1930 NSWRFL season

The 1930 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twenty-third season of Sydney's top-level rugby league competition, Australia's first. During the season, which lasted from April until October, eight teams from across the city contested the premiership which was won by Western Suburbs, who defeated St. George in the grand final.[1]

1930 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams8
Premiers Western Suburbs (1st title)
Minor premiers Western Suburbs (1st title)
Matches played60
Points scored1721
Top points scorer(s) Jim Craig (86)
Top try-scorer(s) Morrie Boyle (15)

Season summary

In spite of the reduced number of clubs 1930 was the NSWRFL's most drawn out season. Because of representative fixtures and the need for a grand final, the season did not end until 4 October. The 1930 season was also the last in the NSWRFL for future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Jim Craig.

Teams

Foundation club Glebe was voted out of the competition by the New South Wales Rugby League General Committee at the end of 1929, thirteen votes to twelve. Glebe had come second-last or third-last with eight points excluding those from byes three seasons in a row,[lower-alpha 1] but although the club never won a first grade premiership,[lower-alpha 2] it also managed to avoid the wooden spoon every season during its existence. After the decision was made, many fans and local politicians rallied to reverse the decision but to no avail. One reason suggested as to why this occurred include the fact that Glebe was gradually shifting away from a residential to industrial centre, with the NSWRFL perhaps believing that there was no future for the game in the area.

As a result of Glebe's omission, the competition was reduced to eight teams for the first time since 1910,[3] including six of the remaining nine foundation clubs.

Balmain
23rd season
Ground: Wentworth Park
Coach: Cec Fifield & Norman Robinson
Captain: Cec Fifield		 Eastern Suburbs
23rd season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Arthur Halloway
Captain: Joe Busch		 Newtown
23rd season
Ground: Marrickville Oval
Captain: Jack Holmes		 North Sydney
23rd season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Tedda Courtney
Captain: Les Carroll
St. George
10th season
Ground: Earl Park
Coach: Frank Burge
Captain: Arthur Justice		 South Sydney
23rd season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Charlie Lynch
Captain: Alf Blair		 University
11th season
Coach: Bill Kelly
Captain: Sammy Ogg		 Western Suburbs
23rd season
Ground: Pratten Park
Captain-Coach: Jim Craig

Ladder
The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1930 premiership across Sydney.
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Western Suburbs 141202237130+10724
2 Eastern Suburbs 141103316178+13822
3 South Sydney 14905234174+6018
4 St. George 14626161151+1014
5 Newtown 14617194176+1813
6 Balmain 14527214218-412
7 North Sydney 142111164289-1255
8 Sydney University 142012117321-2044

Finals

In the two semi finals, St. George beat second-placed Eastern Suburbs whilst minor premiers Western Suburbs beat defending premiers South Sydney. The two winners then played a final in which St. George upset Western Suburbs 14–6, as they previously did in Round 11.

St. George 1930 runners-up

The finals system set in place then forced the final to be replayed, in what was known as the "Right of Challenge". This system ensured that in the event that the minor premiers lost in either the first or second round of the finals, then regardless they would be given a second chance in a premiership decider. With this being the first season where the "Right of Challenge" was exercised, the 1930 decider was thus the first "grand final" played in the NSWRFL.

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
20 September 1930 - Earl Park
 
 
 Eastern Suburbs 10
 
27 September 1930 – Sports Ground
 
 St. George 11
 
 Western Suburbs 6
 
20 September 1930 - Sports Ground
 
 St. George14
 
 Western Suburbs 9
 
 
 South Sydney 5
 

Final
Western Suburbs Position St. George
Frank McMillanFBJack McCormack
Alan BradyWGEric Freestone
Cliff PearceCEJack Lennox
Ken SherwoodCEWalter Greenlands
Ray MorrisWGBernie Martin
Jack RosaFEArnold Traynor
Jim Craig (Ca./Co.)HBAlf Sadler
Bill BroganPRHarry Flower
Bob LindfieldHKArthur Justice (c)
Cecil RhodesPRReg Schuman
Bill CarpenterSRBill Hyland
Charlie CornwellSRJim Wearmouth
Frank MattersonLKPercy Fairall
CoachFrank Burge

Having pipped Eastern Suburbs 11–10 at their home ground of Earl Park on 20 September, Saints continued their good form into the following weekend in the final, defeating minor premiers Western Suburbs 14–6 in front of 16,557 people. The two teams had met twice before during the season with Wests winning the first encounter in May and St. George winning the second match in August. Under the previous system, victory in the final would have seen St. George declared premiership champions. However, in 1930, Wests were allowed a second chance as minor premiers if defeated during the finals.

Grand final

The re-match decider was played in front of 12,178 people on 4 October at the Sydney Sports Ground and officiated by referee Lal Deane. St. George led 2–0 early and competed in the first half. However, Western Suburbs were a crack outfit and after Saints lost veteran forward, Harry Flower with an arm injury, they skipped away to a 16–2 lead. Wests eventually ran in seven tries and crushed St. George 27–2 to take away their first ever NSWRFL premiership in any grade,[2] although they were one of the foundation clubs in 1908.

It was the final game as a player for Wests’ captain-coach and versatile representative star Jim Craig.

Western Suburbs 27 (Tries: Alan Brady 3, Jim Craig, Charlie Cornwell, Ray Morris, Cecil Rhodes. Goals: Jim Craig 2, Bill Brogan)

St. George 2 (Goals: Bill Hyland)

Notes
  1. In 1928, Glebe played one fewer game than second-last placed Balmain, and gained two extra points over that club via an extra bye.
  2. Glebe did win reserve grade premierships in 1912, 1918, 1919, 1920 and 1921, and the third grade premiership in 1927.[2]

References
  1. Premiership Roll of Honour Archived 11 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine at rl1908.com
  2. Middleton David (editor); Rugby League 1989–90, pp. 102-103 ISBN 9780949853325
  3. "History of the Premiership". centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au. Australian Rugby League. Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
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