1909 Inter-State Series

The 1909 Inter-State Series was the inaugural inter-state ice hockey championship in Australia.
==The series==
The first inter-state ice hockey championship was held between a state representative team from Victoria and from New South Wales. This tournament was a best-of-3 format and saw Victoria win the series 2 games to 1. New South Wales was represented by a newly formed team in 1909 and traveled to Melbourne on 29 August 1909 which marked the first national interstate competition for senior men's hockey in Australia.
;Game one
31 August 1909 as the first interstate ice hockey championship series to take place in Australia, there was anticipation for the event in the media. The scoring in the game began with a goal by New South Wales captain, Norman Ducker. The score remained 1-0 for the visiting New South Wales team by the end of the first half of play.
The second half started off with a quick goal by Les Turnbull to increase the score to 2-0 in favor of New South Wales. Victoria were able to only score one goal later in the second half with a goal by Andrew Reid to bring the score to 2-1. The final score of the game saw the larger New South Wales team defeat Victoria 2-1.
;Game two
Friday 3 September 1909 the Victorian team defeated the New South Wales team 1-0, giving Victorian goaltender Charles Watt the first recorded shutout in Goodall Cup history.
;Game three
Saturday 4 September 1909 saw both teams enter the final game of the inaugural interstate competition having one game each. The first goal was scored by Andrew Reid of Victoria. The second goal was from a rush by Keith Walker to increase the lead for team Victoria to 2-0 and the end of the first half of game play.
Within approximately 3 minutes of the 2nd half of the game, Norman Ducker was on a rush with Arthur Cuthbertson following close behind and shot at the net with making the save but Cuthbertson quickly buried the rebound. Victoria would go on to dominate the game with Victoria captain Robert Jackson scoring 3 quick goals and in the final moments of the game Walker scored from a pass by Andrew Reid. Victoria defeated New South Wales 6-1 and became the first team to win the interstate championship in Australia and the first to be awarded the Goodall Cup.
Game-by-game 	Game-by-game 	Away Team 	Score 	Home Team 	Scoring Summary 	Location
1 	August 31 	New South Wales 	2–1 	Victoria 	NSW - Ducker, Turnbull VIC - A. Reid 	Melbourne Glaciarium
2 	September 3 	New South Wales 	0–1 	Victoria 	VIC - K. Walker 	Melbourne Glaciarium
3 	September 4 	New South Wales 	1–6 	Victoria 	VIC - Jackson (3), Walker (2), A. Reid NSW - Cuthbertson	Melbourne Glaciarium
Victoria win best-of-three series 2 games to 1	Victoria win best-of-three series 2 games to 1	Victoria win best-of-three series 2 games to 1	Victoria win best-of-three series 2 games to 1	Victoria win best-of-three series 2 games to 1	Victoria win best-of-three series 2 games to 1 	Victoria win best-of-three series 2 games to 1
== Teams ==
===Victoria===
The Victoria team was made from the following players
* Robert Jackson (Captain)
* Andrew Reid
* Walter Purbrick
* Keith Walker
* J. Blair
* Charles Watt (Goaltender)
===New South Wales===
The New South Wales team was made from the following players
* Norman Ducker (Captain)
* Arthur Cuthbertson
* Les Turnbull
* Jack Pike
* W. Forsyth
* Cyril Lane (Goaltender)
==Player Statistics==
===Scoring Leaders===
The following players led the interstate championship for points.
Player	Team 	 	 	 	
 	Victoria 	3	3	0	3
 	Victoria 	3	3	0	3
 	New South Wales	3	1	1	2
 	Victoria 	3	2	1	3
 	New South Wales	3	1	0	1
 	New South Wales	3	1	0	1
 	Victoria 	3	0	0	0
 	Victoria 	3	0	0	0
 	New South Wales	3	0	0	0
 	New South Wales	3	0	0	0
===Leading goaltenders===
The following goaltenders led the interstate championship for goals against average.
Player	Team 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	Victoria 	3	2	1	3	1	1.00
 	New South Wales	3	1	2	8	0	2.67
==Contemporary accounts==
===1st match===
"Last night at the Glaciarium, the game of hockey on the ice was added to the number of sports in which the spirit of interstate rivalry between Victoria and New South Wales will hold ample scope for development. As a game it fulfills every qualification demanded of sport - skill, nerve, courage, and the quickness of the hand and eye are its chief hallmarks, and further, all these qualities are harnessed and controlled as the skater flies over the ice at a speed of some 30 miles an hour. The visiting New South Wales team - L. Purnell, J. Cuthbertson, N. Docker (captain), M. Brown, J. Pike, and C. Lane - proved to be a brilliant very fast side. The Victorians, consisting of A. Reid (captain), H. Reid, D. Woods, L.H. Reid, K. Purbrick, and C. Haywood, on the other hand, were very light by comparison still had the advantage of a greater knowledge - in actual play and the science of the game. It was generally supposed that the New South Wales strength would be overcome by the Victorian skill; but from the first moment the visitors put their heads down, they soon carried the Victorians off their feet, with the scores at the interval being New South wales 1 goal to 0, hit by Docker, the New South Wales captain. Shortly after the resumption of play, Turnbull got a second goal for New South Wales, and Victoria was only able to reduce the tally by one goal before time was called. For the winners Lane (in goal), Cuthbertson, and Docker showed excellent form; for Victoria A. Reid stood out as best man and all the remaining members made capital play at one time or another - more often than not a bump from a big New South Welshman brought a fine run to sharp termination. The next game will be played on Friday evening, and a final match on Sunday."
-The Argus, Melbourne, September 1, 1909
===Final match===
"The final interstate match between ice hockey teams representing Victoria and New South Wales took place at the Glaciarium on Saturday night. Considerable interest was evinced in the contest, as this was the last of three encounters between the two teams, and, inasmuch as each side had a victory to its credit, it was to prove the final tussle for supremacy. There was a large concourse of spectators, who displayed keen interest in a very fast and in every way rattling good game. Victoria attacked and A. Reid, with a brilliant piece of work, scored the first goal. Keith Walker, coming up with a magnificent run, scored the second goal for the Victorians. After the resumption the Sydney men came up with a clash and play had not been in progress more than three minutes before a splendid run up by Docker, slowly followed by Cuthbertson, proved too much for the Victorian goal-keeper. A smart shot which Docker aimed into the net was just as smartly hit out, but on the return of the ball (puck) Cuthbertson adroitly put through. After this the visitors never had another look-in. Jackson put on three more goals for his side in quick succession, and just before the call of time, from a swing pass from Reid, Walker put on the sixth goal. The game then ended in the defeat of New South Wales by 6 goals to 1."
-The Argus, Melbourne, September 6, 1909
==References==
*The Argus newspaper
*Ice Legends Australia
Category:1909 in ice hockey