Somewhere for union to hide

[rus]

Here's a rebuttal by a Rugby historian (league & union) for Spiro Zavos's (a Greek Kiwi & SMH journalist) article about RL's history in Australia - the article was about the formation of RL in Australia 100 years ago.

Spiro Zavos ("The true history of league", March 18) offers up nothing new. Yes, rugby union in Australia was in a boom period. While the profits found their way to highly paid officials, none of the windfall was shared with the largely working-class footballers. When injured and unable to work, or away on a tour, footballers had to pay their own way. They had no superannuation, no medical insurance, labourer's wages, families to support, a life expectancy of little over 50. Their hands were their tools - playing rugby union without any fair financial reward from their toil, and the ever-present risk of injury, was seen to them, and to many Sydneysiders, as paltry treatment given the rugby boom. Led by Dally Messenger, the son of a professional rower, the players revolted. James Giltinan, far from being a Kerry Packer (World Series Cricket) or Rupert Murdoch (Super League), personally borrowed £2000 to finance the first Kangaroos tour and was ultimately bankrupted by it. Is anyone seriously suggesting rugby union could have kept hold of NSW and Queensland until it finally turned professional in 1995? The emergence of professional league gave union somewhere to hide for 90 years - if it hadn't, we'd all be Australian rules fans.

Sean Fagan, Kellyville
www.smh.com.au/news/sport/union-gets-a-hiding/2008/03/21/1205602658864.html

Interesting last sentence.

Spiro's site

www.theroar.com.au/

Sean's sites:
www.rl1908.com/


www.colonialrugby.com.au/