1931 NSWRFL season

Rugby league competition March 2024 1931 New South Wales Rugby Football League 125px 8 16x16px South SydneyPremiership Roll of Honour https://web.archive.org/web/20101011045210/http://www.rl1908.com/clubcomps/Honours.htm 2010-10-11 at rl1908.com 10th 16x16px Eastern Suburbs 4th 60 1681 16x16px Jack Lynch (124) 16x16px Jack Lynch (16) University 6th 1930 NSWRFL season 1930 1932 NSWRFL season 1932 The 1931 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twenty-fourth season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. During the season, which lasted from April until September, eight teams from across the city contested the premiership which culminated in a grand final between minor premiers Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney. RUGBY LEAGUE: Grand Final The Sydney Morning Herald Australia 13 1931-09-08 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=P_gQAAAAIBAJ&pg=2119,3202241 2009-12-04 Season summary The NSWRFL banned radio broadcasting of its matches in 1931 on the grounds that it was affecting the gates. After a year of broadcasts from nearby rooftops and ladders outside the grounds the League rescinded their ban. Teams Balmain, formed on January 23, 1908, at Balmain Town Hall Eastern Suburbs, formed on January 24, 1908, at Paddington Town Hall Newtown, formed on January 14, 1908 North Sydney, formed on February 7, 1908 South Sydney, formed on January 17, 1908, at Redfern Town Hall St. George, formed on November 8, 1920, at Kogarah School of Arts Western Suburbs, formed on February 4, 1908 University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University Balmain100px|center 24th seasonGround: Birchgrove OvalCoach: Reg LattaCaptain: Arthur TobyEastern Suburbs100px|center 24th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground60px|centerCoach: Arthur HallowayCaptain: Norm PopeNewtown100px|center 24th seasonGround: Marrickville OvalCaptain: Jack HolmesNorth Sydney100px|center 24th seasonGround: North Sydney OvalCaptain-Coach: Tom Wright St. George100px|center 11th seasonGround: Earl Park50px|centerCaptain-coach: Harry KadwellSouth Sydney100px|center 24th seasonGround: Sydney Sports GroundCoach: Charlie LynchCaptain: Pat MaherUniversity100px|center 12th season75px|centerCaptain: Sammy OggWestern Suburbs100px|center 24th seasonGround:Pratten Park75px|centerCoach: Frank McMillanCaptain: Bill Brogan Ladder 230px|thumb|right|The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1931 premiership across Sydney. TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts116x16px Eastern Suburbs141202339121+21824216x16px South Sydney14905250176+7418316x16px Western Suburbs14905220227−718416x16px St. George14806178183−516516x16px North Sydney14608143198−5512616x16px Newtown14509205194+1110716x16px Balmain14509133205−7210816x16px Sydney University142012135299−1644 Finals HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd Semifinals 23x23px South Sydney16–5 23x23px St. George21 August 1931Sydney Sports GroundMcGrath17,561 23x23px Eastern Suburbs8–10 23x23px Western Suburbs29 August 1931Sydney Sports GroundWebby Neill20,387 Preliminary Final 23x23px South Sydney17–3 23x23px Western Suburbs5 September 1931Sydney Sports GroundLal Dean22,767 Grand Final 23x23px Eastern Suburbs7–12 23x23px South Sydney12 September 1931Sydney Sports GroundLal Dean27,104 Chart Semi-finals Final Grand final yes 1 Easts 12 Easts 8 3 Western Suburbs 13 Wests 10 2 Souths 13 Souths 16 4 St George 12 St George 5 Western Suburbs 12 Wests 3 Souths 13 Souths 17 MP Easts 12 Easts 7 Souths 13 Souths 12 Grand Final Eastern SuburbsPositionSouth Sydney21. Morrie BoyleFB31. Albert Spillane13. Billy HongWG12. Benny Wearing11. Dave BrownCE11. Jack Morrison10. Jack LynchCE16. Pat Maher9. Fred TotteyWG17. Jack Why8. Ernie NormanFE27. Jim Deeley7. Norm Pope (c)HB10. Harry Eyers Ray StehrPR24. Carl Eggen2. Dick BrownHK3. Edward Root3. Perc AtkinsonPR23. Frank Curran4. Max NixonSR4. George Treweek (c)5. Joe PearceSR5. Frank O'Connor6. Les RogersLK25. Percy WilliamsArthur Halloway CoachCharlie Lynch Eastern Suburbs started the match as short-priced favourites, and ran with the breeze from the western end after their captain Pope won the toss. With hk Dick Brown dominating the scrums, Eastern Suburbs attacked early. The first points came at the twenty-minute mark when Lynch kicked a goal after O’Connor was penalised in front of the posts. He missed another attempt two minutes later but Easts went further ahead when Lynch kicked another goal, from a drop kick. Benny Wearing had his chance for South Sydney but was pulled down from behind by Dave Brown two yards from the line. At halftime Eastern Suburbs led 4–0. Five-minutes after the break South Sydney seized control of the match. They attacked desperately as Treweeke, Curran and then Root hurled themselves at the Eastern Suburbs line. A scrum followed and with an overlap out wide Wearing crossed unopposed in the corner. The winger then converted his own try to give South Sydney a 5–4 lead. Eastern Suburbs then hit back with a remarkable try. Billy Hong gathered in his own twenty-five yard area, stepped through the defence to halfway, passed to Tottey who beat Morrison in a race for the ball. Dave Brown missed the goal, Eastern Suburbs led 7–5. South Sydney fullback Spillane then landed a goal from two yards on his own side of halfway to level the score at 7–all. Hong then went off after twisting an ankle, Eastern Suburbs struggled to contend with the extra man in South Sydney's backline. Chances followed for both sides – South Sydney's winger, Why, was thrown out at the corner post, Morrison lost possession close to the line and Brown missed with a penalty. With only minutes left and scores locked at 7–all, South Sydney five-eighth Harry Eyres seized possession inside Eastern Suburbs quarter, stood still for a split second, then with an electrifying burst of speed exploded through the converging defence. He beat the ineffective tackle of Hong (who had come back onto the field) and with the referee accidentally getting in the way of Brown coming over in cover defence for Eastern Suburbs, Eyres crossed for the match winning try. Hong then collapsed and had to be carried from the field as Williams was converting the try. South Sydney Premiers: Thrilling Grand Final The Sydney Morning Herald Australia 6 1931-09-14 https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=RPgQAAAAIBAJ&pg=7128,3698589 2009-12-04 It was widely claimed as one of the most thrilling Grand Finals in the short history of the game in Sydney. South Sydney 12 Tries: Wearing, Eyres. Goals: Wearing, Williams, Spillane Eastern Suburbs 7 Tries: Tottey. Goals: Lynch (2) References External links Rugby League Tables – Notes AFL Tables Rugby League Tables – Season 1931 AFL Tables Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 History of the New South Wales Rugby League Finals, by Steve Haddan The Rugby League News Results: 1931–40 at rabbitohs.com.au Category:New South Wales Rugby League premiership NSWRFL season