1910-1911

During the close season there was great interest in the progress of the first Northern Union team to tour Australia and New Zealand, and Leeds followers rejoiced particularly over the fine displays of Fred Webster, who played in 14 out of the 18 matches of the tour. Billy Ward created a favourable impression in the early stages and was a member of the team which won the First Test at Sydney, but then he suffered a temporary loss of form and was rarely in the picture. Frank Young was very unfortunate, being injured in the first game, and then again in the third, so he only played twice and on each occasion was unable to complete the match.

This was in fact to be Young?s last season. Owing to injury he was able to make only nine appearances and he turned out for the last time when Wigan visited Headingley on March 25th. His penalty goal was the only Leeds reply to the twenty points scored by Wigan, and this heavy defeat must have meant an especially sad farewell for one whose name is still revered by many supporters who never fail to compare all full backs with the incomparable? Bucket Young?. The Leeds and Wigan teams on this occasion conjure up memories of many other fine players: Leeds-Young; Barron, Gillie, Haycox, Oliver; Sanders, Dacre; Webster, Harrison, Ward, Jarman, Wagstaff, Biggs. WiganSharrock; Leytham, Jenkins, Todd, Miller; Gleave, Thomas; Seeling, Williams, Whitaker, Ramsdale, Francis, Cheetham.

The League programme opened badly with two defeats out of the first four matches, and although this lack of success was due in some measure to the absence of the tourists, there was great concern over the indifferent form of the backs. Goldthorpe was being greatly missed in the centre, but there was an outcry when Jarman, a forward, was played in that position at Bramley on October 1st. He acquitted himself well, however, and scored the winning try. Victory over Hunslet at Headingley, a week later, put the team in good heart for the trip to Hull in the 1st Round of the Yorkshire Cup. This game should have resulted in a comfortable win for Leeds, but once again the backs failed to make the most of their scoring opportunities, and the interval lead of 6 points to nil was small reward for all the pressure exerted. Hull, aided by the wind, constantly attacked in the second half, but with only six minutes remaining for play we still led by 6 points to 2. Then Francis dropped a goal amid tremendous excitement, and from that moment pandemonium reigned as the fiery Hull supporters whipped up their team for one last desperate bid, which brought the winning try to Moreton, and Rogers sealed the verdict with a last minute conversion. The teams were: Leeds-J. Fawcett; Barron, Gillie, Jarman, Rowe; Sanders, Ware; Webster, Harrison, Biggs, Wagstaff, Topham, W. Ward. Hull-Clarkson; Rogers, Morton, Cottrell, Sykes; Wallace, Francis; Connell, Boylen, Holder, Walton, Herridge, Taylor.

Following this defeat the Committee set about the task of rebuilding the back division, and there was a great deal of activity in the transfer market during the next few months. Few were surprised when Rowe, a very accomplished player who had been unable to do himself justice at Headingley owing to injury, was transferred to Rochdale, but there was some concern when Ware, who had shown exceptional promise, was allowed to join Dewsbury. Moran was placed on the transfer list, and Bramley obtained the services of R. Ward. Meanwhile, new blood was introduced: T. Wynard, centre or wing, from Normanton St. John?s; C. E. Haycox, of Normanton, who had played with the Hunslet 1st team at the age of 17; and Ivor Evans, centre from Newport, whose career at Headingley was limited to only ten appearances. The pack, too, was strengthened through the addition of Fred Godward, a miner from the Knottingley district, who made his debut at Headingley against Oldham on New Year?s Eve. Godward became a real stalwart and served the Club loyally and well for thirteen seasons.

Leigh were defeated at Headingley in the 1st Round of the R.L. Cup Competition, but the issue was in doubt until eight minutes from the end, at which stage Barron scored a memorable try, seizing on a loose ball and racing for the line with Bolewski and Neville in hot pursuit. The game was marred by many unpleasant incidents and W. Ward was dismissed from the field shortly after the interval. The 2nd Round match at Knowsley Road opened badly for Leeds as St. Helens scored two tries in the first ten minutes-one was the result of an error on the part of Ivor Evans who failed to make the ball dead. But our players rallied strongly immediately before the interval to score eight points, and from that time they were never in danger of defeat though it must be recorded that St. Helens were handicapped through injuries sustained by Greenwood and Kelly.

A record Headingley crowd of 24,815 witnessed a splendid 3rd Round game with Wigan. Our players had first half advantage of wind and rain, but were only able to establish a two points lead through a penalty goal kicked by Young. Wigan?s second half task was made much easier because of a tactical error on the part of Leeds who withdrew Jarman from the pack to play him as an extra back. This was fatal as up to then it had been essentially a forward game. The Wigan backs now had a preponderance of the ball from the scrummages, and Johnny Thomas soon showed the way to victory. This extremely disappointing season ended on a note of despair and frustration with only two victories out of the last seven League matches. There were obviously many problems to be tackled by the Committee, but the main concern must surely have been over the half-back combination. Analysis of the teams played during the season reveals that no fewer than fourteen different pairs were selected, with the following pIayers alternating in every conceivable way: Sanders, Ware, Brooksby, Brook, Jarman, Fawcett, Gillie, Dacre, Haycox. There could be no hope for any continued success until a successful partnership was allowed to develop.