The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate reported on 5 May 1917:
A GRANVILLE SOCCER CHAMPION’S DEATH
Five years ago Mr. and Mrs. Wm, Cottam, of ‘Werriwa,’ High-street, Harris Park, migrated to Australia with the whole of their family, which comprised two sons, John Willie and Albert. The oldest son, J. W., was not long in Australia before his credentials secured for him a position in the Clyde boiler-works, and this position he kept until he heard his country’s call, and, hearing it, enlisted for active service on July 19, 1915, from Parramatta. He went into camp a fortnight later at Liverpool, and sailed for Egypt on November 2, arriving there 22 days later, on the 24th.
He was in the trenches at the Suez Canal for a while before being sent direct to France, where he arrived on March 28, with the first division to be sent direct from Egypt. He has been in the trenches, practically speaking, ever since, although he was knocked over with a bomb early in the Pozieres fighting, as well as having suffered slightly with ‘trench foot,’ which kept him in hospital for a month. On both occasions (and this is perhaps another illustration of the dire need of reinforcements for our soldiers) he was returned to the firing-line and had gone right through until it came to his turn to pay the supreme price, as conveyed to the family on Saturday last by Rev. S. M. Johnstone — ‘died in clearing hospital, as the result of gunshot wound in the forehead, on April 17.’
The deceased soldier was a great favorite in this district. He was a noted Soccer footballer, and many members — and high officials, too — of the G. and D.F.A. have this week quietly and unassumingly bowed their heads as they heard the sad news. He was a prominent member of the redoubtable ‘Magpies,’ and played centre forward in the team that won the double event — the Gardiner and Rawson Cups — in one season (1914), following it up in 1915 by again winning the Rawson Cup and only meeting defeat for the Gardiner Cup in the semi-final. He also held an honor cap from the Sydney association.
His only, brother, Private Albert Cottam, is 21 years of age, and is still fighting in France; He enlisted in November, 1915, was ill in Egypt, completed his training in England, and has been in the firing-line since November 10, 1910. He, too, was a footballer before enlisting, but was attached to the Parramatta Juniors, who won the Soccer medals in 1914. Both young men were adherents of the Congregational Church at Parramatta. Much genuine sympathy is expressed with Mr. and Mrs. Cottam, who willingly allowed their two boys — their only children — to return over the vast expanse of ocean to fight for the country of their birth and the land of their adoption.
May their example be emulated by some of the cold-footed wasters who ever try to detract from the merits of ‘Pommies.’ Out of respect to their late fellow work men, the flag at Clyde Works was flying half-mast during the week, and upon receipt of the sad news Alderman H. A. Membrey (president) and Mr. Fred Robertson (secretary), of the G. and D.F.A., called upon Mr. and Mrs. Cottam and extended the sympathy of the association.
John Cottam’s death so affected the football community in New South Wales that it renamed the Rawson Cup in his honor. The Arrow on 15 October 1920 explained:
 The Cottam Cup is a memorial trophy. It was originally the trophy for the First League premiership, and was donated by the late Sir Harry Rawson and known as the Rawson Cup. It was won outright by Granville, who handed it over to the Granville Association, to be played for annually as a memorial to Jack Cottam a clever forward, who made the supreme sacrifice in France.Â
The following video was produced by Noel Dona and gives the story of the Rawson Cup and its transition to the Cottam Cup.