The 1917 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the tenth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested during the season and Balmain finished on top of the ladder to claim the premiership.[1]
| 1917 New South Wales Rugby Football League | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 8 |
| Premiers |  Balmain (3rd title) |
| Minor premiers | Balmain (3rd title) |
| Matches played | 56 |
| Points scored | 1280 |
| Top points scorer(s) | Charles Fraser (67) |
| Top try-scorer(s) |  Harold Horder (17) |
Season summary edit
After nine seasons with only nineteen wins and two draws from 115 matches,[2] Western Suburbs finally made a significant impact on the league, finishing a respectable third behind the traditionally strong sides of Balmain and South Sydney. Their advance was almost entirely due to centre Herb Gilbert, who moved from Easts, Hull F.C. and South Sydney to add skill and knowledge to team crying out for guidance, besides scoring nine of the team's thirty-four tries.[3]
Balmain ultimately won their third consecutive premiership finishing eight points ahead of second placed South Sydney. The Balmain side only failed to win one of their games during the season against Newtown in round 8. In fourteen games Balmain’s secure defence allowed a mere 61 points and just nine tries to be scored against them, a statistic indicating their dominance and rivalled since only by St. George in 1963.[4] Annandale managed to avoid bottom spot thanks to Glebe surrendering their two points to them following a 31–5 win for Glebe in round 8. The points were moved over to Annandale due to Glebe fielding Dan “Laddo” Davies – an ineligible player under the residential criteria of the time.
As well as losing Davies, fourteen of Glebe’s first grade players were suspended for a year after the players boycotted a match against Balmain. The NSWRFL changed the venue of the game from the Sydney Cricket Ground to Birchgrove Oval in Balmain, drastically reducing spectator numbers and, in doing so, cutting Glebe's share of the big gate takings expected at the SCG. A team consisting of lower grade players was fielded and Glebe lost heavily, 40–9. The NSWRFL suspended all the footballers who refused to play, including Frank, Laidley and Albert Burge.
Balmain also won the three round City Cup played in the late season. Members of the Balmain premiership winning side included Bob Craig, Bill Schultz and E. Burnicle.
Teams edit
The teams remained unchanged from the previous season.
- Annandale
- Balmain, formed on 23 January 1908 at Balmain Town Hall
- Eastern Suburbs, formed on 24 January 1908 at Paddington Town Hall
- Glebe, formed on 9 January 1908
- Newtown, formed on 14 January 1908
- North Sydney, formed on 7 February 1908
- South Sydney, formed on 17 January 1908 at Redfern Town Hall
- Western Suburbs, formed on 4 February 1908
 8th season Ground: Wentworth Park Coach: Captain: Walter Haddock |
 10th season Ground: Birchgrove Oval Coach-Captain: Arthur Halloway |
 10th season Ground: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Captain: Sandy Pearce |
 10th season Ground: Wentworth Park Coaches: Chris McKivat & Alex Burdon Captain: Frank Burge |
 10th season Ground: Erskineville Oval Coach: Captain: Felix Ryan |
 10th season Ground: North Sydney Oval Coach: Captain: Sid Deane |
 10th season Ground: RAS Showground, S.C.G. Coach: Captain: Roy Almond |
 10th season Ground: St Luke's Oval Coach: Captain: Herb Gilbert |
Ladder edit
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balmain
|
14 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 269 | 61 | +208 | 26 |
| 2 | South Sydney
|
14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 236 | 143 | +93 | 18 |
| 3 |  Western Suburbs
|
14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 162 | 160 | +2 | 15 |
| 4 |  Newtown
|
14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 114 | 123 | -9 | 15 |
| 5 |  Glebe
|
14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 207 | 165 | +42 | 14 |
| 6 |  Eastern Suburbs
|
14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 131 | 145 | -14 | 14 |
| 7 |  Annandale
|
14 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 71 | 214 | -143 | 4 |
| 8 |  North Sydney
|
14 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 90 | 269 | -179 | 4 |
- Glebe were stripped of two competition points due to fielding an ineligible player in one game.
References edit
- ^ Premiership Roll of Honour Archived 2011-05-14 at the Wayback Machine at rl1908.com
- ^ "Western Suburbs: Season Summary". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
- ^ Lester, Gary; Clouds of Dust, Buckets of Blood: the Story of the Western Suburbs Rugby League Magpies; p. 46. ISBN 0949853526
- ^ http://afltables.com/rl/teams/all/overall_sr.html AFL Tables – Rugby League Season Records
External links edit
- Rugby League Tables - Notes AFL Tables'
- Rugby League Tables - Season 1917 AFL Tables
- Premiership History and Statistics RL1908
- 1917 - Third Title In A Row For Balmain RL1908
- Collis, Ian; Whiticker, Alan (2007). 100 Years of Rugby League. Chatswood, NSW: New Holland. vol.1, page 63. ISBN 978-1-74110-463-9.
- Results: 1911-20 at rabbitohs.com.au