Newtown Rugby League Football Club - Founded 1908

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The passing of a Newtown Rugby League great - Charles "Chicka" Cahill.

Charles "Chicka" Cahill passed away yesterday (July 14th 2007) at his home on the Gold Coast at the age of 91.

"Chicka" was a product of the Northern Suburbs (Newcastle) club and played with the Newtown Rugby League Football Club from 1941 to 1947.

He was Newtown’s lock forward in the club’s First Grade premiership-winning team of 1943.

His Newtown team-mates included great names like Frank “Bumper” Farrell, Herb Narvo, Len Smith, Siddy Goodwin, Bruce Ryan and Tommy Kirk. Newtown's opponents in the 1943 Grand Final, North Sydney, were captained by none other than Frank Hyde.

"Chicka" was the last remaining Newtown player from that far-off premiership winning team.

He represented NSW in the 1940’s and was probably one of many contemporaries who were denied international representative honours by the war years.

He later coached Newtown’s first grade side from 1959 to 1961, served on the Newtown RLFC committee and was President the of Newtown club in the 1970’s.

He was a Life Member of the Newtown RLFC and the NSW Rugby League and is remembered as a man of great integrity and dignity.

Farewell to a wonderful old Bluebag.