Despite its success - it was a popular spot to watch a game from and the MCC could sell grandstand tickets for football - the stand didn't exist for long. It's believed it was a dropped cigar that sent it up in flames in 1884, only eight years after it was built.

A model on display in the MCC Museum demonstrates: once certain parts of the stand were removed, it could be tilted on a see-saw contraption to face the other direction. This would take around 12-13 hours to complete.

(Photo from the Herald Sun)

Sydney newspaper Truth pulled no punches about the game:

"Whoever told the hyphenates they could play football is the world's greatest leg-puller. But the joke's on the Rugby League for accepting a combination that would be towelled by a team of salmon-tin dribblers." #NRL

As it happens, this was also the first premiership match where St George used a new type of ball with rubber covering, as opposed to leather balls.

The NSWRFL banned the ball type afterwards, as Canterbury complained it was "too lively, and the bounce beats (the players)." #NRL

Les Griffin scored 36 points from two tries and 15 goals in the match - a record that stood for a whole week before Dave Brown piled on the current record of 45 for Easts against the Berries. Brown scored 38 when the two sides played again in August. #NRL

At the same time, religious figures in Sydney were claiming that Sunday sport "deprives young children of the opportunity of biblical, moral and ethical teaching". (Broadcaster, Fairfield, 28/6/66)

The 1966 season saw growing interest in Sunday rugby league games, and this particular crowd, for a top-of-the-ladder clash no less, was predicted to be "the fore-runner of more big-time Sunday sport". (Canberra Times, 21/6/66)

#NRL

The Lucas girls played the Khaki girls from Melbourne, at Ballarat's Eastern Oval in front of ~7000 spectators, with the locals winning 24-8. It's considered the first recorded women's Australian rules football match

Photo of the Lucas girls team, Ballarat Star, via Trove