The verification of this player’s identity required a careful examination as he was always referred to as E. Murphy or just Murphy in the Newcastle and District newspapers. An examination of electoral rolls from the 1930’s indicated that there was only one E. Murphy of the right age and who had been in Maitland for any length of time, and that was Edward Thomas Murphy.
To further support this conclusion, a newspaper record of Edward Thomas Murphy’s marriage in 1935 was found. The best man was Cecil Keating who had played rugby league with E. Murphy from 1928 to 1937. Cecil Keating was a regular Maitland First Grade player and represented Newcastle in 1935.
