Forget the Winfield Cup and State of Origin shield there's another rugby league trophy that has more history than both of them and it was once fiercely contested in court.
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The Blayney Citizens' Cup is one of the oldest trophies still awarded in Australian sport, with Neville being first awarded it in 1913.
That competition however was played under rugby union rules with the cup transitioning to league following the First World War, during which it wasn't played.
Mandurama won it in 1918 and 1919 (although this is not present on the trophy) and the next team to appear was Blayney Bears in 1922, the first of five consecutive wins by Blayney-based clubs. Blayney Blues, Blayney Militia and Blayney Waratahs.
No rugby league story is complete without a trip to court however and that's exactly what the cup did in 1921.
The ownership of the cup had been in dispute with a Mr Thomas Dobell, hotelkeeper at Mandurama, refusing to return it. Proceedings were brought forward by a W.J. Barratt and D. Westgarth.
Here's how the Cowra Free Press reported it at the time:
'D. Westgath gave evidence that Mr. Barratt and himself were trustees of a Cup bought by Blayney citizens as a trophy for competition amongst district clubs; it was won by Mandurama club in 1918 and 1919, and in June 5th, 1919, the cup was handed to the secretary of Mandurama club.
'W. J. Cox, by the trustees, Mr. Cox giving a receipt for it and a guarantee to return it by September 5th, 1919.'
Style at the time was for a club to be gifted possession of a cup if they win three years in a row. Sydney Roosters were given the same honour after wining the NSWRL premiership from 1911-13.
However with no competition run in 1920, it was decreed that Mandurama didn't actually have rights to the cup.
They clearly disagreed as the report continues.
'He (Westgarth) had written to Mandurama club several times asking for the return of the cup, but had received no reply; in August last he went to defendant's hotel at Mandurama and spoke to Thomas Dolbell, who produced the cup in his possession; witness demanded it on behalf of the trustees and defendant refused to give it up; he told Dolbell he had been instructed to take legal proceedings for its recovery; Dolbell said it was there when he took over the hotel and he would not give it up unless Mandurama club told him to.'
The court ordered that Mandurama return the cup and so it continues to be given to the winner at the end of every season.
The cup disappeared again from 1933 to 1947 but since then its been played consistently with Blayney Institute winning it in 1948.
Carcoar Crows are the most dominant team in the cup's history, winning 19 times between 1931 and 2022. They folded in 2001 but returned in 2019 for the Western Community Cup.
The cup itself has served as the ultimate prize for a number of competitions over the course of its history. In 1970 it became the Group 10 second division, being named the Mid-West Cup in 1990.
Sadly in 2022 the cup wasn't played in its traditional format after several clubs couldn't field teams. Three clubs - CSU, Oberon and Orange United - joined the Woodbridge Cup instead but the cup still managed to find a way to be awarded.
The Midwest Community Cup was held in October with Carcoar, Protland Colts, Burrandong Bears and Kandos Waratahs competing. Fittingly it was the Crows taking the trophy home yet again thanks to a 30-12 win over Portland in the final.
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