what they would do, and he was not going to say anything about the Rugby Union. Continuing, he said that a third of the net proceeds of the gate money would go to the players. The league would establish an insurance fund, and if any player was hurt during a match, he would receive £2 per week and medical attendance. They were going to send a team to England in August. The English Union had deposited £3000 in the bank for the team's expenses, and they would receive 70 per cent, of the gate money. If a player was selected to go away, and he received leave of absence from his employer, and 'is wages were stopped, the league would pay him 10s a day, besides 7s 6d a day for expenses.

Mr. J. Giltinan (hon. secretary of the league) said he was glad, to have a little opposition at the meeting. The league had sent a player to England second to none in the State, Dally Messenger.

A resolution was proposed and carried that North Sydney form a team to affiliate with the N.S.W. Rugby League.

The following office-bearers were elected: - Patron, Mr. Clark, M.L.A.; president, Mr. J.Feneley; vice-presidents, Messrs. Friend, Ford, C. Dunn, T. W. Dunn, and Dr. McKinnon; hon. secretary, Mr. Hedge; hon. treasurer, Mr. Glanville; general committee, Messrs. Abercrombie, S.Dean, W. Hunt, Aobert, E. Boland, and the secretary and treasurer.

North Sydney adopted the North Sydney rugby district colours and jersey.