The Redfern All Blacks, also known as RABs or Redfern, are an

Indigenous Australian Indigenous Australians or Australian First Nations are people with familial heritage from, and membership in, the ethnic groups that lived in Australia before British colonisation. They consist of two distinct groups: the Aboriginal peoples ...

semi-professional rugby league club based in Redfern, New South Wales, They are a part of the South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League.

History

Redfern All Blacks is the oldest

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 11 ...

club in Australia. It was co-founded in 1938 by

Bill Onus William Townsend Onus Jnr (15 November 1906 – 10 January 1968) was an Aboriginal Australian political activist, designer, and showman, also known for his boomerang-throwing skills. He was father of artist Lin Onus. Early life and educati ...

and Wesley Simms, during the Great Depression. Some reports suggest that the club was officially established by a group of non-Aboriginal and Aboriginal people in 1944. The club, often referred to as RABs or Redfern, was named after their black guernseys, part of the uniform provided by the South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League in their first playing season. At the time the club was formed,

Aboriginal Australians Aboriginal Australians are the various Indigenous peoples of the Australian mainland and many of its islands, such as Tasmania, Fraser Island, Hinchinbrook Island, the Tiwi Islands, and Groote Eylandt, but excluding the Torres Strait Isl ...

were denied rights afforded to other Australians. Socially, culturally and politically, the club was important to many Indigenous Australians in Redfern at the time, and the club today is central to the history of Aboriginal Redfern. In 1969, Redfern's rugby team had already made a name for itself, and the team were invited to play in New Zealand against the local Maori team in 1971. The All Blacks left a significant impression on the Kiwis, defeating the Maori team in a number of games. In 1973, the Redfern All Blacks became one of the founding member clubs that formed the inaugural

NSW Koori Knockout NSW Koori Rugby League Knockout Carnival is one of the biggest Indigenous gatherings in Australia. The first knockout was held at Camdenville Park, St Peters, on the October long weekend of 1971 with seven participating teams. The winning team ga ...

in which seven teams participated.

Notable team members

Bobby McLeod Bobby McLeod (1947 – 30 May 2009) was an Aboriginal activist, poet, healer, musician and Yuin elder. He was from Wreck Bay Village, Jervis Bay Territory. He was involved in the fight for Aboriginal rights in Australia and travelled the world sp ...

* Michael Mundine * Tony Mundine * Shane Phillips, CEO of Tribal Warrior

Notable players to play for Redfern All Blacks

* Mervyn "Boomanulla" Williams *

Matthew Allwood Matthew Allwood (born 16 November 1992) is an Indigenous Australians, Indigenous Australian former professional rugby league footballer who previously played as a and for the New Zealand Warriors and Canberra Raiders in the National Rugby Lea ...

Josh Addo-Carr Josh Addo-Carr (born 28 July 1995) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a er for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Australia at international level. He began his career with ...

Andrew Dunemann Andrew Dunemann (born 6 October 1976) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer and coach who played in the 1990s and 2000s. Primarily a , he played for the Gold Coast Seagulls, North Queensland Cowboys, South Sydney Rabbi ...

* Solomon Haumono *

Greg Inglis Gregory Paul Inglis (born 15 January 1987), also known by the nickname of "G.I.", is a retired Australian professional rugby league footballer. His regular playing positions were Centre, Fullback, Five-eighth and Wing. From 2011 to 2019 he pl ...

Nathan Merritt Nathan Merritt (born 26 May 1983) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. A New South Wales State of Origin representative , he played in the National Rugby League for the South Sydney Rab ...

* Ron Merritt * Tony Merritt *

Anthony Mundine Anthony Mundine Jr. (born 21 May 1975) is an Australian former professional boxer and rugby league footballer. In boxing he competed from 2000 to 2021, and held the WBA super-middleweight title twice between 2003 and 2008. He also held the I ...

* Wes Patten * Reece Robinson *

Travis Robinson Travis Robinson (born 13 June 1987) is a Lebanon international rugby league footballer who plays as a and for the Newtown Jets in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW. He previously played for the Penrith Panthers in the National Rugby League. ...

Gorden Tallis Gorden James Tallis (born 27 July 1973), also known by the nickname of "Raging Bull" for his on-field aggression, is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin and ...

Darrell Trindall Darrell Wayne 'Tricky' Trindall (born 16 February 1972) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. Background Trindall was born in Narrabri, New South Wales, Australia. Career He played for the South Sy ...

* Dean Widders * Jonathan Wright

Honours and records

* South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League (A Grade) **Six: 1974, 1987, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 * NSW Koori Knockout Men Titles **Eight: 1972, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 1993, 2015, 2016 * Koori vs. Murri Interstate Challenge **One: 2017 * NSWRL Women's Premiership Titles **Two: 2005, 2017 * NSW Koori Knockout Women Titles **Five: 2010, 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017

2018 A Grade Squad

References

External links

* * {{Facebook, redfernallblacksrlfc Rugby league teams in Sydney Indigenous Australian sport Rugby clubs established in 1944 1944 establishments in Australia Redfern, New South Wales