1924 NSWRFL season

The 1924 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventeenth season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. Nine teams from across the city contested during the season which culminated in Balmain’s victory over South Sydney in the premiership final.[1] The 1924 season was the last in the NSWRFL for future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Harold Horder.

1924 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams9
Premiers Balmain (6th title)
Minor premiers Balmain (6th title)
Matches played37
Points scored917
Top points scorer(s) Jack Courtney (42)
Top try-scorer(s) Tommy Kennedy (10)

Teams
  • Balmain, formed on January 23, 1908, at Balmain Town Hall
  • Eastern Suburbs, formed on January 24, 1908, at Paddington Town Hall
  • Glebe, formed on January 9, 1908
  • 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
  • University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University
Balmain
17th season
Ground: Birchgrove Oval
Captain-Coach: Charles Fraser
Eastern Suburbs
17th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach:
Captains: Arthur Oxford, Jack Watkins 		Glebe
17th season
Ground: Birchgrove Oval
Coach: Jack Hickey
Captain: Bill Benson
Newtown
17th season
Ground: Marrickville Oval
Coach: Bill Farnsworth
Captain: Tom Ellis
North Sydney
17th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Jim Devereux
Captain: Clarrie Ives 		South Sydney
17th season
Ground: Sydney Cricket Ground
Coach: Owen McCarthy
Captain: Harold Horder
St. George
4th season
Ground: Earl Park
Coach: Herb Gilbert
Captain: Arnold Traynor, George Carstairs
University
5th season
Coach: Bill Kelly
Captain: Hubert Finn, Alby Lane 		Western Suburbs
17th season
Ground: Pratten Park
Coach: Albert "Ricketty" Johnston
Captains: Tedda Courtney, Clarrie Prentice

Ladder

Because of the British Lions tour of Australia, and interstate matches, the 1924 season was shortened to a single round of eight matches. No club fixtures were played on the weekends of 31 May, 7 June, 21 June nor 28 June.[2]

The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1924 premiership across Sydney.
Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Balmain 8611112453+7115
2 South Sydney 8611110460+4415
3 Western Suburbs 84041130103+2710
4 Glebe 840418795-810
5 St. George 8323194125-3110
6 North Sydney 83051107128-218
7 Eastern Suburbs 83051168106-218
8 Sydney University 8215185115-307
9 Newtown 8215198129-317

Premiership Final
Balmain Position South Sydney
Des PonchardFBHoward Hallett
Jim LoveWGBenny Wearing
Dud MillardCEHarold Horder
Billy CraigCEOscar Quinlivan
Tommy KennedyWGCec Blinkhorn
Charles Fraser (Ca./Co.)FEAlf Blair
Norman RobinsonHBFrank Brogan
Bill SchultzPRDavid Watson
Horrie WattHKErn Wilmot
Alf FraserPRJack Lawrence
Roy ListonSREdward Root
Les HayesSRPat Murphy
Reg LattaLKAlby Carr
CoachOwen McCarthy

Balmain and South Sydney finished equal at the top of the ladder, having dropped just one game each. The teams had earlier met in Round 5, with a 10–10 draw being the result at the Sydney Cricket Ground in front of a crowd of around 16,000.

The Final was played before a crowd of around 15,000 at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 29 July 1924 and refereed by former Rabbitoh premiership winner Webby Neill. Balmain led 3–0 at half-time and both sides failed to score in the second half. The Tigers thus claimed their sixth premiership within ten years. At the time it was the lowest-scoring Final since the start of the NSWRFL premiership and the first time a team had been held scoreless in a Final.

The Final was also the first rugby league match broadcast on radio with commentary by Balmain secretary Bob Savage.[3]

Balmain 3 (Try: Latta)

defeated

South Sydney 0

References
  1. Premiership Roll of Honour Archived 2011-05-14 at the Wayback Machine at rl1908.com
  2. Haddan, Steve; History of the NSW Rugby League Finals; pp. 42-43 ISBN 0646050982
  3. "Gerard first to 300; Joey smashes record; Taylor passes Halligan". NRL.
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