New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1928
Encyclopedia
The 1928 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twenty-first season of Sydney
's top-level rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. During the season, which lasted from April until September, nine teams from across the city contested the premiership, culminating in a final between Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney.
riot. In a St George home game 21-3 victory over Balmain, Tony Russell of Balmain became involved in a running feud with George Carstairs, the St George captain.
Referee Brannaghan began to lose control of the match when he sent off St George forward Harry Flower early in the second half but allowed Balmain players to stay on the field. After a later incident between Russell and Carstairs resulted in the latter being knocked unconscious and Brannaghan merely cautioning Russell, the crowd's aggravation grew and the situation escalated.
The Earl Park crowd took matters into their own hands by storming the field in an attempt to injure Russell. Police arrived and intervened using handcuffs, batons and fists but not before Russell was badly beaten by the crowd. He suffered leg and head injuries and was put into the same ambulance as George Carstairs where it was reported that Russell attempted to assault Carstairs and ambulance officers had to intervene to restrain him.
A week later, a NSWRL investigation blamed crowd violence and not the players or officials for the disturbance.
and Eastern Suburbs
were in top form, with St. George losing their only match in round 3 and Eastern Suburbs losing to St. George in round 7 of the 14-week competition. With Saints & Easts finishing on 26 points each, no playoff for the minor premiership was staged to award a right of challenge in the finals, thus negating the good work done by both sides during the premiership rounds and ultimately providing an easier route than otherwise for Souths to win the title away from both of the minor premiers.
In the semi-finals, Eastern Suburbs beat fourth-placed North Sydney
to make the final, whilst South Sydney beat St. George, whom they had lost to 9-8 just three weeks earlier.
A crowd of 25,000 were at the Royal Agricultural Society Grounds
to watch the final between South Sydney and Easts, refereed by Lal Deane. George Treweek
scored Souths' first try, crashing over under the posts after Easts fullback Toby fumbled the high kick. Wearing converted. Then Jack Why, Root and Brien combined to put Williams over and Souths took an 8-0 lead. Before the half-ended Wearing kicked a penalty goal from halfway and Quinlivan crossed for another Souths try and a 13-0 lead at the break.
The second stanza started no better for Easts when Hardy took the ball close with the line wide open only to see his pass dropped. Harry Kadwell struck back for Souths who went to a 16-0 lead before the floodgates opened - Cavanough scored from the next kick-off and then Kadwell crossed again. Easts' only try of the match was by Steel under the posts and was the last of the match with bell sounding shortly after. Thus the Rabbitohs took their fourth successive title and become the first club to achieve that feat.
South Sydney 26 (Tries: Kadwell (2), Treweek, Williams, Quinlivan, Cavanagh. Goals: Wearing 2, Quinlivan 2)
defeated
Eastern Suburbs 5 (Tries: Steel. Goal: Oxford)
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's top-level rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. During the season, which lasted from April until September, nine teams from across the city contested the premiership, culminating in a final between Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney.
Season summary
- No minor premiership was awarded, and hence no "right of challenge" arose from the finals. Only 14 rounds of premiership matches were played.
- A dispute between the NSWRL and the Sydney Cricket GroundSydney Cricket GroundThe Sydney Cricket Ground is a sports stadium in Sydney in Australia. It is used for Australian football, Test cricket, One Day International cricket, some rugby league and rugby union matches and is the home ground for the New South Wales Blues cricket team and the Sydney Swans of the Australian...
Trust over a number of issues lead to the League moving their match of the day to the neighbouring Sydney Sports Ground. The dispute wasn't patched up until 1935. - The first ever night football match was played at the Sydney Showground, The match involved South Sydney and Eastern Sububs and was played on the 22nd of December. Souths won 10-6. The match was played 9-a-side and took place without the approval of the NSWRL.
- Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs MagpiesThe Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
became the first Sydney club to use an animal for its nickname and logo. Wests, previously known as "The Fruitpickers" became "The Magpies".
