The New South Wales rugby union side had defeated the All Blacks 14–0 in their second of two matches in 1907 and so were expected to be tough opponents.

Ed Fry played in all three matches and along with the other Australian rebel players was promptly blacklisted by the New South Wales Rugby Union for breaching its fundamental principle of amateurism.

Along with Billy Cann, Arthur Hennessy, S. G. "George" Ball and John J McGrath, Fry was one of five founders of the South Sydney District Rugby League Football Club,[3] attending meetings in October 1907.

In 1908 Fry played for the Rabbitohs in the inaugural NSWRFL season,[4] and was a member of the run-on side in South's first-ever game on 20 April 1908 (Easter Monday) at Birchgrove Oval against North Sydney.

The New Zealand AtoZ website reports that in the first ever interstate clash a particular Queensland tackle rendered one NSW player – Ed Fry – completely naked from the waist down although it did not stop him from scoring a try.