Frank Cheadle

Frank Cheadle (1885–1916) was a pioneer Australian rugby league player and soldier who fell in World War I. A national representative centre, he was reputedly the first Sydney rugby union player to sign with the new breakaway league in its earliest formative days in late 1907. He played for New South Wales in the very first rugby match run by the newly created 'New South Wales Rugby Football League' which had just split away from the established New South Wales Rugby Football Union.

Early life

Born in Wollongong, New South Wales, Cheadle's family moved to Sydney when he was young. He grew up in the inner-western suburbs of Marrickville and Stanmore and was educated at Fort Street High School. He was playing rugby union with the Newtown RUFC in 1906 and on the verge of national selection when he signed with the new rugby league code.

Rugby league career

Cheadle played in the inaugural series of matches between New South Wales and Baskerville's touring "All Golds" in 1907. Part of Newtown's original rugby league team of 1908, he debuted for Australia in the inaugural Tests in early 1908 against those same New Zealanders on the homeward leg of their trip to England and back. He was selected in the inaugural Kangaroo tour of 1908-09 but took part in only seven tour matches and no Tests.