Molly Cane and Nellie Doherty were among the young women from North Sydney who made sporting history in 1921 as players in Australia’s first organised women’s rugby league competition. At a time when women’s participation in contact sport was both rare and controversial, their involvement in the short-lived Metropolitan Ladies’ Rugby League represented a bold step into public and physical life.
Both women played in the inaugural match at the Sydney Showground before a crowd of up to 30,000. Their team, the Metropolitan Blues, faced off against the Sydney Reds in a game that attracted significant media attention and public interest. While the competition was disbanded within months due to institutional resistance, it offered a glimpse of what women’s sport could be — skilled, dynamic and community-driven.
Molly and Nellie’s connection to North Sydney reflects the area’s early association with progressive ideas and working-class resilience. Though their time on the field was brief, their presence challenged conventions and opened a path for future generations of female athletes. Their story remains an important chapter in the cultural history of sport and women’s visibility in the local area.
Find out more about Molly Cane and Nellie Doherty
- View images of the first Women's Rugby Leagye match from 1921: 20,000 PEOPLE WITNESSED A RUGBY FOOTBALL MATCH PLAYED AT THE SYDNEY SHOWGROUND, BETWEEN METROPOLITAN AND SYDNEY TEAMS OF WOMEN FOOTBALLERS. (S. J. Hood photo.).
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