1944 NSWRFL season

1944 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams 8
Premiers Balmain (8th title)
Minor premiers Newtown (4th title)
Matches played 60
Points scored 2159 (total)
35.983 (per match)
Top point scorer(s) Tom Kirk (185)
Top try scorer(s) Sid Goodwin (22)

The 1944 NSWRFL season was the 37th season of the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership, Sydney’s top-level rugby league football competition, and Australia’s first. Eight teams from across the city contested the premiership during the season which culminated in Balmain’s victory over Newtown in the grand final.[1]

Teams

Balmain
37th season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Norm Robinson
Captain: Arthur Patton
Canterbury-Bankstown
10th season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Captain: Ron Bailey
Coach: Ron Bailey→Cec Fifield		 Eastern Suburbs
37th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Sid Pearce
Captain: Harry Pierce
Newtown
37th season
Ground: Henson Park
Coach: Arthur Folwell
Captain: Frank Farrell
North Sydney
37th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Captain-Coach: Frank Hyde		 South Sydney
37th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Alf Blair
Captain: Jack Walsh		 St. George
24th season
Ground: Hurstville Oval
Coach: Bill Kelly
Captain: Len Kelly		 Western Suburbs
37th season
Ground: Pratten Park
Coach: Henry Bolewski
Captain: Paddy Bugden

Ladder

The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1944 premiership across Sydney.
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Newtown 141103379220+15922
2 Balmain 141013402171+23121
3 St. George 14905230238-818
4 South Sydney 14716193287-9415
5 North Sydney 14518204202+211
6 Western Suburbs 14428180246-6610
7 Eastern Suburbs 144010227360-1338
8 Canterbury-Bankstown 143110206297-917

Finals

Newtown looked set for back-to-back titles after finishing as minor premiers. Both Newtown and Balmain won their respective semi-finals with the Bluebags blitzing St George by 55–7, which was to remain the Dragons’ largest losing margin until 1994.[2] However injuries and war duties then ravaged the side including the key losses of Len Smith and Herb Narvo who had starred for them all season. Balmain thus overcame Newtown 19-16 in the Final, enabling Newtown a “right of challenge”.

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Semi Finals
Newtown 55 - 7 St. George 26 August 1944 Sydney Cricket Ground Tom McMahon 34,883
Balmain 15 - 6 South Sydney 2 September 1944 Sydney Cricket Ground Jack O'Brien 28,237
Final
Newtown 16 - 19 Balmain 9 September 1944 Sydney Cricket Ground Tom McMahon 41,807
Grand Final
Newtown 8 - 12 Balmain 16 September 1944[3] Sydney Cricket Ground Jack O'Brien 24,186

Grand Final

Newtown Position Balmain
Tom Kirk FB Dave Parkinson
Sid Goodwin WG Arthur Patton (c)
Lin McLean CE Joe Jorgenson
Bruce Ryan CE Tom Bourke
Norm Jacobson WG Keith Parkinson
Tom Nevin FE Stan Ponchard
Jack Kadwell HB Pat Devery
Charlie Montgomery PR Jack Hampstead
Jimmy Brailey HK George Watt
Frank Farrell (c) PR Colin Campbell
Keith Phillips SR Athol Smith
Len Ryan SR Sid Ryan
Charles Cahill LK Dawson Buckley
Arthur Folwell Coach Norm "Latchem" Robinson

Newtown exercised their “right of challenge” as minor premiers and called for a Grand Final. In a low scoring affair Balmain's representative centre Joe Jorgenson kicked two late penalty goals to give the Tigers a 12–8 win and their eighth title.

Balmain 12 (Tries: Devery, K Parkinson. Goals: Jorgenson 3)

defeated

Newtown 8 (Tries: Farrell, McLean. Goals: Kirk)

Tom Bourke of Balmain, with the ball, is about to be tackled by the Newtown defence. In the foreground Balmain pair Stan Ponchard (No.7) and Keith Parkinson (No.18) watch on.


References

  1. ↑ Premiership Roll of Honour at rl1908.com
  2. ↑ St. George: Biggest Losses
  3. ↑ 1944 Grand Final at nrlstats.com
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