NSWRFL_season_1944

1944 NSWRFL season

1944 NSWRFL season

Rugby league competition

The 1944 NSWRFL season was the thirty-seventh season of the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership, Sydney’s top-level rugby league competition, and Australia’s first. Eight teams from across the city contested the premiership during the season which culminated in Balmain’s victory over Newtown in the grand final.[1]

Quick Facts Teams, Premiers ...

Teams

Balmain

37th season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Norm Robinson
Captain: Arthur Patton

 Canterbury-Bankstown

10th season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Coach: Ron Bailey→Cec Fifield
Captain: Ron Bailey

 Eastern Suburbs

37th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Sid Pearce
Captain: Harry Pierce

 Newtown

37th season
Ground: Henson Park
Coach: Arthur Folwell
Captain: Frank Farrell

North Sydney

37th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Captain-Coach: Frank Hyde

 South Sydney

37th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Alf Blair
Captain: Jack Walsh

 St. George

24th season
Ground: Hurstville Oval
Coach: Bill Kelly
Captain: Len Kelly

 Western Suburbs

37th season
Ground: Pratten Park
Coach: Henry Bolewski
Captain: Paddy Bugden

Ladder

The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1944 premiership across Sydney.
More information Team, Pld ...

Finals

Newtown looked set for back-to-back titles after finishing as minor premiers. Both Newtown and Balmain won their respective semi-finals with the Bluebags blitzing St George by 55 points to 7, which was to remain the Dragons’ largest losing margin until 1994[2] and the largest margin in a finals match until 2019.[3][4][5][6] However injuries and war duties then ravaged the side including the key losses of Len Smith and Herb Narvo who had starred for them all season. Balmain thus overcame Newtown 19–16 in the final, enabling Newtown a “right of challenge”.

More information Home, Score ...

Grand Final

More information Newtown, Position ...

Newtown exercised their “right of challenge” as minor premiers and called for a Grand Final. In a low-scoring affair Balmain's representative centre Joe Jorgenson kicked two late penalty goals to give the Tigers a 12–8 win and their eighth title.

Balmain 12 (Tries: Devery, K Parkinson. Goals: Jorgenson 3)

defeated

Newtown 8 (Tries: Farrell, McLean. Goals: Kirk)

Tom Bourke of Balmain, with the ball, is about to be tackled by the Newtown defence. In the foreground Balmain pair Stan Ponchard (No.7) and Keith Parkinson (No.18) watch on.

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 14.

More information Points, Player ...

References

  1. [1]
    Premiership Roll of Honour Archived 2007-04-28 at the Wayback Machine at rl1908.com
  2. [2]
    St. George: Biggest Losses
  3. [3]
    "Parramatta Eels eliminate Brisbane Broncos from the NRL Finals with a thumping 58-0 win". ABC News. 15 September 2019.
  4. [4]
    "Fuming Seibold fires off at players, promises review of roster after 'embarrassing' loss". Fox Sports. 16 September 2019.
  5. [5]
    "Seibold: 'Top to bottom' review needed as Brisbane search for answers". NRL. 15 September 2019.
  6. [6]
    Cleary, Matt (22 April 2019). "Brisbane Broncos' post-Bennett blues still haunting Anthony Seibold". The Guardian.
  7. [7]
    1944 Grand Final Archived 2012-03-04 at the Wayback Machine at nrlstats.com
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