The Newtown Jets and North Sydney Bears are proudly built on a rich history and heritage, but as the foundation clubs battled out an enthralling 22-all draw at Henson Oval, there was more on the line than just two competition points.
Frank Hyde is known to many as one of the great rugby league commentators, but he also played 15 first-grade games for the Jets between 1936-37, before a short stint at the Balmain Tigers and finishing his career at the Bears in 1942-43.
The 1943 season saw Hyde lead the Bears to a NSWRL grand final appearance in a captain-coach role, despite going down 34-7 to none other than the Newtown Jets.
The Frank Hyde Shield draws passionate fans from near and far, and as they flocked the King George V Memorial Grandstand in anticipation of the first-leg between the two sides, it made for another blistering afternoon of Rugby League, on a day that celebrates the proud history of the two heritage clubs.
Despite letting a 22-18 slip in the dying stages of the contest, Jets head-coach Greg Matterson was still able to relish the historical occasion following full-time, with the Round 9 clash being the first-time match at Henson Oval has been broadcasted on free-to-air TV since 1987.
"It's great for the club and actually great for the whole competition because [when] you go to all the other grounds you don't get anything like this," he told NSWRL.com.au
"The crowd that was here today was outstanding, it was a good atmosphere and a Channel Nine game so I think it's a great product to push for the ISP."
While the Jets have endured a roller-coaster start to their season and are yet to post back-to-back victories, it was a defining game for his side considering the significant build-up.
After trailing 18-6 at half-time, Matterson motivated his side by focusing on the high-octane atmosphere and media attention, and it proved monumental in their fight-back as they responded with three unanswered tries.
"The only message I used [about the occasion] was at half-time when I was trying to lift the boys - I just said ‘you're on TV, your friends and your workmates and everyone is here watching you so you need to step up and put a good performance in," he said
"I didn't use it as motivation before that, but I did at half-time [because] we need to compete with the better sides."
Frank Hyde was made a Member of Order of the British Empire in 1974, and a Medal of the Order Of Australia (OAM) in 1990 for his services to Rugby League.
His catchphrase of "it's long enough, it's high enough and its straight between the posts" is firmly embedded in Rugby League folklore, and he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 for his contribution to the game.
His significant impact on the North Sydney Bears is forever entrenched in the clubs legacy, and veteran Greg Florimo, the most capped player in their history with 285 first-grade games, knows better than most on what that legacy stands for.
"Rugby league players are rugby league players, they have a passion and they're born for it," he said
"They buy in and that's what we're looking for - the history between the two clubs is long-standing and well-known and the players buy into it.
"Their performances matched that today in parts, however, it was a bit inconsistent but it's a learning curve and a work in progress."
Fans can look forward to the next instalment of the Frank Hyde Shield when the Bears host the Newtown Jets at North Sydney Oval in Round 18 of the Intrust Super Premiership NSW.
