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Newcastle (1908-09)

Full name	Newcastle Rebels
Colours	Red and White
Entered 1st grade	1908 (foundation club)
Departed 1st grade	1909
Sport	Rugby league
League	NSWRL
1909	3rd of 8
Premierships	Nil
Runners-up	Nil
Minor premiers	Nil
Wooden spoons	Nil
Biggest win	37 - 0 vs. Cumberland, May 16, 1908
Worst defeat	0 - 20 vs. Souths, August 14, 1909

Newcastle were a rugby league team who played in the NSWRL competition from 1908-1909, one of the nine foundation clubs. After the formation of several clubs in January 1908, members of the NSWRL came to Newcastle to hold talks with the local footballing community at a meeting in February 8th 1908. However, at this meeting the motion to have a public meeting was lost. The local rugby union fraternity threatened sanctions and further recruitment occurred in secret. Finally a band of Rebel Pioneers assembled and signed up on April 10th, just days before the start of the competition.

Sometimes called the 'Rebels', they played in a strip of red and white hoops. Their moment of glory came in the latter weeks of 1909 when they beat league leaders South Sydney 7-6 on August 7th in front of 3000 spectators at the Newcastle Showground. It was Souths' only loss for the season. This had come three days after beating a New Zealand Maori team.

Newcastle finished fourth and made the semis but were beaten by Souths 20-0.

The following year, the team left the NSWRL as a local Newcastle Rugby League competition was established and many players joined the four Newcastle foundation clubs. They replaced by Annandale in the NSWRL.

In 1988, a new team, the Newcastle Knights again represented the Newcastle district in the NSWRL and its successors.

• Power, Bob (1992). The Rebels of Rugby: The Story of Newcastle Rugby League Pioneers "The Bolsheviks vs. The Lilywhites" 1907-1920. Newcastle, New South Wales: self. ISBN. 

• RL1908's Newcastle page