1948 NSWRFL season

The 1948 NSWRFL season was the forty-first New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership season, Sydney’s top-level rugby league football competition, and Australia’s first. The teams remained unchanged from the previous season, with ten clubs from across the city contesting the premiership during the season which culminated in Western Suburbs’ victory over Balmain in the grand final.[1]

1948 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams10
Premiers Western Suburbs (3rd title)
Minor premiers Western Suburbs (2nd title)
Matches played94
Points scored2829
Top points scorer(s) Jack Lindwall (101)
Top try-scorer(s) Norm Jacobson (27)

Season summary

When Balmain’s young stars of 1946 and 1947 Pat Devery and Harry Bath left for big money offers in England it seemed doubtful that the Tigers would be able to continue their run of success. However Balmain gave themselves every chance to achieve their third title in a row and made it through to the Grand Final match up against Wests.

Teams
Balmain

41st season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Athol Smith
Captain: Tom Bourke

Canterbury-Bankstown

14th season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Coach: Arthur Halloway
Captain: Henry Porter

Eastern Suburbs

41st season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Percy Williams
Captain: Wally O'Connell

Manly-Warringah

2nd season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Ray Stehr
Captain: Ron O'Connell

Newtown

41st season
Ground: Erskineville Oval
Captain-Coach: Frank Farrell

North Sydney

41st season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Cliff Pearce
Captain: Frank Cottle

Parramatta

2nd season
Ground: Cumberland Oval
Captain-coach: Vic Hey

 South Sydney

41st season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach: Dave Watson
Captain: Jack Rayner

St. George

28th season
Ground: Hurstville Oval
Coach: Jim Duckworth
Captain: Matt McCoy

 Western Suburbs

41st season
Ground: Pratten Park
Coach: Jeff Smith
Captain: Jack Walsh

Ladder
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Western Suburbs (P) 181602322189+13332
2 Newtown 181305386248+13826
3 Balmain 181224287222+6526
4 St. George 181017332262+7021
5 Canterbury-Bankstown 18729282276+616
6 Eastern Suburbs 18729225248-2316
7 South Sydney 187110265302-3715
8 Parramatta 185112237346-10911
9 Manly-Warringah 184113221334-1139
10 North Sydney 183213191321-1308

Finals

In Balmain’s preliminary final match up with St George, Balmain winger Arthur Patton refused to leave the field whilst injured as the Tigers held on to win 13–12. At game’s end it was found that he had a broken leg.

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Semifinals
Western Suburbs 7–8 Balmain 28 August 1948 Sydney Cricket Ground George Bishop 25,907
Newtown 8–20 St. George 4 September 1948 Sydney Cricket Ground Jack O'Brien 31,310
Preliminary Final
Balmain 13–12 St. George 11 September 1948 Sydney Cricket Ground Jack O'Brien 37,404
Grand Final
Western Suburbs 8–5 Balmain 18 September 1948[2] Sydney Sports Ground George Bishop 29,122

Grand Final
Western Suburbs Position Balmain
13. William KeatoFB
  1. Dave Parkinson
49. Col HudsonWG30. Leo Nosworthy
10. Eric BennettCE6. George Williams
12. Lindsay RoddaCE4. Tom Bourke (c)
11. John LackeyWG42. Mitchell Wallace
8. Frank StanmoreFE32. William Sneddon
7. Neville HoganHB20. Des Bryan
19. Bill HorderPR10. Jim Thomson
2. William BrownHK45Robert Crane
  1. Jack Walsh (c)
 PR8. Jack Spencer
14. Kevin HansenSR12. Sid Ryan
5. Don MiltonSR25. Pat Madden
6. Peter McLeanLK13. Jack Hampstead
Jeff SmithCoachAthol Smith

After rainy conditions the Grand Final was played on a soft Sydney Sports Ground surface.[3] The Tigers led the game until the final quarter when a 40-metre run by Wests’ second rower Kevin Hansen saw him tackled right on the tryline. The referee awarded the try and Wests held an 8–5 break until full-time to record their third premiership win.

Western Suburbs Magpies 8 (Tries: Hudson, Hansen. Goals: Keato)

defeated

Balmain Tigers 5 (Tries: Bourke. Goals: Bourke)

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 18.

References
  1. Premiership Roll of Honour Archived April 28, 2007, at the Wayback Machine at rl1908.com
  2. 1948 Grand Final Archived 2012-03-04 at the Wayback Machine at nrlstats.com
  3. "League grand final on soft field". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. 1948-09-18. p. 7. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
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