Earl Park, Arncliffe
| Location | Arncliffe, New South Wales |
|---|---|
| Surface | Grass |
| Tenants | |
| St George Dragons (NSWRL) (1925 - 1939) | |
Earl Park is the name of a former sports field in the Sydney suburb of Arncliffe. From 1925 to 1939 it was the site of New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership club, St. George's home ground and headquarters. The ground was provided by a club benefactor named Lancelot Lewis Earl (1862-1938). Lancelot Earl owned and lived on the Earl Park estate until his death in 1938. The estate was sold in 1940 and a factory was built on the site.
The St George Dragons played their home games at Earl Park from 1925 until 1939 in the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership.
The club set the League records for highest scoring match, largest winning margin, and most points scored by a team in a match at the ground when they won 91-6 against neighbouring club Canterbury-Bankstown on 11 May 1935. During that game Les Griffin set two other records for the club: most points in a match (36) and most goals in a match (15). For the 1940 NSWRFL season, St. George left Earl Park, moving back to Hurstville Oval.
Earl Park was the site of the infamous Earl Park Riot. On 11 August 1928, St. George played their Round 11 match of the 1928 NSWRFL season against Balmain at the ground in front of about 6,000 fans, with most supporting St George. Saints won a spiteful match 21-3 as referee Mick Brannaghan lost control of the match in the second half. Brannaghan sent-off St. George forward Harry Flower but did not take similar action when it came to the reported thuggery being dished out by the Balmain players. Saints' player George Carstairs was kicked in the face while he attempted to play the ball, and five minutes from time was knocked unconscious after being kicked in the head by Balmain forward Tony Russell. Brannaghan cautioned Russell, and, after Balmain's earlier violent tactics, the Earl Park crowd was infuriated. The incident prompted Saints' coach Frank Burge, and secretary Reg Fusedale, to enter the playing field to talk to Brannaghan.
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