In 1910 winger Freddie Farrar , The Farsley Flyer”, was attempting to impress the selectors as he appeared for Yorkshire Probables against Northern Union First Selected in the first “Colonial Trial” for the upcoming tour to Australasia. Freddie scored a try and a match report stated he had done some fine work.
Opposing Freddie was team mate Billy Batten who was already selected for the Tour. Following the second Trial a week later, Freddie was invited to an interview with the Tour Committee to asses his suitability for the tour. This obviously went well as he was invited tour. The newspapers informed us Farrar was 25 years old, 5 foot 8 and a half inches and 10 stone 10 pounds. Billy Batten, Fred Smith and Bill Jukes had gained automatic selection, leaving Hunslet with four representatives, only bettered by Wigan with five.
1885 saw our fixture with Leeds St. Johns, the forerunner of Leeds Rhinos. It was a Yorkshire Cup 3rd round tie. Hunslet had beaten Elland and Bingley previously and hoped home advantage would see them through. 6,000 attended and saw a match which was scoreless as “No time” was called after 80 minutes. Extra time was played and Padgett scored the decisive try (Gilston missed the goal) to take Hunslet through to round four.
Today’s other cup ties were……1891 – Normanton St. Johns had been easliy beaten in round 1 of the Yorkshire Cup at Parkside and the 2nd round brought Newtown to the same enclosure. A relatively easy win for Hunslet 2 goals to nil.
1908 saw the 2nd round of the Challenge Cup. A 14-5 1st round win over Leeds at Headingley had set Hunslet on what would hopefully be successful cup run. Today the 2nd round brought top of the league Oldham to Parkside to face 2nd in the table Hunslet. 20,000 turned out to watch Hunslet enter the field without captain Albert Goldthorpe who had a thigh problem. Whittaker, his replacement, reported in with flu so the comittee decided to experiment with forward Bill Jukes in the halves. Billy Eagers opened the scoring with a drop goal but Oldham were soon in front with two tries and penalty goal before half time. Walter Goldthorpe had added a penalty. Very early in the second period, Harry Wilson went over for a try and later Freddie Farrar extended the lead. An indivdual effort by Farrar sealed the win after a great second half perfomance.
In 1964 first division Hunslet had beaten Wakefield Trinity (after a replay) and Batley to reach the quarter-final. Oldham were again the visitors and were top of division two so no push-overs. On a wet, windy day on a muddy pitch, it was to be a forward battle and Oldham, despite being down to 5 forwards after 14 minutes due to an injury to Noon, were the better side on the day and deservedly went through 7-5.
In 2009 at Whitehaven, juniors Kells provided the opposition as Hunslet eased through this 3rd round Challenge Cup tie 22-12.
In 1896, Parkside welcomed, for the first time in the Northern Union era, Broughton Rangers who came over from Manchester but could only return home with a narrow 5-6 defeat.
