Football in Moruya

Can you identify any of the players?

Do you know the significance of the stars?

Shirley Jurmann, one of our members and keen local historian, was given the photograph below of a Moruya football team dated around 1902 or 1903. Only one person was identified in the photograph that of George Murray who is second from the left in the front row.

Around this time there were a number of teams in the area with most villages having their own team and regular interclub competitions. One particular match in September 1903 at the end of the football season was reported in the Moruya Examiner and the Cobargo Chronicle in great detail. It had been organised by William Boot the editor of the Cobargo Chronicle. The team from Moruya included two players from Bodalla and one from Mogo and the Cobargo team included players from Tilba and Dry River.

Moruya won the game 10 to 5 on a rain soaked field.

This particular Moruya team consisted of Roberts, Tan, Walsh, George, Evans, E. Kilkelly, Pollock, Dan Skehan, Green, Taylor, K. Kilkelly, Amby Green, Mylott, Boot and Coppin. Vic Henry was the referee. At this time Mr Roberts (Police Magistrate) was the president of the Moruya club. In other matches during these years other names mentioned were Ramsey, Cruicksbank and Joe Boyd.