New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1933
Encyclopedia
The 1933 NSWRFL season was the twenty-sixth season of Sydney
's professional rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership during the season, which lasted from April until September, and culminated in Newtown's victory over St. George in the final.
and St. George
beat their lower-ranked opponents Eastern Suburbs
and South Sydney
. In their semi-final Newtwon were reduced to 12 men after former representative fullback Alan Righton broke his leg. The two winners then advanced to the final.
The Sydney Sports Ground
attracted a large crowd of 18,080 on 9 September to see Newtown take on St George. Both teams were coached by former internationals. St George captain-coach was former Kangaroo and premiership winner with South Sydney Harry 'Mick' Kadwell. Newtown were coached by former dual-international Charles "Boxer" Russell
.
The match, refereed by William Fry
, was level 5-all at halftime, before the Newtown Bluebags finished the stronger to take the premiership.
Newtown 18 (Tries: Alf Griffiths 2, Joe Gartner, George Braybrook. Goals: Frank Gilmore 3)
beat
St George 5 (Tries: Percy Fairall. Goal: Mick Kadwell )
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's professional rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership during the season, which lasted from April until September, and culminated in Newtown's victory over St. George in the final.
Season summary
When the Kangaroos sailed for England in July, the NSWRL premiership with just five rounds completed, was turned on its head. After losing the opening four matches of the season, last-placed Newtown won 11 of their 12 next matches to win the premiership.Teams
- BalmainBalmain TigersThe Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
, formed on January 23, 1908 at Balmain Town Hall - Eastern SuburbsSydney RoostersThe Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
, formed on January 24, 1908 at Paddington Town Hall - NewtownNewtown JetsThe Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
, formed on January 14, 1908 - North SydneyNorth Sydney BearsThe North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
, formed on February 7, 1908 - South SydneySouth Sydney RabbitohsThe South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
, formed on January 17, 1908 at Redfern Town Hall - St. GeorgeSt. George DragonsThe St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
, formed on November 8, 1920 at Kogarah School of Arts - Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs MagpiesThe Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
, formed on February 4, 1908 - University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University
 Balmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
 Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
 Newtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... |
 North Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
 St. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
 South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
 |
 Western Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  NewtownNewtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... |
14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 183 | 125 | 18 |
| 2 |  Eastern SuburbsSydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 224 | 169 | 17 |
| 3 |  South SydneySouth Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 182 | 177 | 17 |
| 4 |  St. GeorgeSt. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 165 | 174 | |
| 16 | ||||||||
| 5 |  BalmainBalmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 187 | 210 | |
| 13 | ||||||||
| 6 |  University |
14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 218 | 216 | 11 |
| 7 |  North SydneyNorth Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 136 | 188 | |
| 11 | ||||||||
| 8 |  Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs Western Suburbs is an association football club in Porirua, New Zealand. They play their home matches at Endeavour Park in the Porirua suburb of Whitby and compete in the Central Premier League.... |
14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 210 | 246 | |
| 9 | ||||||||
Finals
In the two semi finals, the top two ranked teams NewtownNewtown Jets
The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
and St. George
St. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
beat their lower-ranked opponents Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
and South Sydney
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
. In their semi-final Newtwon were reduced to 12 men after former representative fullback Alan Righton broke his leg. The two winners then advanced to the final.
Premiership final
| Newtown "Bluebags" |
Position | St George "Dragon Slayers" |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Ellis | FB | Stan Robinson |
| Joe Gartner | WG | Bernie Martin |
| Alf Griffiths | CE | Max Hollingsworth |
| Frank Gilmore | CE | Noel Tipping |
| George Braybrook | WG | Len Brennan |
| Keith Ellis (c) | FE | Mick Kadwell (Ca./Co.) |
| Hans Mork | HB | Dick Daley |
| Clarrie Tupper | PR | Tom Haywood |
| Clarrie Stevenson | HK | Percy Fairall |
| Henry Porter | PR | Alan Sprouster |
| Alf Smith | SR | Alan Woods |
| Les Bull | SR | Jim Rutherford |
| Jack Thornton | LK | Bill Killiby |
| Charles Russell Charles Russell (rugby) Charles "Boxer" Joseph Russell was a pioneer Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer and coach. He represented his country in both sports and was one Australia's early dual-code rugby internationals... |
Coach | |
Sydney Sports Ground
The Sydney Sports Ground was a Stadium and Dirt track racing venue in Sydney, New South Wales. The ground was located where the car park of the Sydney Football Stadium currently sits. The ground had two main grandstands and was surrounded by a grass covered hill, giving it a capacity of more than...
attracted a large crowd of 18,080 on 9 September to see Newtown take on St George. Both teams were coached by former internationals. St George captain-coach was former Kangaroo and premiership winner with South Sydney Harry 'Mick' Kadwell. Newtown were coached by former dual-international Charles "Boxer" Russell
Charles Russell (rugby)
Charles "Boxer" Joseph Russell was a pioneer Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer and coach. He represented his country in both sports and was one Australia's early dual-code rugby internationals...
.
The match, refereed by William Fry
William Fry
William Fry may refer to:*William Henry Fry , American composer*William Fry , Australian politician of Higinbotham Province, Victoria...
, was level 5-all at halftime, before the Newtown Bluebags finished the stronger to take the premiership.
Newtown 18 (Tries: Alf Griffiths 2, Joe Gartner, George Braybrook. Goals: Frank Gilmore 3)
beat
St George 5 (Tries: Percy Fairall. Goal: Mick Kadwell )