Early History of Rugby League in Papua New Guinea

The following is an attempt to record what would otherwise be a forgotten part of the game in Papua New Guinea. It is based on discussions with various past players and from old paper and magazine clippings. It is not meant to be definitive, and any corrections would be both welcome and encouraged.

The Beginning

From the late 1940s until the country's independence in 1975, the country was divided into the Territory of Papua and the Territory of New Guinea. Australia jointly administered both territories, having been given a League of Nations mandate in the early 1920s. The two territories were physically separated by a spine of mountain ranges that ran through the center of the island. In addition, they had different administrations and distinct identities. And yet after the second world war, both had a significant population of overseas expatriates. Notably these included farmers, ex-soldiers from the war, and miners and their descendents who had joined the gold rush in the mountainous regions of New Guinea, such as Bulolo and Wau.

The New Guinea Rugby League began in 1948, while the Papuan Rugby League began a year later in July 1949. Once both territories had created their leagues, they began playing an inter-territorial competition.

The Papuan Rugby League

A group of Australian expatriate workers formed the first team and called it Paga.

However, there was no opposition. Nor was there a paper in which to advertise for a game (South Pacific Post started up later in the early 1950s).

So the newly formed Paga team issued a public challenge for a game via a paid advertisement on the screen of the old Papuan Theatre, which was then in Musgrave Street (now the site of the Papuan Grand Hotel).

In response to this challenge, another group of expatriate workers formed the Magani team. They were formed frm bank johnnies.

The two teams played for the first premiership that year, with Magani defeating Paga to claim the inaugural premiership (unfortunately the score is unknown).

First International Trip

A combined Papua-New Guinea side took on a powerful Brisbane side on 29 July 1950. The game was arranged in about six weeks, the PNG side raised £2000, and a plane was chartered to bring the side to Brisbane. We don't know the results of that game, but it is very likely the PNG side found itself short of the required firepower to match Brisbane.

(source: Brisbane Courier-Mail 28 July 1950)

The Arrival of Jack Hart

The following year saw the arrival of a player who had a profound influence on the Port Moresby game for the next 50 years.

John 'Jack' Joseph Hart grew up in Australia’s Queensland country town Toowoomba, where he played rugby union with Catholic Young Men (CYMS) up until the war years. This apparently included a match against the touring English team.

At the outbreak of war, both the rugby union and rugby league official leagues went into remission.

However, a couple of years later, an amateur rugby league started.

So in 1942, Jack and his ex-CYMS teammates joined up with the famous All Whites rugby league team, which also began that year.

The Toowoomba league was extremely competitive at the time, with 23 A Grade teams due to the numerous Army and Air Force bases in the region.

In addition, the high-energy Jack played in the Lismore league on his Saturdays, across in New South Wales, then returned for Sunday’s game in the Toowoomba league .

In 1943, Jack had the distinction of playing in, and winning, two premierships with both the Lismore and All Whites teams.

Jack then joined the Australian Air Force in about 1943 and served in PNG and Irian Jaya (then Dutch New Guinea). He survived two air crashes while on overseas service. He first went to Port Moresby in 1944 with the Australian Air Force.

He then returned to Toowoomba and resumed with the All Whites from 1946 to 1950.

In 1950 Jack decided to visit Port Moresby for a year to see how the place had changed and developed since the war years.

He joined Paga that year and was selected in the combined 1950 Papuan side that visited Queensland and played three games against teams in Brisbane, Redcliffe and Toowoomba.

Rather than leave at the end of his 12 months exploratory visit, Jack stayed on in Port Moresby for another 23 years.

He captained the Papuan side, served as a Papuan selecter, and was made a life member of both the Papuan Rugby League and the Toowoomba All Whites club. Although very popular, Jack was an extreme competitor, with a reputation for his elbows and knees. As such, he was popularly-known as a player who during a game could bring both sets of fans to their feet.

Despite that on-field aggression, Jack's on-field misdemeanours were usually accompanied with a cheerful air, and he remained an extremely popular character.

In the Papuan League's early days, Jack had been appointed to the judiciary board, which held judgement on players sent off by referees. However, he was quickly found to have a conflict of interest, with an appearance on the other side of the board leading to him being stood down by the board.

Jack had an interesting personal life full of accidents and bravery. In addition to the crashes during his Air Force days, Jack was also in a serious plane crash near Toowoomba in the early 1970s. The plane was delivery produce & mail to properties, and apparently ran into a power line. Surving the crash along with another passenger (a good friend of his), Jack then made a valiant effort to rescue the pilot from the burning wreckage. Despite his efforts, the pilot perished, and Jack suffered major burns to his arms and upper body. For his courageous action he was awarded Queensland’s highest bravery award. In all, it was said that Jack survived at least 17 aircraft and vehicle accidents. It may be fair to say that some of the auto accidents may have been attributable to a lack of drink-driving laws in those days.

