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Environment and Heritage

Koori Knockout

NSW Annual Aboriginal Rugby League Knock Out (NSWAARLKO), also known as the Koori Knockout, 1971, Aboriginal rugby league carnival

Koori United football team, 1972
Image Credit: Photographer unknown/Wright family collection
 

Location

Camdenville Park, 63–65 May Street, St Peters NSW 2044

St Peters is on the land of the Gadigal and Wangal people of the Eora nation.

Accessibility

Wheelchair accessible

About Koori Knockout

The NSW Annual Aboriginal Rugby League Knock Out (NSWAARLKO), also known as the Koori Knockout, is a significant event for Aboriginal people. It first took place on the October long weekend in 1971 at Camdenville Oval in St Peters. Seven teams from across the state gathered to unite, celebrate and showcase Aboriginal culture and sporting talent, laying the foundation for what is acknowledged today as the largest annual gathering for Aboriginal people in Australia.

Group photo of Koori Knockout co-founders (L–R) Bob Morgan, Bill Kennedy, Dan Rose, Vic Wright, and Bob Smith in Woy Woy, NSW, 2010. They are smiling at the camera, wearing green and gold team jackets, and proudly holding the original Koori Knockout trophy.
Koori Knockout co-founders (L-R) Bob Morgan, Bill Kennedy, Dan Rose, Vic Wright and Bob Smith holding the original trophy, Woy Woy, New South Wales, 2010
Image Credit: Bob Morgan

Koori Knockout co-founders (left to right): Bob Morgan, Bill Kennedy, Dan Rose, Vic Wright and Bob Smith holding the original trophy, Woy Woy, New South Wales, 2010

An idea at the Clifton Hotel

Redfern’s Clifton Hotel was a well-known gathering place for Aboriginal people. In the 1960s, 6 young Indigenous men were gathered at the hotel for a meeting of the Koorie United Football Club: Uncle Victor Wright, Bob Smith, Bob Morgan, Bill Kennedy, Danny Rose and the late George Jackson. It was here that the idea of a statewide all-Aboriginal football carnival was conceived.

Uncle Victor recalls the conversation:

We just sat down and had a few little yarns … we wanted something for ourselves, something that was grassroots.

Photo of Brad Cooke at Henson Park, Marrickville, New South Wales, 1992, after winning the under-19s exhibition game. He stands on the field with a proud smile, holding a trophy high above his head. A large crowd of spectators fills the background, capturing a celebratory moment of youth sporting achievement.
Brad Cooke, winner under-19's exhibition game Henson Park, Marrickville, New South Wales, 1992
Image Credit: Photographer unknown/Wright family collection

Brad Cooke, winner under-19s exhibition game, Henson Park, Marrickville, New South Wales, 1992

The early years

The first Koori Knockout took place at Camdenville Oval in St Peters in 1971. Over the October long weekend, 7 teams gathered to play football: Koorie United, Redfern All Blacks, Kempsey, La Perouse, Walgett, Moree and a combined Mt Druitt–South Coast side. In those early years, teams were formed along mob-based and kinship connections.

Uncle Bob Morgan remembers:

The Knockout was never simply about football, it was about family, it was about community, it was getting people to come together and enjoy and celebrate things rather than win the competition football.

The Koorie United hosted the carnival until 1974. In 1975, the Knockout was held in Kempsey. A key factor in this decision was to recognise and pay respect to Vic Wright Snr, from Kempsey, a long-time support of Knockout. He had sadly passed away earlier that year. It was then decided that the winner of each Knockout would host the following year.

This shift from Sydney to include other regional locations, whether cities or rural or coastal locations, reflects the strengthened and sustained connection of Aboriginal communities across New South Wales.

Uncle Bob Smith notes:

It is like the lifeblood in their communities … Taking the trophy is the greatest moment of their lives.

Photo of three Koori United rugby players taken in 1972. The men are standing on a lawn, wearing yellow long-sleeved rugby tops with black V-shaped stripes, along with shorts.
Koori United players have their photo taken, 1972
Image Credit: Photographer unknown/Wright family collection

Koori United players have their photo taken, 1972

Koori Knockout today

The popularity of the Koori Knockout has increased exponentially since 1971, now attracting over 40,000 spectators each year. It is the largest social and sporting event for Aboriginal people in Australia.

Uncle Bill reflects:

The Knockout is no longer a small football carnival or an Aboriginal community event, it is now a major sporting event on the New South Wales calendar.