Teams
- BalmainBalmain TigersThe Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
, formed on January 23, 1908 at Balmain Town Hall - Eastern SuburbsSydney RoostersThe Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
, formed on January 24, 1908 at Paddington Town Hall - Glebe, formed on January 9, 1908
- NewtownNewtown JetsThe Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
, formed on January 14, 1908 - North SydneyNorth Sydney BearsThe North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
, formed on February 7, 1908 - South SydneySouth Sydney RabbitohsThe South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
, formed on January 17, 1908 at Redfern Town Hall - St. GeorgeSt. George DragonsThe St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
, formed on November 8, 1920 at Kogarah School of Arts - Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs MagpiesThe Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
, formed on February 4, 1908 - University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University
 Balmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
 Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
 |
 Newtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... |
 North Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
 St. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
 South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
 |
 Western Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
Earl Park riot
The season of 1928 was infamous for the Earl ParkEarl Park, Arncliffe
Earl Park is the name of a former sports field in the Sydney suburb of Arncliffe. The field was mainly used by the St. George Dragons rugby league club as their headquarters and home ground from 1925 to 1939.-Rugby League:...
riot. In a St George home game 21-3 victory over Balmain, Tony Russell of Balmain became involved in a running feud with George Carstairs, the St George captain.
Referee Brannaghan began to lose control of the match when he sent off St George forward Harry Flower early in the second half but allowed Balmain players to stay on the field. After a later incident between Russell and Carstairs resulted in the latter being knocked unconscious and Brannaghan merely cautioning Russell, the crowd's aggravation grew and the situation escalated.
The Earl Park crowd took matters into their own hands by storming the field in an attempt to injure Russell. Police arrived and intervened using handcuffs, batons and fists but not before Russell was badly beaten by the crowd. He suffered leg and head injuries and was put into the same ambulance as George Carstairs where it was reported that Russell attempted to assault Carstairs and ambulance officers had to intervene to restrain him.
A week later, a NSWRL investigation blamed crowd violence and not the players or officials for the disturbance.
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  St. GeorgeSt. George Dragons The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,... |
13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 200 | 98 | 26 |
| 2 |  Eastern SuburbsSydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
12 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 192 | 116 | 26 |
| 3 |  South SydneySouth Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
13 | 8 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 216 | 152 | 18 |
| 4 |  North SydneyNorth Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
12 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 157 | 149 | 16 |
| 5 |  University |
13 | 6 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 184 | 176 | 14 |
| 6 |  Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 174 | 206 | |
| 12 | |||||||||
| 7 |  Glebe |
12 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 94 | 149 | |
| 12 | |||||||||
| 8 |  BalmainBalmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
13 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 1 | 180 | 236 | |
| 10 | |||||||||
| 9 |  NewtownNewtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... |
12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 2 | 112 | 227 | |
| 6 | |||||||||
Finals
Heading into the finals, top placed St. GeorgeSt. George Dragons
The St George Dragons was an Australian Rugby league football club in St George, Sydney, New South Wales that played in Australia's top-level Rugby league competition from New South Wales Rugby Football League in 1921 until 1998; in 1999 they formed a joint venture with the Illawarra Steelers,...
and Eastern Suburbs
Sydney Roosters
The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
were in top form, with St. George losing their only match in round 3 and Eastern Suburbs losing to St. George in round 7 of the 14-week competition. With Saints & Easts finishing on 26 points each, no playoff for the minor premiership was staged to award a right of challenge in the finals, thus negating the good work done by both sides during the premiership rounds and ultimately providing an easier route than otherwise for Souths to win the title away from both of the minor premiers.
In the semi-finals, Eastern Suburbs beat fourth-placed North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
to make the final, whilst South Sydney beat St. George, whom they had lost to 9-8 just three weeks earlier.
