Monday Milestone: Charitable

“After five minutes we knew it wasn’t a trial – everyone had to watch their own back”
– South Sydney 1982 Charity Shield captain Ken Stewart

This Week in History
1982, February 13
South Sydney and St George play the first ever Charity Shield match at Redfern Oval 

 

As a rugby league fan, February can be a frustrating time.

The cricket pads and wickets are being packed away in the shed and the school year is back in full swing. Humidity and love fill the air in equal parts as Australians line beaches and beer gardens eager to soak up those final weeks of summer.

But still, an impatient wait continues. The rugby league season is still a month away.

Yet by now murmurs have begun regarding the benefits of off-season trades, and perennial chances for every club. Excitement has begun building until kick off. A new year has begun. Every club is undefeated.

Each year it begins the same, but some seasons provide even more intrigue, even more excitement than usual. 1982 was one of those years. A whole new era was on the doorstep. The lime green Canberra Raiders and the Illawarra Steelers were preparing to enter the NSWRFL for the first time. There was even a buzz about some new trophy that would celebrate the famed pose of Norm Provan and Arthur Summons. They were calling it the Winfield Cup.

Little did they realise amidst all the fanfare, another rugby league tradition was beginning that particular summer, one that would grow to become the high watermark of the pre-season.

Trial matches had always been part of clubs preparation for the season proper, but that year the St George Dragons were pitted against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Redfern Oval in a new brand of pre-season match. With their acrimony dating back generations, it was bound to be good. It didn’t disappoint.

From the kick off it was clear this was no ordinary match. This was a trial within a trial. The Charity Shield was something else. There was feeling in the match. There was biff. Both Tony Rampling and Ken Stewart spent time in the sin bin for the Rabbitohs when it spilled over.

But when Tony Melrose would only land two from seven with the boot for Souths that day, the Dragons would finish victors, 9-7. In a gesture of philanthropy, channelling all monies earned that day at Redfern Oval, into local hospitals, the Charity Shield was born.

And through the years this humble “trial” has grown in stature. Often a haven for the Rabbits in particular when the rest of the season has not been fruitful, it culminated before a packed Sydney Football Stadium in 2002 when South Sydney returned for their first match after two years in exile.  Now such a wonderful tradition, when South Sydney and St George Illawarra square off in the Charity Shield, irrespective of where supporter bases lie a smile returns to the face of rugby league fans everywhere.

Because it means not only has league unofficially returned, but that we can look forward to one hell of an encounter, because just like back that day in 1982, rugby league fans, especially those from St George Illawarra or South Sydney know, that there is nothing, ever charitable about this match.

 

Milestone Five:  Greatest Charity Shield moments

5. 1999 – In their final season before ostracism the South Sydney Rabbitohs defeat St George 16-14 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Souths would miss the finals and not return until 2002.

4. The St George Dragons win a fifth straight Charity Shield and their final before merging with Illawarra. Strangely enough they would have to wait until 2003 before winning as the joint venture.

3. 1992 – South Sydney pot a decisive field goal to prevent a remarkable third consecutive draw with St George as they secure a 21-20 victory.

2. 1982 – A try to Rod Reddy and a poor day from Tony Melrose with the boot sees St George win the inaugural Charity Shield 9-7 beginning a wonderful pre-season tradition.

1. 2002 – The Sydney Football Stadium hosts 36,804 people as South Sydney return to rugby league after two years in the wilderness. The match would end in a 20-20 draw.

 

This season the Charity Shield will be on 22 February 2013 at ANZ Stadium and the Rabbits will once again be supporting Souths Cares whilst the Dragons support will be towards the St George Foundations. For more information go to:  www.rabbitohs.com.au/souths-cares and www.stgeorgefoundation.com.au/