Founding players, 1923 Dubbo High School Rugby Team, and The Astley Cup

Contributed by he Astley Cup began in 1923 when the Dubbo High School rugby team contested the Cup against the Sacred Heart College, Dubbo. The Sacred Heart College team put-up a plucky performance, but the Dubbo High School team was too strong, winning the game by 32-4. When the Astley Cup competition recommenced in 1925, Dubbo High competed against Bathurst and Orange high schools in athletics, tennis, hockey (girls), and basketball (girls) as well as rugby union – the form of basketball played then, is what we know today as netball. The name changed to netball in the 1960s when “American” basketball came to Australia.

Today, boys’ soccer, girls soccer and boys basketball are also played in the Astley Cup. Dubbo High School won the 1925 Astley Cup.

When you look through the names of the players in the 1923 Dubbo High’s rugby league team you will find two players who did very well in rugby union and rugby league as well as two players who are noted for their World War II war service. This includes:

Ron Walden who played in four rugby union tests for Australia, including as captain in three of

Tthese. He also represented NSW in many matches and played more than 100 first grade games for Manly in the Sydney rugby union competition. He was also a very prominent NSW policeman and originally came from Quambone.

Vern Deacon was a NSW City Firsts rugby league representative in 1928 and played 24 first grade games for University between 1926–28 and 14 first grade games for Balmain in 1929 in the Sydney rugby league competition. Also, he played in and coached rugby league teams in country NSW, including Warren and Trangie. Vern Deacon came from Warren.

Harry (Harold) Lovett was Captain of the team and 1923 School Captain. Harry was a Lieutenant in the 2/2 Australian Infantry Battalion and was captured in Greece in 1941 and held in a German POW camp. Harry survived the war with his capture relayed to his family by a fellow soldier, Gordon Blanchard, who was able to escape from the Germans. Harry came from Maryvale which is near Wellington.

Jack (John) Eddy was a bombardier in the 2/5th Field Regiment who was tragically killed in action in Bornea on July 6, 1945. Jack Eddy came from the Trangie area and his had a property, “Teraweena”, at Cathundral, near Trangie.

After the Astley Cup Game Dubbo High School and Sacred Heart College had a game (in rugby league) which Dubbo High School won 9-3.

From this game the selectors Bros Albert and Messrs A Clark and J Ryan selected the following junior team to defend Dubbo’s title to the Black and White Challenge Cup against Narromine on August 25, 1923. The team selected was:

nd full back, J Eddy (High School); three quarters, A Siemson (South Dubbo), H Lovett (High School), U

Moore & S Lynch (Sacred Heart College); five-eight, J Vaughan (Sacred Heart College); V Deacon (High School); forwards, B Cook (Sacred Heart College), H Wise & R Walden (High School), D Dowd (Sacred Heart College), R Rivers & A Kinsella (South Dubbo). Reserves: Backs, V Kesby & K Carson (High School), J Jennings (South Dubbo); forwards, B Jacobs (South Dubbo), W Hull (Sacred Heart College), W Simpson (High School). Dubbo successfully defended their title. The Black and White Challenge Cup was run with the senior challenge, the Johnny Walker Cup.

Whilst I cannot confirm it, I believe the rugby league game between Dubbo High School and the Sacred Heart College, Dubbo, in 1923, which was played for the first Astley Cup, was played at Number One Oval, Victoria Park, Dubbo, as this sports field was close to Dubbo High and as it was fenced it was possible to charge an admission price for games.

The 1923 Astley Cup football match was a part of a fund-raising project for the Dubbo High School Library.