Black and white group photo of 25 Brothers football players, possibly taken in 1999. The team is arranged in two rows, with some players standing in the back and others kneeling in the front. All are wearing white short-sleeved football jerseys with 'Brothers' printed on them, along with dark shorts and knee-high socks.
Brothers football players, possibly 1999
Image Credit: Photographer unknown/Wright family collection

Brothers football players, possibly in 1999

Described as a 'cultural performance and expression', the Knockout could be seen as a modern-day corroboree. It is a relatively new communal practice but echoes the 4-day traditional ceremonial dances and celebrations that have been central to community life for tens of thousands of years.

Uncle Victor states:

It's been a long, hard journey … [but] when you see where it is today, it's still as strong.

Today, the event continues to embody the spirit in which it was formed. It is where Aboriginal communities across the state gather to view healthy competition, showcase Indigenous sporting talent, reconnect with mob, and honour those who have passed away.

  • Group photo of the Duncan and Hinch families enjoying the Koori Knockout in Dubbo, New South Wales, 2015. Two young boys stand in the front row. Behind them are male and female parents and two teenage boys, one holding a rugby ball, all smiling at the camera. They were wearing rugby tops, with some wearing hats or caps, capturing a joyful family moment at the event.
    Duncan and Hinch families enjoying the Koori Knockout, Dubbo, New South Wales, 2015
    Duncan and Hinch families enjoying the Koori Knockout, Dubbo, New South Wales, 2015
    Image Credit: Barbara McGrady/Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
  • Photo of three Redfern All Blacks (RAB) women’s rugby players at the Koori Knockout in Raymond, New South Wales, on 1 October 2015. The women were walking across the field toward the camera, smiling. They were wearing rugby shirts and shorts.
    RAB (Redfern All Blacks) women, Koori Knockout, Raymond, New South Wales, 1 October 2015
    RAB (Redfern All Blacks) women, Koori Knockout, Raymond, New South Wales, 1 October 2015
    Image Credit: Barbara McGrady/Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
  • Photo of Christopher Woodbridge, Troyden Dixon, and Dillon Walford from Walgett Aboriginal Connection at the Koori Knockout in Tuggerah, 2023. They are on a rugby field, all wearing matching red rugby T-shirts, shorts, and red socks. Two of them are about to high-five, smiling joyfully, capturing a moment of celebration and team spirit.
    Christopher Woodbridge, Troyden Dixon, Dillon Walford, Walgett Aboriginal Connection, Koori Knockout, Tuggerah, 2023
    Christopher Woodbridge, Troyden Dixon, Dillon Walford, Walgett Aboriginal Connection, Koori Knockout, Tuggerah, 2023
    Image Credit: Barbara McGrady/Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales
  • Photo of Shane Phillips enjoying the Knockout, date unknown. He is pointing outward with his finger, while standing next to a male interviewer wearing a cap and a yellow raincoat, who holds a microphone. Behind them, a crowd of people fills the background, capturing the lively atmosphere of the event.
    Shane Phillips enjoying the Knockout, no date
    Shane Phillips enjoying the Knockout, n.d.
    Image Credit: Photographer unknown/Wright family collection
  • Group photo of the Ngaku Warriors rugby team, 1982. The group is arranged in four rows: men standing in the back row, kneeling in the second row, seated in the third row, and five young children seated in the front. Two of the children are holding rugby balls. Most team members are wearing blue long-sleeved jerseys, white pants, and blue knee-high socks.
    Ngaku Warriors, 1982
    Ngaku Warriors, 1982
    Image Credit: Photographer unknown/Wright family collection
  • Black and white photo of Camdenville Park, St Peters, taken in the 1950s. The view looks northeast across a soil holding depot near Council Street, with a chimney stack from a nearby brickworks visible in the background. Several houses line the back of the photo. The image shows the site before the construction of the sports area where the first Koori Knockout would later take place
    Camdenville Park, St Peters (pictured in the 1950s), where the first Koori Knockout took place
    Camdenville Park, St Peters (pictured in the 1950s), where the first Koori Knockout took place
    Image Credit: Milton Kent/City of Sydney Archives
  • Yellow printed card from the Clifton Hotel, issued by Tooth and Company around 1970. The card includes unfilled printed fields detailing hotel land area, structure, number of bedrooms, hot water system type, lighting and sanitary systems, and associated shops or offices. A historical example of mid-century hotel documentation.
    Clifton Hotel Tooth and Company yellow card, circa 1970
    Clifton Hotel Tooth and Company yellow card, circa 1970
    Image Credit: Noel Butlin Archives Centre/Australian National University

References