Newcastle Rebels

The Newcastle Rebels in 1908 were a pioneering club in the very first NSWRL season. As they could not secure a field to host home games, the Rebels were forced to travel to Sydney by old locomotive trains every single Saturday morning, which took upwards of four hours each way. After playing, the team was put back on the old trains, wooden and lacking modern-times suspension and air-conditioning. It was a hard slog, every weekend in the middle of winter.

This pioneering club would usually load on at Waratah Station, arriving at Strathfield, before going on to Central. The NSWRL covered their travel costs. 

Despite their hardships, the Rebels finished fifth in 1908. To their credit, Rebels players Pat "Nimmo" Walsh and Bill "Jerry" Bailey were selected for the 1908 Kangaroos Tour.

 In 1909, they battled on and finished third, playing finals football.

Due to the heavy travel commitments, Newcastle Rugby League decided to create their own competition at home for 1910.

They would return to the Sydney premiership in 1988 as the Newcastle Knights.