Final
| South Sydney | Position | Eastern Suburbs |
|---|---|---|
| Alan Righton | FB | Arthur Toby Arthur Toby Arthur Ernest Toby was a rugby union player who represented Australia.Toby, a centre, was born in Sydney, New South Wales and claimed a total of 3 international rugby caps for Australia.-References:... |
| Benny Wearing Benny Wearing Benny Wearing was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s. An Australian international and New South Wales representative three-quarter, he played his club football in the NSWRFL Premiership for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.... |
WG | Les Steel Les Steel Les Steel was a rugby league footballer in Australia's major competition - the New South Wales Rugby League .Steel played over 100 matches for his club side, Eastern Suburbs in the years . A Winger, Steel was a try scorer in Easts 1923 premiership victory.-References:... |
| Jack Why | CE | Larry Hedger |
| Harry Finch Harry Finch Harry Finch was a rugby league player in Australia's leading competition - the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership in the 1920s and 1930s. Finch was also an Australian international who played for both the Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney clubs.Finch, a winger, made his first grade... |
CE | Nelson Hardy Nelson Hardy Nelson 'Bill' Hardy was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s.Hardy was playing first grade in the NSWRFL premiership for his side, the Eastern Suburbs club, at just 18 years of age. An accomplished centre or fullback Hardy played 87 matches for Easts in the years 1925-30... |
| Reg Williams | WG | Vic Webber Vic Webber Vic Webber was a rugby league footballer in the New South Wales Rugby League competition.Webber, a Winger, played for the Eastern Suburbs in the years 1927 and '28. In the 1928 season Webber played in the Eastern Suburbs side that was defeated by South Sydney in tha years premiership decider... |
| Harry Kadwell Harry Kadwell Harry "Mick" Kadwell was an Australian professional rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s. An Australian international and New South Wales interstate representative fullback who later moved to the halves, he played his club football for South Sydney with whom he won the 1927 and 1928 NSWRFL... |
FE | Gordon Fletcher |
| Jim Breen (c) | HB | Joe Busch Joe Busch Joe 'Chimpy' Busch was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s. A state and national representative halfback, his club career was played with Sydney based teams Eastern Suburbs and Balmain and UK team Leeds, in the 1930s... |
| Harry Cavanagh | PR | Arthur Oxford Arthur Oxford Arthur Oxford was an Australian rugby league footballer, a state and national representative whose club career was played with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs from 1915 to 1929.... |
| Alf Binder | HK | Dick Brown |
| David Watson | PR | Harry Kavanagh |
| Edward Root Edward Root Eddie Root was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1920s and 30s. A State and Australian national representative, his club career was played in Sydney with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the Newtown Bluebags and the St. George Dragons... |
SR | Tom Fitzpatrick |
| George Treweek George Treweek George Treweek was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1920s and '30s. He was a towering second-row forward for his time who formed an integral part of the champion South Sydney Rabbitohs teams of the 1920s and early 1930s... |
SR | Sam Bryant |
| Oscar Quinlivan | LK | George Harris |
| Charlie Lynch | Coach | |
A crowd of 25,000 were at the Royal Agricultural Society Grounds
Sydney Showground (Moore Park)
The former Sydney Showground at Moore Park was the site of the Sydney Royal Easter Show in New South Wales, Australia from 1882 until 1997, when the Show was moved to the new Sydney Showground at Homebush Bay, which was built for the Sydney 2000 Olympics...
to watch the final between South Sydney and Easts, refereed by Lal Deane. George Treweek
George Treweek
George Treweek was an Australian rugby league footballer of the 1920s and '30s. He was a towering second-row forward for his time who formed an integral part of the champion South Sydney Rabbitohs teams of the 1920s and early 1930s...
scored Souths' first try, crashing over under the posts after Easts fullback Toby fumbled the high kick. Wearing converted. Then Jack Why, Root and Brien combined to put Williams over and Souths took an 8-0 lead. Before the half-ended Wearing kicked a penalty goal from halfway and Quinlivan crossed for another Souths try and a 13-0 lead at the break.
The second stanza started no better for Easts when Hardy took the ball close with the line wide open only to see his pass dropped. Harry Kadwell struck back for Souths who went to a 16-0 lead before the floodgates opened - Cavanough scored from the next kick-off and then Kadwell crossed again. Easts' only try of the match was by Steel under the posts and was the last of the match with bell sounding shortly after. Thus the Rabbitohs took their fourth successive title and become the first club to achieve that feat.
South Sydney 26 (Tries: Kadwell (2), Treweek, Williams, Quinlivan, Cavanagh. Goals: Wearing 2, Quinlivan 2)
defeated
Eastern Suburbs 5 (Tries: Steel. Goal: Oxford)