1938 NSWRFL season

Rugby league competition March 2024 1938 New South Wales Rugby Football League 125px 8 16x16px Canterbury-Bankstown 1st 16x16px Canterbury-Bankstown 1st 59 1756 16x16px Tom Kirk (94) 16x16px Don Manson (13) St. George 3rd 1937 NSWRFL season 1937 1939 NSWRFL season 1939 The 1938 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the thirty-first season of Sydney’s top-grade rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. The withdrawal of the University club at the end of the previous season saw eight teams from across the city contest the premiership, which lasted from April until September and culminated in Canterbury-Bankstown's victory over Eastern Suburbs in the final.Premiership Roll of Honour https://web.archive.org/web/20070428143335/http://rl1908.com/clubcomps/Honours.htm 2007-04-28 at rl1908.com Teams With the exit of University after the previous season, 1938 saw the NSWRFL involve eight clubs for the first time since 1934.History of the Premiership http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/about/history/history-of-the-premiership.aspx https://web.archive.org/web/20080209104018/http://www.centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au/site/about/history/history-of-the-premiership.aspx dead 9 February 2008 centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au Australian Rugby League 21 October 2013 Balmain, formed on January 23, 1908, at Balmain Town Hall Canterbury-Bankstown 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 Balmain100px|center 31st seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Bill KellyCaptain: Frank HydeCanterbury-Bankstown100px|center 4th seasonGround: Belmore Oval Coach: Jimmy CraigCaptain: Alan BradyEastern Suburbs100px|center 31st seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach:Arthur HallowayCaptain: Ray StehrNewtown100px|center 31st seasonGround: Henson Park Coach: Charles 'Boxer' Russell Captain: Allan Ellis, Tom Nevin North Sydney100px|center 31st seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Coach: Bob Williams Captain: Roy ThompsonSouth Sydney100px|center 31st seasonGround: Sydney Cricket Ground Coach: Charlie Lynch Captain: Fred Felsch St. George100px|center 18th seasonGround: Earl Park Captain-coach: Norm PopeWestern Suburbs100px|center 31st seasonGround: Pratten Park Coach: Cec FifieldCaptain: Jimmy Sharman Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts116x16px Canterbury141121276135+14124216x16px South Sydney14914254145+10919316x16px Balmain14716238176+6215416x16px Eastern Suburbs14635228203+2515516x16px North Sydney14608163220-5712616x16px Newtown14518174228-5411716x16px Western Suburbs14419155265-1109816x16px St. George143110159275-1167 Finals In the two semi finals, the top ranked team Canterbury beat their lower-ranked opponent Balmain with the fourth ranked team Eastern Suburbs defeating their higher-ranked opponent South Sydney. The two winners then played in the Final. 20 August 1938 - Sydney Cricket Ground 16x16px Canterbury 31 16x16px Balmain 24 27 August 1938 - Sydney Cricket Ground 16x16px Eastern Suburbs 19 16x16px South Sydney 10 3 September 1938 - Sydney Cricket Ground 16x16px Canterbury 19 16x16px Eastern Suburbs 6 2nd Semi Final The qualifier between South Sydney and Eastern Suburbs was reported in the Sydney Morning Herald on 29 August 1938: The match which was hard, but not spectacular, was watched by 14,161 people. The form of Eastern Suburbs was not worthy of a team which has fought its way to the finals, and a considerable improvement will have to be shown if Eastern Suburbs is to have a reasonable chance of beating Canterbury-BankstownReprinted Sydney Morning Herald 22 Sept 2014 . 25px 25px SMH 22 Sept 2014 The two Sydney teams would not meet in another finals match until season 2014. Premiership Final Canterbury-BankstownPositionEastern Suburbs13. Tom KirkFB15. Jim Norton18. Edgar NewhamWG43. Percy Dermond10. Alan Brady (c)CE23. Dick Dunn11. Jim ChampionCE22. Stan Callaghan12. Joe GartnerWG21. Aiden Cairns17. Jim DuncombeFE42. Laurie Pickup7. Roy McCarterHB7. Fred Robinson Eddie BurnsPR5. Jack Arnold2. Roy KirkaldyHK31. Noel Hollingdale3. Henry PorterPR Ray Stehr (c)5. Jack McCormackSR4. Harry Pierce4. Roy McCallumSR16. Sid Pearce6. Frank SponbergLK6. Andy NorvalJimmy Craig CoachArthur Halloway In only the fourth year after admission to the Sydney first grade competition Canterbury fielded a side which dominated the regular season and set themselves up for their first title assault against Eastern Suburbs, themselves looking to win a fourth successive premiership. A crowd of 20,287 was on hand at the Sydney Cricket Ground with the game officiated by Tom McMahon (the younger of the two pre-war referees of that name). The first half was a dour struggle for supremacy. Canterbury-Bankstown appeared to have the upper hand but Easts’ Cairns scored first and it took two penalty goals by Canterbury’s fb Tommy Kirk to give the Berries a four points to three lead at half-time. The Roosters scored another try early in the second half when Dick Dunn dived over after the Easts backline had created an overlap. Again the conversion was missed. Canterbury-Bankstown came back at Easts with great determination and nearly scored on several occasions. Eventually Berries’ reserve grader Jim Duncombe, who was in the team because of the illness of Aub Mitchell, was the first man to cross for the blue and whites. A scrum had gone down near Easts’ line, Canterbury’s Roy McCarter worked a blind side move and Duncombe went through an opening to score. Kirk kicked the goal, and Canterbury-Bankstown led by nine points to six. The scores were close until about twenty minutes before the end, and then Canterbury made a final and determined rally. Easts' try line was attacked continuously. Joe Gartner, the Canterbury-Bankstown winger, went over for two excellent tries, beating the defence with side-stepping runs. Both were converted, the second by McCarter, the first by Kirk a fine effort from the sideline. Gartner's two tries put the issue beyond doubt, giving Canterbury a lead of 19 to 6. Canterbury’s excellent teamwork was the greatest factor in its success and the determined work of its forwards. They were opposed to an almost all-international Roosters pack with the experience of Ray Stehr and dangerous trygetters in Norval, Pearce, and Pierce. Canterbury's State hooker Roy Kirkaldy secured a good share of ball and with his front-row partners in Henry Porter and Eddie Burns continually stopped the Roosters attack, tackling themselves to a standstill. Nine seasons later in the 1947 Grand Final this Canterbury front three would still be dominating their opposition. The other Canterbury forwards in Sponberg, McCallum and McCormack also played tirelessly and deservedly chaired their captain Alan Brady from the field to enthusiastic cheers from the Canterbury fans celebrating their first premiership and to sporting congratulations from the Eastern Suburbs men. This was the first of five Grand Finals which the Bulldogs and Roosters have contested against each other, with subsequent Grand Finals between the two teams coming in 1940, 1974, 1980 and most recently, 2004. The Roosters would win in 1940 and 1974, but the Bulldogs would emerge victorious from their next two season-deciding encounters. Canterbury-Bankstown 19 (Tries: Gartner 2, Duncombe. Goals: Kirk 4, McCarter) defeated Eastern Suburbs 6 (Tries: Cairns, Dunn) References External links Rugby League Tables - Notes AFL Tables Rugby League Tables - Season 1938 AFL Tables Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 Sydney Morning Herald sept2004 SMH interview with Dick Dunn Bulldogs Website Official History SMH Match Report Results: 1931-40 at rabbitohs.com.au Category:New South Wales Rugby League premiership NSWRFL season