1923 NSWRFL season

Rugby league competition March 2024 January 2021 January 2021 1923 New South Wales Rugby Football League 125px 9 16x16px Eastern Suburbs 4th 16x16px Eastern Suburbs 3rd 73 1862 16x16px Arthur Oxford (113) 16x16px Herman Peters (16) University 2nd 1922 NSWRFL season 1922 1924 NSWRFL season 1924 The 1923 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixteenth season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league club 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.Premiership Roll of Honour https://web.archive.org/web/20110514030740/http://rl1908.com/clubcomps/Honours.htm 2011-05-14 at rl1908.com This season would be the last season that future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee Duncan Thompson played in, for he returned to Toowoomba after a dispute with North Sydney. Teams Balmain, formed on 23 January 1908 at Balmain Town Hall Eastern Suburbs, formed on 24 January 1908 at Paddington 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 at Redfern 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 at Sydney University Balmain100px|center16th seasonGround: Birchgrove OvalCaptain-Coach: Charles Fraser Eastern Suburbs100px|center16th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Ray NormanCaptain: Harry CaplesGlebe100px|center16th seasonGround: Wentworth Park Captain-Coach: Frank Burge Newtown100px|center16th seasonGround: Marrickville Oval Coach: Arthur Halloway & Albert JohnstonCaptain: Alex Bolewski North Sydney100px|center16th seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Coach: Captain: Duncan Thompson St. George100px|center3rd seasonGround: Hurstville Oval Coach: Herb Gilbert Captain: Clarrie TyeSouth Sydney100px|center16th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Captain-Coach: Bill Gillespie University100px|center4th seasonCoach: Bill KellyCaptain: Hubert FinnWestern Suburbs100px|center16th seasonGround: Pratten ParkCaptain-Coach: Tedda Courtney Ladder 230px|thumb|right|The geographical locations of the foundation teams across Sydney. TeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts116x16px Eastern Suburbs1613032235124+11130216x16px South Sydney1613032242173+69303Balmain 16 Balmain1610152247136+11125416x16px Western Suburbs169072257218+3922516x16px North Sydney168082245223+2220616x16px Glebe1660102160193-3316716x16px St. George1650112168236-6814816x16px Newtown1642102161297-13614916x16px Sydney University1621132120235-1159 Finals The top two sides, Eastern Suburbs and South 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-placed Balmain by one point in front of 14,000 people in their final match. South Sydney on the other hand won their final match against North Sydney to finish level on top of the ladder. Premiership final Eastern SuburbsPositionSouth Sydney 13. Ed Rigney FB 13.Howard Hallett 9.Cyril Abotomey WG 9.Benny Wearing 10.Jack Dawson CE 12.Tom Barry 16.Les Steel CE 25.Vic Lawrence 26.George Agar WG 17.Oscar Quinlivan 8.Harry Caples (c) FE 8.Bill Gillespie (c) 7.Sid Kaufman HB 7.Alec Johnson 5.Arthur Oxford PR 19.David Watson 4.Bill Richards HK 22.Pat Murphy 19.Tom Molloy PR 24.Perce Horne 3.Bill Ives SR 2.Ern Wilmot 20.Harold Holmes SR 4.Alf O'Connor 6.Jack Watkins LK 6. Jack Lawrence28. Edward Connerton Res. -Ray Norman Coach A final, the second in as many seasons, was played between Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney the following Wednesday 12 September at the Sydney 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 since 1913. Eastern Suburbs 15 (Tries: Caples 2, Steel. Goals: Oxford 3) South Sydney 12 (Tries: Wearing 2. Goals: Wearing 3) Easts kicked off in front of 15,000 spectators, Souths responded soon after with a try to Benny Wearing, the try was unconverted leaving Souths with a 3–0 lead. Easts responded with an unconverted try to Les Steel after some good lead up work from Easts captain Harry Caples. Both sides then traded penalty goals. The Tricolours took a 7–5 lead to the break following another goal to front-row forward Arthur Oxford. After the break play flowed from end to end until, from a scrum win in Souths halfback, Johnstone, kicked over the defense, regathered, then found Wearing who scored under the posts, Wearing then converted his own try to give Souths a 10–7 lead. The lead changed yet again when Caples took an intercept, kicked past the fullback and 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 gave Eastern Suburbs their first premiership in ten years. rugby league publication Rugby League News referred to the match as "the most brilliant game of the season." 30px 30px Hadden, Brad "History of the NSWRL Finals" References External links Rugby League Tables - Notes AFL Tables Rugby League Tables - Season 1923 AFL Tables Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 History - Introduction North Sydney Bears Hadden, Brad History of the NSWRL Finals Results: 1921-30 at rabbitohs.com.au Category:New South Wales Rugby League premiership NSWRFL season