1931 NSWRFL season explained

Year:1931
Competition:New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams:8
Premiers: South Sydney[1]
Count:10th
Minor Premiers: Eastern Suburbs
Mpcount:4th
Matches:60
Points:1681
Top Point Scorer: Jack Lynch (124)
Top Try Scorer: Jack Lynch (16)
Prevseason Link:1930 NSWRFL season
Prevseason Year:1930
Nextseason Link:1932 NSWRFL season
Nextseason Year:1932

The 1931 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twenty-fourth season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. During the season, which lasted from April until September, eight teams from across the city contested the premiership which culminated in a grand final between minor premiers Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney.[2]

Season summary

The NSWRFL banned radio broadcasting of its matches in 1931 on the grounds that it was affecting the gates. After a year of broadcasts from nearby rooftops and ladders outside the grounds the League rescinded their ban.

Teams

Ladder

width=175 TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts
1 Eastern Suburbs141202339121+21824
2 South Sydney14905250176+7418
3 Western Suburbs14905220227-718
4 St. George14806178183-516
5 North Sydney14608143198-5512
6 Newtown14509205194+1110
7 Balmain14509133205-7210
8 Sydney University142012135299-1644

Finals

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
width=17%Date and Timewidth=17%Venuewidth=11%Refereewidth=7%Crowd
Semifinals
align=left South Sydney16–5align=left St. George21 August 1931Sydney Sports GroundMcGrath17,561
align=left Eastern Suburbs8–10align=left Western Suburbs29 August 1931Sydney Sports GroundWebby Neill20,387
Preliminary Final
align=left South Sydney17–3align=left Western Suburbs5 September 1931Sydney Sports GroundLal Dean22,767
Grand Final
align=left Eastern Suburbs7–12align=left South Sydney12 September 1931Sydney Sports GroundLal Dean27,104

Grand Final

Eastern SuburbsPositionSouth Sydney
Morrie BoyleFBAlbert Spillane
Billy HongWGBenny Wearing
Dave BrownCEJack Morrison
Jack LynchCEPat Maher
Fred TotteyWGJack Why
Ernie NormanFEJim Deeley
Norm Pope (c)HBHarry Eyers
Ray StehrPRCarl Eggen
Dick BrownHKEdward Root
Perc AtkinsonPRFrank Curran
Max NixonSRGeorge Treweek (c)
Joe PearceSRFrank O'Connor
Les RogersLKPercy Williams
Arthur HallowayCoachCharlie Lynch
Eastern Suburbs started the match as short-priced favourites, and ran with the breeze from the western end after their captain Pope won the toss. With Dick Brown dominating the scrums, Eastern Suburbs attacked early. The first points came at the twenty-minute mark when Lynch kicked a goal after O’Connor was penalised in front of the posts. He missed another attempt two minutes later but Easts went further ahead when Lynch kicked another goal, from a drop kick. Benny Wearing had his chance for South Sydney but was pulled down from behind by Dave Brown two yards from the line. At halftime Eastern Suburbs led 4–0.

Five-minutes after the break South Sydney seized control of the match. They attacked desperately as Treweeke, Curran and then Root hurled themselves at the Eastern Suburbs line. A scrum followed and with an overlap out wide Wearing crossed unopposed in the corner. The winger then converted his own try to give South Sydney a 5–4 lead. Eastern Suburbs then hit back with a remarkable try. Billy Hong gathered in his own twenty-five yard area, stepped through the defence to halfway, passed to Tottey who beat Morrison in a race for the ball. Dave Brown missed the goal, Eastern Suburbs led 7–5. South Sydney fullback Spillane then landed a goal from two yards on his own side of halfway to level the score at 7–all.

Hong then went off after twisting an ankle, Eastern Suburbs struggled to contend with the extra man in South Sydney's backline. Chances followed for both sides – South Sydney's winger, Why, was thrown out at the corner post, Morrison lost possession close to the line and Brown missed with a penalty.

With only minutes left and scores locked at 7–all, South Sydney five-eighth Harry Eyres seized possession inside Eastern Suburbs quarter, stood still for a split second, then with an electrifying burst of speed exploded through the converging defence. He beat the ineffective tackle of Hong (who had come back onto the field) and with the referee accidentally getting in the way of Brown coming over in cover defence for Eastern Suburbs, Eyres crossed for the match winning try. Hong then collapsed and had to be carried from the field as Williams was converting the try.[3]

It was widely claimed as one of the most thrilling Grand Finals in the short history of the game in Sydney.

South Sydney 12
Tries: Wearing, Eyres. Goals: Wearing, Williams, Spillane

Eastern Suburbs 7
Tries: Tottey. Goals: Lynch (2)

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.rl1908.com/clubcomps/Honours.htm Premiership Roll of Honour
  2. News: RUGBY LEAGUE: Grand Final. The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. 13. 1931-09-08. 2009-12-04.
  3. News: South Sydney Premiers: Thrilling Grand Final. The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. 6. 1931-09-14. 2009-12-04.