| Year: | 1933 |
| Competition: | New South Wales Rugby Football League |
| Teams: | 8 |
| Count: | 2nd |
| Mpcount: | 2nd |
| Matches: | 59 |
| Top Point Scorer: | Syd Christensen (86) |
| Top Try Scorer: | Jack Gray-Spence (11) |
| Prevseason Link: | 1932 NSWRFL season |
| Prevseason Year: | 1932 |
| Nextseason Link: | 1934 NSWRFL season |
| Nextseason Year: | 1934 |
The 1933 NSWRFL season was the twenty-sixth season of Sydney’s professional rugby league 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.[1]
When the Kangaroos sailed for England in July, the NSWRFL premiership, with a mere five rounds completed, was turned on its head. After losing the opening four matches of the season, last-placed Newtown won eleven of their next twelve matches to take the premiership, whilst Wests, who had won four and drawn one of six games, lost several key players and did not win another match. The Magpies lost virtually their entire backline of McMillan, Pearce, Ridley, Mead and the up-and-coming Vic Hey, and also suffered from their refusal to reappoint coach Jim Craig.[2]
| width=20 abbr="Position" | width=175 | Team | width=20 abbr="Played" | Pld | width=20 abbr="Won" | W | width=20 abbr="Drawn" | D | width=20 abbr="Lost" | L | width=20 abbr="Points for" | PF | width=20 abbr="Points against" | PA | width=20 abbr="Points difference" | PD | width=20 abbr="Points" | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Newtown | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 183 | 125 | +58 | 18 | ||||||||||
| 2 | Eastern Suburbs | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 224 | 169 | +55 | 17 | ||||||||||
| 3 | South Sydney | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 182 | 177 | +5 | 17 | ||||||||||
| 4 | St. George | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 165 | 174 | -9 | 16 | ||||||||||
| 5 | Balmain | 14 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 187 | 210 | -23 | 13 | ||||||||||
| 6 | Sydney University | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 218 | 216 | +2 | 11 | ||||||||||
| 7 | North Sydney | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 | 136 | 188 | -52 | 11 | ||||||||||
| 8 | Western Suburbs | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 210 | 246 | -36 | 9 | ||||||||||
In the two semi finals, Newtown and St. George beat their opponents Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney. In their semi-final Newtown were reduced to twelve men after former representative fullback Alan Righton broke his leg. The two winners then advanced to the final.
| Newtown | Position | St. George |
|---|---|---|
| 13. Stan Robinson | ||
| WG | 11. Bernie Martin | |
| 51. Max Hollingsworth | ||
| CE | 14. Norm Tipping | |
| 8. Len Brennan | ||
| 8. Keith Ellis (c) | 7. Mick Kadwell (Ca./Co.) | |
| HB | 34. Dick Daly | |
| 41. Tom Haywood | ||
| 5. Percy Fairall | ||
| 43. Alan Sprouster | ||
| SR | 31. Allan Woods | |
| 2. Jim Rutherford | ||
| 30. Bill Killiby | ||
| Coach | ||
The match, refereed by William Fry, was level 5–all at halftime, before the 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)