1923 NSWRFL season
 | This article includes a list of generalreferences,butit lacks sufficient correspondinginline citations.(January 2021) |
| 1923 New South Wales Rugby Football League | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 9 |
| Premiers |  Eastern Suburbs(4th title) |
| Minor premiers | Eastern Suburbs(3rd title) |
| Matches played | 73 |
| Points scored | 1862 |
| Top points scorer(s) | Arthur Oxford(113) |
| Top try-scorer(s) |  Herman Peters(16) |
The1923New South Wales Rugby Football Leaguepremiershipwas the sixteenth season ofSydney’s top-levelrugby leagueclub competition, Australia’s first. Nine teams from across the city contested during the season which culminated in Eastern Suburbs’ victory over South Sydney in the premiership final.[1]This season would be the last season that futureAustralian Rugby League Hall of FameinducteeDuncan Thompsonplayed in, for he returned to Toowoomba after a dispute with North Sydney.
Teams
[edit]- Balmain,formed on 23 January 1908 atBalmain Town Hall
- Eastern Suburbs,formed on 24 January 1908 atPaddington Town Hall
- Glebe,formed on 9 January 1908
- Newtown,formed on 14 January 1908
- North Sydney,formed at the North Sydney School of Arts in Mount Street on 7 February 1908.
- South Sydney,formed on 17 January 1908 atRedfern Town Hall
- St. George,formed on 8 November 1920 at Kogarah School of Arts
- Western Suburbs,formed on 4 February 1908
- University,formed in 1919 atSydney University
Balmain Ground:Birchgrove Oval Captain-Coach:Charles Fraser |
Eastern Suburbs Ground: Sydney Sports Ground Coach:Ray Norman Captain:Harry Caples |
Glebe Ground:Wentworth Park Captain-Coach:Frank Burge |
Newtown Ground: Marrickville Oval Coach:Arthur Halloway&Albert Johnston Captain:Alex Bolewski |
North Sydney Ground:North Sydney Oval Coach: Captain:Duncan Thompson |
St. George Ground:Hurstville Oval Coach:Herb Gilbert Captain:Clarrie Tye |
South Sydney Ground: Sydney Sports Ground Captain-Coach:Bill Gillespie |
University Coach:Bill Kelly Captain:Hubert Finn |
Western Suburbs Ground:Pratten Park Captain-Coach:Tedda Courtney |
Ladder
[edit]
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eastern Suburbs
|
16 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 235 | 124 | +111 | 30 |
| 2 |  South Sydney
|
16 | 13 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 242 | 173 | +69 | 30 |
| 3 |  Balmain
|
16 | 10 | 1 | 5 | 2 | 247 | 136 | +111 | 25 |
| 4 |  Western Suburbs
|
16 | 9 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 257 | 218 | +39 | 22 |
| 5 | North Sydney
|
16 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 245 | 223 | +22 | 20 |
| 6 |  Glebe
|
16 | 6 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 160 | 193 | -33 | 16 |
| 7 |  St. George
|
16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 168 | 236 | -68 | 14 |
| 8 |  Newtown
|
16 | 4 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 161 | 297 | -136 | 14 |
| 9 |  Sydney University
|
16 | 2 | 1 | 13 | 2 | 120 | 235 | -115 | 9 |
Finals
[edit]The top two sides,Eastern SuburbsandSouth Sydney,tied on equal points at the end of the season. Eastern Suburbs had previously been leading South Sydney by two premiership points coming into the final round of the year, only to lose to third-placedBalmainby one point in front of 14,000 people in their final match. South Sydney on the other hand won their final match againstNorth Sydneyto finish level on top of the ladder.
Premiership final
[edit]| Eastern Suburbs | Position | South Sydney |
|---|---|---|
| Ed Rigney | FB | Howard Hallett |
| Cyril Abotomey | WG | Benny Wearing |
| Jack Dawson | CE | Tom Barry |
| Les Steel | CE | Vic Lawrence |
| George Agar | WG | Oscar Quinlivan |
| Harry Caples(c) | FE | Bill Gillespie(c) |
| Sid Kaufman | HB | Alec Johnson |
| Arthur Oxford | PR | David Watson |
| Bill Richards | HK | Pat Murphy |
| Tom Molloy | PR | Perce Horne |
| Bill Ives | SR | Ern Wilmot |
| Harold Holmes | SR | Alf O'Connor |
| Jack Watkins | LK | Jack Lawrence |
| Edward Connerton | Res. | - |
| Ray Norman | Coach |
Afinal,the second in as many seasons, was played betweenEastern SuburbsandSouth Sydneythe following Wednesday 12 September at theSydney Cricket Ground,attracting a crowd of 15,000 people. With referee Tom McMahon officiating Eastern Suburbs prevailed winners 15–12 and claimed their first premiership since1913.
Eastern Suburbs15 (Tries:Caples2,Steel.Goals: Oxford 3)
South Sydney12 (Tries:Wearing2. Goals: Wearing 3)
Eastskicked off in front of 15,000 spectators,Southsresponded soon after with atrytoBenny Wearing,the try was unconverted leaving Souths with a 3–0 lead.Eastsresponded with an unconverted try to Les Steel after some good lead up work fromEastscaptainHarry Caples.Both sides then traded penaltygoals.The Tricolourstook a 7–5 lead to the break following anothergoalto front-rowforwardArthur Oxford.
After the break play flowed from end to end until, from ascrumwin inSouthshalfback,Johnstone, kicked over the defense, regathered, then found Wearing who scored under the posts, Wearing thenconvertedhis owntryto giveSouthsa 10–7 lead. The lead changed yet again whenCaplestook anintercept,kicked past thefullbackand scored, Oxford converted to make it 12–10. A penalty goal to Benny Wearing soon after locked the scores up at 12 points all. With time almost up Caples scored out wide after some fine lead up work from Easts centre, Dawson.
The win gaveEastern Suburbstheir firstpremiershipin ten years.rugby leaguepublicationRugby League Newsreferred to the match as "the most brilliant game of the season."
— Hadden, Brad, "History of the NSWRL Finals"
References
[edit]- ^Premiership Roll of HonourArchived2011-05-14 at theWayback Machineatrl1908
External links
[edit]- Rugby League Tables - NotesAFL Tables
- Rugby League Tables - Season 1923AFL Tables
- Premiership History and StatisticsRL1908
- History - IntroductionNorth Sydney Bears
- Hadden, BradHistory of the NSWRL Finals
- Results: 1921-30atrabbitohs.au