He continued playing until mid-way through the 1955 season. An anecdote had him deciding to retire due to the fact that he was getting sent off too many times.

Ray Goriss

Ray Goriss was another who had a vast influence on the early game in Port Moresby.

Ray owned a sports store in Port Moresby, and went on to become a stalwart of the game, serving as president of the Papuan Rugby League.

He was the man who selected, in a jeep in 1956, the present site of the Boroka rugby league grounds when it was just 4.5 hectares (11 acres) of a vast kunai expanse.

With Ray at the helm during the ensuing years and providing significant money himself, and with the assistance of many lovers of rugby league in Port Moresby, the original grandstand was constructed by John Stubbs and Son at a cost of twenty-eight thousand pounds.

In recognition of his outstanding efforts, it was named the Ray Goriss Stand and was opened by the Australian Chairman of Rugby League, William (Bill) Buckley in April 1962.

Unfortunately in later years, after the Boroka ground’s reconstruction, the name of Ray Goriss was completely obliterated from the ground.

For those pioneers involved with the game’s formation in Port Moresby, this was considered a particularly shameful injustice to a man who had done so much for the country’s game.

Lloyd Robson

Lloyd Robson was another stalwart of the Papuan game.

He began playing with the Port Moresby league in about 1955, and thereafter invested significant time into the game as a player, administrator and coach.

His contribution was recognised with the naming of the Lloyd Robson stand at the Boroka Grounds.

This event actually contributed a significant part of the disappointment that early players felt for Ray Goriss. It was not so much that Robson was recognized, but that the immense efforts of Goriss appeared to have been ignored.

The Teams

The teams were originally built around groups of work colleagues or those working in a certain area in Moresby. Of course, numbers were made up by recruiting outsiders or friends, but as a rule the teams were stereotyped by the main occupation of its players.

Each team had its own clubhouse base. With Port Moresby being a relatively small community in those days, the teams would provide after-game social evenings and bbq’s for players and wifes & girlfriends, with the venue alternating between the team clubhouses.

The first team, Paga was considered the Commonwealth Department of Works group, with many of the Paga players being office workers at CDW. The team played in all sky blue with black socks, and its base was at Paga Hill.

The second team, Magani was comprised mainly from the banks. Magani’s colors were maroon and white, and team based itself at the Badili Club

Hawkes then joined the league, with its players mostly tradesmen and day labourers at the CDW workshops in Boroka. Hawkes played in green and white, with a large white hawk emblem, and made its home at the 4 Mile club

DCA, also joined around the same time, with its players pooled from employees or those associated at the Department of Civil Aviation. DCA played in white with a blue V, and was based at the DCA Club.

Kone was next to join the league, probably around 1957, and sourced its players largely from the administration workforce in Konedobu. Its base was the Kone Club.

Premierships

The early years up to 1960s were dominated by Paga.

Inter-territorial Games

The Inter-Territorial Games

• Barry: Brian Johnson joined NG after '55, and was so good that they began thrashing Papua.
• He definitely played in 1962.
• Johnson came from Goroka, as did the Leahy brothers...and boy were they tough as nails, clean but big boys and tough.
• They played A grade, but the youngest was Patty and he played Reserves.
• Paga would play Goroka in an after season game and get beaten.
• Then Paga would play Milla Milla, and get beaten by them (Milla Milla were damn good).
• Milla Milla players then came up to join Paga, which made the Paga side better.
• This was probably in the 1960s.
• '62 First game in Moresby, and was an exciting finish - Johnson chased a guy across the field.
• But 2nd game in Bulolo was won by NG.
• Barry says 1955 Reserves game in Lae was close and won by a dropkick at the last minute. Score needs checking!
• Noel Cooper was inside center at Hawkes, Barry Vesper was outside center.
• ack emma was a military term for am. and Jack was in the Air Force.
• Jack was in the Air Force in northern NSW when the league started in PNG.

The Grounds

The original rugby leave ground was at Konedobu, adjacent to Lawes Road where it met Champion Parade.

In the left hand corner was where the original footy ground was.

There was not much grass on it. For the players it was more like a road, with a bit of gravel in it. Had shells in. Everyone got skin poisoning. Every fall turned septic.

Each game meant losing skin from elbows, the palms and backs of hand, and the knees.

Games were played on that oval until 1955, when fixtures were moved to a ground at Murray Barracks at 4-mile.

