1908 NSW v Qld – The First Interstate Match

This is the team shot of the NSW side before their first ever match against Queensland. With the likes of the great Dally Messenger, Billy Cann, Jersey O’Malley and skipper Arthur Hennessy in their ranks the Blues represented the cream of the newly established NSWRFL, whilst Queensland had done well to assemble a team as they had not yet established a club competition. It was no surprise, then, that NSW proved far superior in this inaugural meeting, with South Sydney winger Tommy Anderson posting four tries as the Blues raced to a 43-0 win.

1919 NSW v New Zealand -

There are no less than 20 individual photographs in this montage of the match between NSW and New Zealand at the SCG on June 7, 1919. The significance of the occasion was that it was the first international series in Sydney after the end of WWI. Captained by Pony Halloway, NSW included such luminaries as Frank Burge, Reg Latta, Harold Horder and Les Cubitt while the Kiwis boasted the likes of Karl Ifwersen, Bert Laing and Joe Rukutai. The two games resulted in wins to NSW (23-18 and 20-9) but the outstanding feature of this piece of memorabilia is the pictures of the Kiwis taking the field and then doing their war cry, while the panoramic shots of the Sydney Cricket Ground and the old Sports Ground (now the site of the SFS) give a sense of the venues and the excitement.

Framed

Fully framed 30 x 40cm before framing composite of of images from the original Melba Studios Archives - Only available direct from us.

1921 Kangaroo Tour – So Close

This wonderful memory of the 1921-22 Kangaroo touring team features individual headshots of all members of the side, which boasted some of the greatest names in rugby league history. Captained by Les Cubitt, the team boasted such legendary names as Harold Horder, Cec Blinkhorn, Frank Burge, Duncan Thompson, Sandy Pearce and Jimmy Craig to mention but a few. They went within a whisker of retaining The Ashes, and the list of results from all matches on tour are featured as are images of the team’s departure from Sydney and arrival home. An indication of how close this series was is the fact that Australia scored 21 points to 14 over the three matches but still lost!

Framed Team Photo of the 1922 NSW team to play New Zealand

Fully framed 30 x 40cm before framing composite of of images from the original Melba Studios Archives - Only available direct from us.

1928 Australia v England – The Birth of The Green and Gold

There are twenty separate images contained in this lovely montage of the 1928 Ashes series between Australia and England, including team shots and a marvellous panoramic shot of the SCG. This series was the first meeting between the two nations for four years but England won the first two Tests before Australia, through two tries by debutant winger Benny Wearing, won the Third Test 21-14. Captained by the great Queensland centre Tommy Gorman, this series was the first time Australia wore green and gold, and the side also included the likes of Vic Armbruster, George Treweek, Herb Steinohrt and Chimpy Busch.

Fully framed 30 x 40cm before framing composite of of images from the original Melba Studios Archives - Only available direct from us.

1932 English League Tour – Close Enough Is Not Good Enough

In one of the closest Test series on record Australia outscored Great Britain in aggregate points for the three Test matches but still failed to wrest The Ashes from their grasp. Included in the 20 images in this montage are no less ten action shots, as well as a poignant group shot with both teams and many of the 1907 NSWRL Pioneers and an iconic panoramic shot of the SCG during the First Test, which attracted over 70,000 people. The teams featured some of the all-time greats with Australia captained by Herb Steinohrt also having Frank McMillan, Eric Weissel, Wally Prigg, Sid Pearce, Dan Dempsey and Mick Madsen while Britain was led by the legendary Jim Sullivan and also had Alf Ellaby, Stanley Brogden, Stanley Smith, Jack Feetham and Nat Silcock in their line-up.

1936 English League Tour – How Would We Ever Win?

When Australia won the First Test of the 1936 Ashes series 24-8 hopes were high that we may be able to reclaim that trophy and the brand new Courtney Goodwill trophy, which is featured in this collection of images from another historic series. The respective captains, the two British managers and the entire Lions squad and the line-up of both teams before the commencement are featured separately as well as a range of action shots and a wonderful panoramic shot of the SCG taken during the First Test when over 63,000 saw Australia triumph. Australia was led by the immortal Dave Brown in all three Tests whilst British captain Jim Brough was only fit for the Second Test but his team contained such all-time greats as Gus Risman, Emlyn Jenkins, Harry Beverley, Jim Arkwright and Nat Silock.

Framed and matted photograph from the original archives of The Melba Studios

Framed and matted photograph from the original archives of The Melba Studios

Dave Brown – The Bradman of League

This portrait was taken before the 1936 Ashes series when Brown was appointed Australian captain for the Tests against England. Brown, who was prematurely bald due to a medical condition, had toured with the Kangaroos in 1933 and assumed the Australian captaincy in 1935 when they toured New Zealand at the ripe old age of 22. That same year he set a then-record of 244 points in premiership matches and 385 points overall – from only 23 matches! Not for nothing was he known as “The Bradman of League”. In all Brown scored 628 points for Easts in 85 games between 1930-1941, a period interrupted by a stint in England with Warrington. He still holds the record for most points in a first grade game (45 v Canterbury in 1935), most tries in a season (38 in 1935) and most points on a Kangaroo tour (285 on the 1933 tour). In his later years Brown was a wonderful ambassador for the game and gave countless hours to the coaching and education of junior teams.

Dave Brown – The Bradman of League

This portrait was taken before the 1936 Ashes series when Brown was appointed Australian captain for the Tests against England. Brown, who was prematurely bald due to a medical condition, had toured with the Kangaroos in 1933 and assumed the Australian captaincy in 1935 when they toured New Zealand at the ripe old age of 22. That same year he set a then-record of 244 points in premiership matches and 385 points overall – from only 23 matches! Not for nothing was he known as “The Bradman of League”. In all Brown scored 628 points for Easts in 85 games between 1930-1941, a period interrupted by a stint in England with Warrington. He still holds the record for most points in a first grade game (45 v Canterbury in 1935), most tries in a season (38 in 1935) and most points on a Kangaroo tour (285 on the 1933 tour). In his later years Brown was a wonderful ambassador for the game and gave countless hours to the coaching and education of junior teams.

Framed and matted photograph from the original archives of The Melba Studios