New South Wales Rugby League season 1916
Encyclopedia
The 1916 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the ninth season of Sydney
's top-level professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested during the season which culminated in a grand final
between Balmain and South Sydney.
, South Sydney
and Glebe. With two rounds to go, each of the three teams had a genuine chance of winning the premiership, each separated by one game or less. This created an interesting scenario with Balmain (20, 1st) facing South Sydney (18, 3rd) and Glebe (19, 2nd) facing Eastern Suburbs
who were placed fourth at the time. As it turned out, Balmain lost 11-7 to Souths, leaving the competition wide open for Glebe to take the competition lead by one point. However, Glebe ended up losing crucially to Eastern suburbs 8-5 on the same day. With both Balmain and Souths now equal on 20 points with one game to play, it would have taken a miracle for Glebe to come back given that they were still on 19 points. All three teams won their final games, but it was equal placed Balmain and South Sydney that would play off in a premiership decider.
The teams remained unchanged from the 1915 season
.
Having won all 3 grades in 1915 the Balmain Tigers returned in 1916 to repeat the effort for a second straight season. At the conclusion of the season Balmain and Souths were equal aloft the premiership ladder with 22 points apiece. The League didn't expect such a finish and a Final had to be scheduled.
For the first time a Final was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground
where they were to be held for many years to come. The game played on July 26, 1916 in front of just 6,000 people, saw the lead change three times in the first half with Balmain ahead 5-3 at the break after a try by Arthur Halloway and a penalty goal by Charles "Chook" Fraser. The second half saw the game played predominantly on Balmain's line, with South Sydney putting on repeated attacks. However, the Balmain defence never gave in and the score didn't change by game's end - a two point margin securing Balmain's second consecutive title.
Balmain Tigers 5 (Try: Arthur Halloway. Goal: Charles Fraser)
defeated
South Sydney Rabbitohs 3 (Try: Gordon Vaughan )
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 top-level professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested during the season which culminated in a grand final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
between Balmain and South Sydney.
Season summary
Three teams dominated the season, 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...
, 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...
and Glebe. With two rounds to go, each of the three teams had a genuine chance of winning the premiership, each separated by one game or less. This created an interesting scenario with Balmain (20, 1st) facing South Sydney (18, 3rd) and Glebe (19, 2nd) facing 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...
who were placed fourth at the time. As it turned out, Balmain lost 11-7 to Souths, leaving the competition wide open for Glebe to take the competition lead by one point. However, Glebe ended up losing crucially to Eastern suburbs 8-5 on the same day. With both Balmain and Souths now equal on 20 points with one game to play, it would have taken a miracle for Glebe to come back given that they were still on 19 points. All three teams won their final games, but it was equal placed Balmain and South Sydney that would play off in a premiership decider.
Teams
New South Wales Rugby League season 1915
The 1915 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the eighth season of Sydney's top-grade rugby league football club competition, Australia's first...
.
- Annandale
- 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 - Glebe, formed on January 9, 1908
- 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 - 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
 |
 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... |
 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 |  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 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 181 | 100 | 22 |
| 2 |  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 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 170 | 117 | 22 |
| 3 |  Glebe |
14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 217 | 106 | 21 |
| 4 |  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 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 170 | 89 | 16 |
| 5 |  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 | 0 | 9 | 108 | 189 | |
| 10 | ||||||||
| 6 |  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 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 134 | 153 | |
| 9 | ||||||||
| 7 |  Annandale |
14 | 4 | 0 | 10 | 94 | 163 | |
| 8 | ||||||||
| 8 |  Western SuburbsWestern 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... |
14 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 92 | 249 | |
| 4 | ||||||||
Final
| Balmain | Position | South Sydney |
|---|---|---|
| Lyall Wall | FB | Wally Dymant |
| Reg Latta | WG | Gordon Vaughan |
| Charles Fraser | CE | C. Phelps |
| Jim Craig Jim Craig (rugby league) Jim Craig was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach. He was a versatile back for the Australian national team. He played in 7 Tests between 1921 and 1928 as captain on 3 occasions and has since been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.-Club career:Craig grew... |
CE | Rex Norman Rex Norman Rex Norman was an Australian rugby league footballer, a state and national representative player who club career was played with Annandale, the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Eastern Suburbs Roosters.... |
| Jack 'Junker' Robinson | WG | Bill Cann |
| Albert "Rick" Johnston | FE | Roy Norman |
| Arthur Halloway Arthur Halloway Arthur 'Pony' Halloway , was a pioneering Australian rugby league footballer and coach. Born in Sydney, New South Wales he played for the Glebe Dirty Reds , Balmain Tigers and Eastern Suburbs , in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership.He was a Half-back for the Australian national... |
HB | George McGowan George McGowan (rugby league) George McGowan was a rugby league footballer in the New South Wales Rugby League .McGowan played with Eastern Suburbs in the 1915 season and with Souths in the 1916 season, with whom he reached the final.-References:... |
| Alf Fraser | PR | Roy Almond |
| D. Cranston | HK | John Kerwick |
| E. Burnicle | PR | Owen McCarthy |
| Bill Schultz | SR | Arthur Oxford Arthur Oxford Arthur Oxford was an Australian rugby league footballer, a state and national representative whose club career was played with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 1915 to 1929.... |
| D. Stewart | SR | George Moore |
| Robert Craig Bob Craig (rugby footballer) Robert Robertson 'Bob' Craig was a pioneer Australian rugby union and rugby league footballer who represented his country at both sports. He was one of Australia's early dual-code rugby internationals... |
LK | W. Groves |
| Bill Kelly | Coach | |
For the first time a Final was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground
Sydney Cricket Ground
The Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
where they were to be held for many years to come. The game played on July 26, 1916 in front of just 6,000 people, saw the lead change three times in the first half with Balmain ahead 5-3 at the break after a try by Arthur Halloway and a penalty goal by Charles "Chook" Fraser. The second half saw the game played predominantly on Balmain's line, with South Sydney putting on repeated attacks. However, the Balmain defence never gave in and the score didn't change by game's end - a two point margin securing Balmain's second consecutive title.
Balmain Tigers 5 (Try: Arthur Halloway. Goal: Charles Fraser)
defeated
South Sydney Rabbitohs 3 (Try: Gordon Vaughan )