According to the earlier players, everyone heaved a sigh of relief when the league left the Kone oval.

However, the Murray Barracks ground was built on black soil. The slightest bit of water made it extremely slippery.

Ray Goriss then identified the Boroka ground, and after that oval was built in 1956, the league moved there.

By comparison to earlier venues, the Boroka oval was a magnificent strip of ground.

And a few years later, lighting was installed at the Boroka grounds, built on wooden poles with the bottom washed in cyanide and wrapped in plastic to prevent termites.

The teams in those days trained at various venues.

Paga, for example, used to train at the Ela Beach Oval.

However, after the Boroka oval was built, it included a spare training oval, so the teams used to take in turns to train there.

Early Season Trials

(source: Brisbane Courier-Mail 29 March 1953)

Early Players

Ron Grout

Reginald "Ron" Grout was the licensee of the Port Moresby Hotel. He had been among the group that formed Paga and served as an officer of various sports societies in Port Moresby. He later became the team manager of the first combined Papua-New Guinea Rugby League Team that visited Australia (in 1954).

Ron was also the uncle of then Queensland and later Australian test cricket wicketkeeper Wally Grout. Wally had served with the Australian army during 1946 in Rabaul.

The Teams

Hawkes

Hawkes of Boroka - most of them worked at Boroka. Commonwealth Dept of Works day labour (they worked in the workshops) Most of the blokes who worked there were day labour Fitters & Turners Mechanics Plumbers Carpenters Barry Vesper - heavy equipment mechanic Alan Jessup - carpenter John Adams - fitter A few outsiders were recruited to make up the numbers. Noel Cooper was a policeman, one of the outers to make. Noel inside, Barry outside center. Snow Feeney was a policeman too.

Paga

Paga were the office group. Most of the bloke who played were with CDW office.

John "Jack" Creevy from Lithgow was one of the originals. Jack was a carpenter at CDW

Barry played with them - electricals David Adams - electrials Graham Godwin - plumber Therefore should have played for Hawkes. But because they were involved with Freddy Young (electrical) and Jack Hart, they played with Paga. Brian Dimmick - arrived 1955. He was a good player. Bulimba Cup. From Ipswich (Ipswich played Brisbane) Barry King

Magani

Magani - were mainly bank johnnies. But there were other people who played with them to make up the numbers. Bruce Flynn was captain in 1955.

DCA

DCA - Dept of Civil Aviation Bruce Fisher - won the 100yd race at sogeri every year. Gavin Crofton - played for DCA Danny Fisher - 1/2 for DCA.

Kone

Then Kone came into it, probably around 1957?. Admin workers from Konedobu. Recruited from Australia, did Kone.

Toowoomba Connection

Due to Jack Hart’s involvement, many of the early players came from Toowoomba.

These included Frank Snelling, Ray Chandler, John Gilbert, Darryl Wilkes, Bill Sullivan, John Brady, Jim Carter, Frank Norton, Bob Bousen, Danny Leahey, and Neil Williams.

The advertisement on the screen of the local movie theatre (probably the Papuan Theatre, near the old Papua hotel in Musgrave street, both of which are gone, now Papuan Grand hotel). Boroka Theatre came later,inthe 1960s.

Ken McCanns

There was no paper, so advertised in the local theatre.

Noel Cooper Was indeed a good His petite & attractive wife June was reputed to have both a loud and colorful vocabularly. During the week she worked in menswear at Steamies, and on the weekend she patrolled the sideline screaming at players attempting to "hurt her Noel". They had a son Brett. June's sister was Pat Starr (very nice person - operated switchboard at ...Commworks?)

Noel Walsham Christine King had a lot of drawings of footballers. Sideviews

Sheeky was a well known name.

Hawkes of Boroka - most of them worked at Boroka. Commonwealth Dept of Works day labour (they worked in the workshops) Most of the blokes who worked there were day labour Fitters & Turners Mechanics Plumbers Carpenters Barry Vesper - heavy equipment mechanic Alan Jessup - carpenter John Adams - fitter A few outsiders were recruited to make up the numbers. Noel Cooper was a policeman, one of the outers to make. Noel inside, Barry outside center. Snow Feeney was a policeman too.

Paga were the office group. Most of the bloke who played were with CDW office. Barry played with them - electricals David Adams - electrials Graham Godwin - plumber Therefore should have played for Hawkes. But because they were involved with Freddy Young (electrical) and Jack Hart, they played with Paga. Brian Dimmick - arrived 1955. He was a good player. Bulimba Cup. From Ipswich (Ipswich played Brisbane) Barry King

Magani - were mainly bank johnnies. But there were other people who played with them to make up the numbers. Bruce Flynn was captain in 1955.

