Valleys falter but show no mercy – the 1918 Brisbane Rugby League season
The 1918 BRL season is now live on Redcap’s BRL. See how Valleys came back from the brink to win the title, how Merthyr blew it again, and how Wests self-immolated in spectacular and unnecessary fashion in the infamous ‘Ricketty’ Johnston affair.
So badly did Valleys start the 1918 season, there was speculation they were finished. Not just finished as premiership contenders in 1918; finished as a club.
Such talk was probably based on wishful thinking, and the Royal Blues roared back into contention late in the season behind the familiar faces of Barry Love, Charlie Fredericks, Ted McGrath and Sam Hull.
Valleys’ premiership relied in part on Wests’ bizarre exit from the competition. Cruising toward a semi-final berth, the Red and Blacks decided to field a couple of players who’d just relocated from Sydney, including Albert ‘Ricketty’ Johnston, a star halfback from Wests Magpies, in their round 11 game against Merthyr. Despite being warned by the league that it wasn’t on, and despite knowing there’d be consequences, Wests went ahead anyway.
Their subsequent tantrum at the league’s decision to dock them competition points and decision to forfeit a shot at another premiership was and remains curious. Apparently, Merthyr didn’t raise an official objection, so the league was expected to drop their objection.
Elsewhere, Westerns showed promise but simply couldn’t seem to keep their best players on the field, with veteran A Hoolahan and the omnipresent David Harrower exhumed to keep their season going. Westerns didn’t re-appear the following season and dissolved into near neighbours, Wests.
Railways very nearly knocked-off Merthyr in round 4, only losing their lead in the last minute, with their season going downhill pretty quickly afterward. Coorparoo were just ordinary. Their star half Charlie Thorogood missed some games, but they were ordinary with or without him.
More seasons to come soon on Redcap’s BRL...
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