The football season of 1898 was a non-event - literally. Despite promising signs of consolidation in 1897, the game faded into complete football darkness. Seemingly, no games at all were played in 1898.
Fortunately, sufficient enthusiastic players and administrators co-operated in 1899 to launch a viable competition. Proceedings of Newtown at its annual meeting on Saturday, 8 April at the Exchange Hotel revealed an organisation much in need of support and encouragement. Newtown faced the crucial challenge of recruiting sufficient numbers of players. A lack of confidence was revealed furthermore by a decision not to join the Central Western Rugby Union for the 1899 season. No reasons were reported but the difficulty of convincing players to travel considerable distances was probably the root cause. The unspoken plan seemed to achieve consolidation by playing matches against the Ormonde Club and perhaps friendly games against teams which were prepared to compete in Dubbo. The meeting concluded on a positive note. Secretary Tink was "instructed to purchase the necessary globe at once, and that the first afternoon`s kicking was fixed for to-day (Wednesday),when all players are requested to attend." (Dubbo Liberal, Wednesday, 12 April, 1899) The annual meeting proceedings of the Ormonde Club where plans for the 1899 season were decided and the year`s office bearers were not reported.
Club Officials, Administrators and Managers. The Newtown and Ormonde clubs were fortunate to have attracted officials who generally were active, influential and dedicated.
Newtown`s main administrators and managers were: patron, E. H. Utley; president, W. W. Baird; vice-presidents, Jack Hives, snr, T. H. Purvis, J. D. Wilkinson, G. H. Taylor, R. J. J. Ryan, R. G. Dulhunty; committee of management, Jno. Murray, M. Cronin, E. Howe, C. J. Newman, V. Dulhunty, T. H. Tourle; hon. secretary and treasurer, W. E. Tink.
W. W. Baird, R. G.Dulhunty, V. Dulhunty, W. E. Tink and T. H. Tourle were descendants of some of Dubbo`s most pre-eminent rural families. E. H. Utley, G. H. Taylor and R. J. J. Ryan excelled as the town`s aldermen - they were sometime mayors of Dubbo, and successful businesmen. Jack Hives, snr.,T. H. Purvis and D. Wilkinson were prominent leaders of the mercantile sector of the town. The footballers among the directors were John Murray, M. Cronin and E. Howe.
Ormonde Football Club`s 1897 administrators were not quite as impressive as those of Newtown. The office bearers were: president, Simeon Phillips, M. P., vice-presidents, R. W. Mitchell, T. Gopsill and Jack Hives, snr; treasurer,W. Hean; secretary, M. B. Houlahan; committee, Jack Hives, jnr., W. Heap, P. O`Meara, R. Frawley, J. Murray; selection committee; M. B. Houlahan, J. B. Frawley.
Gearing up for the 1899 season, Newtown Club held a planning meeting at the Royal Hotel on the evening of Saturday,13 May. The club then had attracted 28 members and had a credit balance of £2 19s. Trophies were promised by S.J.Cadman, Herman Fischer and George Roth. M. J. Mitchell also offered to meet the cost of a football which was reserved for competition between Newtown and Ormonde clubs. The club winning Mitchell`s football needed to win two matches out of the three set for the local competition. G. R. Ross added to the Mitchell football trophy by donating a silver cup.
Another significant meeting open to the public, mainly directed at Ormonde and Newtown supporters, was held at the Exchange Hotel on Saturday, 22 July. Two central decisions were taken. The first was to select a Dubbo combination to play Wellington and Burrell Creek teams at Wellington on Saturday,29 July. In the other move Jack Hives, jnr was appointed as captain for future combined team matches and T. H. Tourle as the vice-captain. Quickly it was being realised that some form of controlling body was necessary to ensure the claims of club players for Dubbo district selection were justly considered and to provide the necessary managerial control of season fixtures.