DCA - Dept of Civil Aviation Bruce Fisher - won the 100yd race at sogeri every year. Gavin Crofton - played for DCA Danny Fisher - 1/2 for DCA.

Then Kone came into it, probably around 1957?. Admin workers from Konedobu. Recruited from Australia, did Kone.

Later on in the peace - early 1960s. They started recruited people from Australia. They'd get a job up there and play for the teams. Digger Annand? He played for DCA? Came in later. He was a big guy, good footy player.

Jack Hart helped start it off. Maureen Shorthouse might have been able to look after that. (that's Maureen O'Rourke, wife of George O'Rourke who played with DCA and worked for South Pacific Post)

Ray Gorris also started it off. He was a big stalwart of the PRL, and put a lot of money into it. He had a sports store. He put a lot of money into building the stand into the ground - they called it the Ray Gorris stand.

Lloyd Robson stand now. Lloyd married a local lady and did a lot of work with the league up there, with coaching etc. Lloyd started about the same time as Barry (1955).

Barry Vesper was playing with John Adams before Barry Started. They were playing probably about '53 and '54. 1954 - John was playing

Premierships. Barry started '55.

1949 - Magani d Paga Bruce Flynn 1950 - Paga d Magani Jack Hart 1951 - Magani d Paga 11-9 1952 - Paga d Hawkes 12-8 1953 - Paga d Magani 3-2 1954 - D.C.A d Paga 19-3 1955 - Paga d Magani 12-11 1956 - Hawkes d Magani 20-6 Snow Feeny, Noel Cooper 1957 - Hawkes d Paga 47-6 1958 - Hawkes d Paga 19-6 1959 - Kone d D.C.A 29-15 Ken Brooker 1960 - Kone d D.C.A 21-17

Hawkes were renamed - green and white jersey. Paga played in all Sky Blue with Black socks. (but colors may have changed) Magani - maroon and white DCA - white with Blue V.

Hawkes - 4 Mile club Paga - Paga Magani - Badili club DCA - DCA club Kone - Kone club

Each team would put on a bbq for players and wifes/girlfriends. They took it alternately so that all teams had a go. After Sunday games lots of the players would race home and listen to the Goon Show before going out to pick up the women. (the Hawkes)

Barry played for Steamships cricket in 1955. Ken 'Birdbrain' Bainbrigge was the sporting commentator for 9PA radio. (he was actually very smart)

Original oval was at Konedobu adjacent to Lawes Road where it met Champion Parade. In that corner, in the left hand corner was where the original footy ground was. That's where Barry started. Not much grass on it - more like a gravel pit. Elbows were gone, backs of hand, knees were gone. When we moved away from that, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. Played there up to '55. Then moved to Murray Barracks at 4-mile because the Boroka oval wasn't ready yet. Murray Barracks was black soil. The slightest bit of water made it slippery has hell. Terrible.

They might have moved to somewhere else. Barry moved to Rabaul in 1956 for 12 months, so they might have played someone else. In 1957 Barry returned and they were playing on Boroka. And it was magnificent. A few years later, they put in lighting in the Boroka grounds (wooden poles, with bottom washed in cyanide and wrapped in plastic to prevent termites).

In Rabaul he played for Commworks, where they played against Army who had won for three years. But Commworks stopped them, and won. In 1956 Rabaul had an argument with the New Guinea Committee and didn't play for the inter-territory team.

Inter-territory games probably started in the early 1950s. (They were already playing when Barry started)

Part of the email Gun Emplacements on Paga Hill. Further on they had a section of the old native hospital. All that's there now, there's stumps. But new development going in now...bloody huge. Development and high rise.

Training grounds

Paga - Ela Beach Oval (when they built Boroka oval later, there was a spare training oval there,so the teams used to take in turns to train there)

Hawkes - elsewhere Magani - elsewhere

1961-62? John Kaputin played in the Papuan A side against New Guinea A side (not the Reserves) He was outside center and scored the winning try (Barry was the winger) New Guinea had a really good side in those days.

Ela Beach oval was where the women used to play softball. Aureole, June Roberts, Val Heath, Ann Adams

Gary Ware - worked in a number of jobs, such as car salesman and bookie (he was Sally Godwin's brother) He went to Sydney and met Dawn Fraser He married Dawn Fraser but it didn't last long. His reputation was somewhat colorful in Port Moresby, and Dawn Fraser had less than favorable words to say about him.

Beachcombers Surfers Paradise - David and co pushed in the cops into the pool. Played hokey pokey around them.