NSW Koori Knockout

NSW Koori Rugby League Knockout Carnival is one of the biggest Indigenous gatherings in Australia. The very first knockout was held at Camdenville Oval, St Peters, on the October long weekend of 1971 with 8 participating teams. The winning teams gains the right to hold the next knockout. Organisers created the knockout as an alternative more accessible to Indigenous players than the state rugby league.

History

The Knockout emerged from the new and growing mostly inner-city Sydney Aboriginal community in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The emerging political movement in Redfern for self-determination and justice, increased opportunities arising from post-referendum federal government initiatives and greater employment prospects in the industrial areas of Sydney influenced Aboriginal families' migration to the inner-city, particularly South Sydney. The Knockout emerged within this complex economic and social context. It was initiated by six men affiliated with Koorie United: Bob Smith, Bob Morgan, Bill Kennedy, Danny Rose, Victor Wright and the late George Jackson. They formed Koorie United in response to the rapidly expanding Sydney Aboriginal community. The established Sydney-based Aboriginal sides, the Redfern All Blacks and La Perouse Panthers (or Blacks as they were sometimes called), were aligned with the South Sydney football district. There were many Aboriginal men looking for a game of football and so Koorie United formed joining the ‘rival’ Newtown Jets district, with sponsorship from Marrickville Council, where some of the committee members worked.

The Koorie United committee were connected through kinship and the shared experience of relocating to the city. Bob Morgan, Danny Rose and Bill Kennedy hail from the New South Wales north-western town of Walgett in Gamilaroi country. Bob Smith and Victor Wright had relocated from Kemspey on the New South Wales north coast, and while the late George Jackson was based in Sydney, he also had connections with Gamilaroi as his wife was from Coonabarabran.

Following a 'meeting' at the Clifton Hotel, a well-known gathering place for Kooris in Redfern in the 1960s & 70s, the Koorie United committee proposed holding a statewide Knockout competition. Prior to this there had been many town-based knockout football and basketball competitions. However, the establishment of the Knockout set out with some different objectives. Bob Morgan says: Our concept at the time was to also have a game where people who had difficulty breaking into the big time would be on show. They could put their skills on show and the talent scouts would come and check them out.

The Knockout was formed with a view to providing a stage for the many and very talented Aboriginal footballers playing at the time who had been overlooked by the talent scouts. Although there were some notable exceptions, like Bruce (La Pa) Stewart playing on the wing for Easts and field goal specialist, Eric Simms, with South Sydney, Aboriginal footballers experienced difficulty breaking into the ‘big time’. It was thought the Knockout would provide a chance for Aboriginal footballers to get noticed, where for reasons of racism and lack of country-based recruitment they were overlooked. There was also some talk of entering an all-Aboriginal side in the National Rugby League competition. But the instigation of the Knockout was intended to be far more than sporting competition, as original committee member Bob Morgan said: The Knockout was never simply about football, it was about family, it was about community, it was getting people to come together and enjoy and celebrate things rather than win the competition football.

The first Knockout

In 1971 Koorie United hosted the first knockout at Camdenville Oval, St Peters, attracted seven teams: Koorie United, Redfern All Blacks, Kempsey, La Perouse, Walgett, Moree and a combined Mt Druitt / South Coast side. It was won by La Perouse United.^[1]

With Kempsey winning the Knockout in 1975, the first non-Sydney side, it was decided that the winning team would host the Knockout the following year, and so the tradition began.

The Kempsey Knockout was memorial to the late Victor Wright Senior, a long time supporter of the Knockout and of Aboriginal Football. The original winning trophy was donated by the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs.

The inscription on the trophy reads, NSW Koorie Sports Committee Annual Football Knockout "Perpetual Trophy", Donated by Foundation of Aboriginal Affairs.

Knockout winners

Koori vs. Murri Interstate Challenge

The QLD Murri vs. NSW Koori Interstate Challenge is an annual rugby league game played between the winners of the NSW Koori Knockout and Murri Rugby League Carnival.

