The St George Dragons played their home games at Earl Park from 1925 until 1939 in the New South Wales Rugby Football League Premiership.

Earl Park was situated opposite the Arncliffe Railway Station, and was built on the site that one was a flourishing market garden.

Brannaghan sent-off St. George forward Harry Flower but did not take similar action when it came to the reported thuggery being dished out by the Balmain players.

The incident prompted Saints' coach Frank Burge, and secretary Reg Fusedale, to enter the playing field to talk to Brannaghan.

Bishop began chasing Saints' Arnold Traynor, attempting to settle a score, which prompted the crowd to invade the field, many of whom ripped wooden pickets from the fence surrounding the oval to assault the Balmain players while screaming "We want Russell", with reports from future St George official Alex Mackie that one man was seen running behind the grandstand swinging an axe.

Russell was eventually moved to safety and then bundled into an ambulance, but hostilities continued as he found he was in the same van as George Carstairs.

In an interview more than 40 years after the riot, Tony Russell claimed that it was actually George Carstairs who started it by elbowing him in the face and breaking his nose.

Unfortunately when Lancelot Earl died on 20 June 1938, the ground was put on the open market after being offered to St. George and the NSWRFL for 5,000 pounds.