1908 New Zealand Māori rugby league tour of Australia

The 1908 New Zealand Māori rugby league tour of Australia was a tour made by a group of

Stories published after the teams arrival in Sydney stated that they had been surprised to be met by members of the New South Wales Rugby League instead of the New South Wales Rugby Union yet, after a brief meeting, voted to change codes. This story was later retold by the party members, including by Ernie Asher in a 1960 Auckland Star interview.^[2]

However, Albert Asher knew the distinction between the two codes and had been negotiating with the NSWRL for months. Sydney newspapers had also published itineraries and stories about the Māori side that was to play the professional clubs.^[2]

The tour

The touring party arrived in Sydney in June and watched the final match of the

Two days later, on Monday 8 June 1908, the first match of the tour took place against

The team then traveled north to Newcastle but not before Giltinan and Asher could clash over the appointment of the touring referee.[2] The team defeated Newcastle 15-2 before heading to Queensland. Due to the dispute over the referee Giltinan made the party pay for the referees expenses. Following the development of legal issues, ten of the touring party were left behind in Sydney when they headed to Queensland. However Giltinan overrode this decision and later sent them to Queensland, at the touring party's expense.^[2]

In Queensland, the Māori won the first match against

On their return to Sydney they played a match against Newcastle, winning 30-16.^[2]

Once back in Sydney the Māori played a match against a full

Simmering tensions between Giltian and Asher then exploded, resulting in the cancellation of the rest of the tour. Matches against Australia and New South Wales had been planned, as well as potentially a third match against Australia in Melbourne. Initial media reports said the second match against Australia was delayed due to rain, however Asher had accused Giltian of being untruthful about gatetakings for the matches and deducting ground hire fees, despite having a lease over the Sydney Agricultural Ground.^[2]

With the official tour ended and gate takings being held by the NSWRL due to a court order, the Māori needed to find a way to pay for their return voyage. A match under rugby union rules was held at the Sports Ground between the "New Zealand Natives" and a "Metropolis" side made up of players sympathetic to the touring parties plight. The match was a mis-match and the Natives won 32-17.

The team was on the dock to wish the Australian side well on their 1908–09 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain. As soon as the team departed, acting NSWRL secretary Horrie Miller paid for the fares home to New Zealand and the Māori side returned home.^[2]

Legal troubles

Robert Jack, who was based in Sydney, claimed he had been arranging with Asher to bring a tour to Sydney since October 1907. Following a breakdown in negotiations Asher began negotiating directly with the NSWRL. After their first Sydney leg, Jack took the matter to court where he was successful in having the NSWRL gate takings frozen until the dispute could be resolved. This left the touring party deeply out of pocket and a reduced party was sent on the Queensland leg to save costs.

The matter was left unresolved and was again raised in the courts when the 1909 side visited Australia.^[2]

Aftermath

Eight of the players on the tour went on to have notable rugby league careers, with four later representing New Zealand and two playing in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership.

Another Māori tour was organised and the team visited Australia during the 1909 season. These two tours are credited with helping financially establishing the New South Wales Rugby League, as at the time it was surviving “from hand to mouth”.^[6]

Māori players played a big role in the

Four chiefs accompanied the touring party.[2]

Match results

References