The program
This is a story about a mysterious rugby league program. It features a team named South Sydney Fernleigh and another called Olympians. The program poses a few questions that I hope you can answer for Bunnies TV.
The first thing I’d like to know is what year were these South Sydney Junior Rugby League games played at Coogee Oval?
I’d also like to know the final scores of each match. I do however doubt that any record of those results survives today.
Where and what?
Next question on the list. Who were the South Sydney Fernleigh (Red and Green Bars) and what suburb did they play out of? What I can confirm is that South Sydney Fernleigh won the A Grade competition in 1948, 1949, 1950, 1957 & 1967. This means there’s a rich history of success associated with the club.
Additionally I found what could be a hint as to the origin of Fernleigh. In a ‘Pre-Rugby League Clubs’ article on the SSR Almanac – “In 1892 two rugby teams based around Moore Park, the Fernleigh and Richmond clubs, held a meeting and decided to merge into a single club called the Richmond club, wearing blue and white.”
Another club I’ve also never heard mentioned before is Cleveland Street Olympians (Maroon and Gold). A bit of a background story would help there too. There’s also a Cleveland Street team (Maroon and Gold) but the only Cleveland Street teams. These sides I remember as the ones I used to play against from the school representing Cleveland Street Boys High aka Clevo.
The other clubs mentioned here are more familiar but I have no idea if Redfern (Green, Red Fern Emblem) is associated with the Redfern All Blacks that still compete today.
The two clubs that are easily recognisable are Waterloo (Sky Blue & Gold Bars) and Kensington aka Kenso (White, Red V).
The search for answers
I’m certain that readers of this article will basically be able to tell me more about some of the players listed. The couple I spotted are T. Cocking on the bench for Waterloo ‘A’ who I reckon is the late Tom Cocking, Rabbitoh 1st grade player #454 and Kenso ‘C’ fullback K. Longbottom. I’m almost certain is the late Souths legend Kevin ‘Lummy’ Longbottom #485.
I knew both Tom Cocking and Lummy and both were fantastic blokes. Tom in particular worked at the Rabbitohs when I played there and he was a wonderful clubman to be around.
Tom began his career at Souths in 1959 and Lummy 1961 so if I had to guess I’d say the program is from around 1956-58. Ironically if it does turn out to be 1957 then it’s the year that South Sydney Fernleigh would go on to win the A Grade competition.
Let’s hope you the reader can shed some light on a few of the questions posed here. If you can please leave your thoughts in the comments section of this article, send me a message on our socials or email stevem@bunniestv.au
By Steve Mavin – stevem@bunniestv.au
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