Earl Park

Clubs who have used this venue as a home ground are listed below:

Competitions this venue has been used in.

• J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup

Earl Park - a godsend for the Saints
(FROM http://lancelotearl.homestead.com/index.html)
St.George had no permanent home ground when they entered the Sydney first grade competition in 1921. The Local Councils procrastinated and the Saints' first team was nomadic.

After playing some games at Hurstville from 1921-24, Saints moved to Arncliffe in 1925. Ian Heads in the March Of The Dragons wrote, 'Alderman Lancelot Lewis 'Daddy' Earl made available his property opposite Arncliffe Station as Saints' home ground and headquarters.
The NSWRL signed a ten year lease with Earl, a formidable character with sprouting whiskers and paid him 1500 pounds. He spent the same amount
Looking towards the Earl Park site from Bonar Street, Arncliffe.
to make the ground and build the grandstand. The ground stood on what was once a flourishing Chinese market garden. Oldtimers remember sheep grazing there.

According to a report at the time, it measured 175 yards by 150 yards, with a pavilion to seat 1,100 spectators and accommodation all over for 10,000.
The dressing rooms were the largest in Sydney, replete with lockers, showers and every facility.
The Saints were delighted - especially when a gala day in March realised 710 pounds, 18 shillings and 5 pence. 'A great ground to watch the game from' said Glynn Price. 'You were right on the touchline, very close to play. People used to sit on the railway bank.' Earl Park later was offered to St.George and/or the NSWRL for 5000 pounds. Neither was in a position to buy it and in the early 1940s the ground ultimately went to Cooks Caramels who constructed a factory on the site.'

The Earl Park riot St George 1925:
click on pick for larger image The memory of Earl Park is assured because of the riot that took place there on August the 11th, 1928 when St.George defeated Balmain 21-3 in a spiteful match.

The referee, Brannaghan, lost control of proceedings in the 2nd half sending off St.George forward Harry Flower but took no decisive action against the thuggery of the Balmain players.

George Carstairs was booted in the face whilst playing the ball and five minutes from the end was kicked in the head and knocked unconscious by Balmain forward Tony Russell. Brannaghan only cautioned Russell and this infuriated the Earl Park crowd.

In the midst of the incident, St.George coach Frank Burge and secretary Reg Fusedale entered the arena to speak to Brannaghan.
The final straw for the Earl Park crowd was when Balmain player George Bishop began chasing Saints' Arnold Traynor off the pitch. Hundreds of furious St.George supporters invaded the field and ripped off fence palings and began assaulting the Balmain players.
Alex Mackie remembers one man running around behind the grandstand with an axe.

The police attempted to restore order but this didn't prevent Russell from being badly beaten by the crowd.
Russell suffered leg and head injuries and ended up in the same ambulance as Carstairs. Unable to contain himself, Russell lunged at Carstairs the ambulancemen had to intervene to pull the two apart. Order was eventually restored. A week later, the NSWRL conducted it's own investigation blaming the crowd and exonerating the players.

Source: http://www.showroom.com.au/dragons/dragonshistory/history_grounds.htm