2014 Festival of Indigenous Rugby League

The NRL launched a Festival of Indigenous Rugby League program to take the place of the prestigious pre-season Rugby League All Stars game following every World Cup year.The 2014 Festival of Indigenous Rugby League featured a trial match between the Newcastle Knights and an Indigenous team, drawn from the NSW Koori Rugby League Knockout and Murri Rugby League Carnival in Queensland, as well as the NRL Indigenous Player Cultural Camp, Murri vs Koori women's and Under 16s representative games, a Murri v Koori match, a jobs expo and community visits.^[2]

Leader board

Trophies

Throughout the 46-year history of the Knockout there have been many trophies added. Many of the trophies are memorials. Some of these trophies are dedicated to those who have made a significant contribution to the Knockout and Aboriginal football. These include the William Peachey Memorial Trophy – donated by the Peache family; the Lance Brown Memorial Trophy presented to Bourke/Weilmoringle RLFC, Gary "Mad Mick" Kennedy; McGrady Memorial Shield; Tommo Tighe Memorial Shield; Tabulam Rugby League Football Club Paul Roberts Memorial Shield; Wesley McGrady Memorial Trophy; Vincent Clyde Donovan Memorial Trophy – donated by the South Taree Footballers for the best 5/8 of State Knockout; and the George "Pedro" Squires Perpetual Trophy – donated by the Greenup Family Bowraville.^[3]

NRL players to play in Koori Knockout

• Ben Barba
• Nathan Blacklock
• Maurice Blair
• Preston Campbell
• Adrian Davis
• Albert Kelly
• Blake Ferguson
• Andrew Fifita – Griffith 3 Ways United
• David Fifita – Griffith 3 Ways United
• Dane Gagai
• Craig Garvey
• Yileen Gordon
• Steve Gordon
• Ryan James
• Rod Jensen
• Ben Jones
• Daine Laurie
• Brenko Lee
• Michael Lett
• Cliff Lyons
• Nathan Merritt – Redfern All-Blacks
• Latrell Mitchell
• Denis Moran
• Wes Patten
• David Peachey
• Tyrone Peachey
• Tyrone Roberts
• James Roberts
• Reece Robinson
• Travis Robinson
• George Rose – Walget Aboriginal Connections
• Chris Sandow
• Eric Simms
• Will Smith
• Timana Tahu – Newcastle Yowies
• Gorden Tallis
• Darrell Trindall
• Joel Thompson
• Travis Waddell
• Jonathan Wright
• Dean Widders

See also

• Murri Rugby League Carnival
• Koori People
• Indigenous Australians

References

Rugby league in New South Wales
Federations	New South Wales Rugby League Country Rugby League New South Wales Women's Rugby League
Representative competitions	City vs Country Origin Women's City vs Country Origin
Representative teams	New South Wales Blues City Origin Team Country Origin Team NSW residents New South Wales women's
NRL clubs	Canberra Raiders Canterbury Bulldogs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers St. George Illawarra Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs Sydney Roosters Wests Tigers
Competitions	NSWRL: Intrust Super Premiership NSW Ron Massey Cup Sydney Shield SG Ball Harold Matthews Cup CRL: Canberra Central Coast Illawarra Newcastle Northern Rivers Sunraysia-Riverlands Region 1: 2 3 Region 2: 4 19 21 Region 3: 9 20 Region 4: 10 11 14 Region 5: 6 7 16 Women's: Sydney Metropolitan Women's Rugby League Tarsha Gale Nines Tertiary: NSW Tertiary Student Rugby League
Discontinued competitions	Jersey Flegg Cup NSWRL premiership Amco Cup

Rugby league in Australia
National Federation	Australian Rugby League Commission
National teams	Kangaroos Jillaroos Prime Minister's XIII Indigenous Junior Kangaroos Schoolboys
State Federations	New South Wales NSW Country Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia
Other Federations	University Masters Police Women
Events	All Stars Auckland Nines City vs Country State of Origin World Club Challenge
Competitions	National Rugby League National Youth Competition State Championship Affiliated States Championship Schoolboy Cup
Honours	Clive Churchill Medal Dally M Medal Hall of Fame The Immortals
Media	Big League Rugby League Week The Footy Show Friday Night Football NRL video games
Lists	Clubs Stadiums Premiers Wooden spooners
Rugby league in Australian Capital Territory New South Wales Northern Territory Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria Western Australia