The 1922 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the fifteenth season of Sydney’s top-grade rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. Nine teams from across the city contested the season which culminated in North Sydney’s victory over Glebe in the premiership final.Premiership Roll of Honour at rl1908.com
Season summary After the clubs had played each other twice, Norths and Glebe were tied atop the points table. Instead of the points differential rule being implemented a Grand Final was held to determine the premier.
St George had another disappointing season, winning only two games against University and conceding 316 points averaging 19.75 per game.
Teams Balmain, formed on January 23, 1908, at Balmain Town Hall Eastern Suburbs, formed on January 24, 1908, at Paddington Town Hall Glebe, formed on January 9, 1908 Newtown, formed on January 14, 1908 North Sydney, formed on February 7, 1908 South Sydney, formed on January 17, 1908, at Redfern Town Hall St George, formed on November 8, 1920, at Kogarah School of Arts Western Suburbs, formed on February 4, 1908 University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University
Balmain15th seasonGround: Birchgrove OvalCaptain-Coach: Charles FraserEastern Suburbs15th seasonGround: Sydney Sports GroundCoach:Ray NormanCaptain: Harry CaplesGlebe15th seasonGround: Wentworth OvalCaptain(s): Frank Burge, Bill BensonNewtown15th seasonGround: Sydney Sports GroundCoach: Bill FarnsworthCaptain: Felix RyanNorth Sydney15th seasonGround: North Sydney OvalCoach: Chris McKivatCaptain: Duncan ThompsonSt. George2nd seasonGround: Hurstville OvalCaptain: Albert JohnstonCoach: Herb GilbertSouth Sydney15th seasonGround: Sydney Cricket GroundCoach: Howard HallettCaptain: Alf BlairUniversity3rd seasonCoach: Sandy PearceSunday Times (Sydney)2 April 1922, page 3,'Sid Pearce to coach University'Captain: Jim Craig, Paddy ConaghanWestern Suburbs15th seasonGround: Pratten ParkCaptain-Coach: Ted BrooksCo Captain: Dick Vest
Ladder
TeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts1 North Sydney1612042306136+170282 Glebe1612042284154+130283 Eastern Suburbs169252217177+40244 South Sydney159152207187+20235 Balmain168262168145+23226 Western Suburbs1660102164201-37167 Newtown1651102169200-31158 Sydney University1550102148287-139149 St George1620142140316-1768
Final GlebePositionNorth Sydney Ron Stapleton FB Norm Proctor Charlie Ogle WG Harold Horder Ed Summers CE Frank Rule Tommy James CE Herman Peters Jack Toohey WG Cec Blinkhorn William Stirton FE Dallas Hodgins Bill Benson HB Duncan Thompson (c) Frank Burge (c) PR Reg Farnell Bert Gray HK Clarrie Ives Laidley Burge PR Jim Pye Tony Redmond SR Jack Baker Walter Haddock SR George Green Tom McGrath LK Wally Hancock Coach Chris McKivat As North Sydney and Glebe were tied on competition points a final was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground on 6 September, before a crowd of around 15,000. The match was officiated by Tom McMahon, the elder of the two pre-war referees of that name.
The game was not as even as the ladder at the end of regular season would have suggested. Norths completely got away to a 10-0 lead at half-time and went on to demolish Glebe 35-3, taking their second consecutive premiership crown. The legendary Harold Horder scored twenty individual points in the match.
This was North Sydney’s second premiership, their last before becoming the Bears in 1959, and last before being excluded from the competition after the 1999 NRL season. There have been ongoing efforts to resurrect North Sydney in some capacity. In 2025, North Sydney were finally successful in doing this as they won the bid along with the Western Australian consortiuum for the NRL's 17th team to enter the competition as the Perth Bears.
North Sydney 35 (Tries: Rule 2, Blinkhorn 2, Horder 2, Peters. Goals: Horder 7 )
defeated
Glebe 3 (Try: E Summers)
References
External links Rugby League Tables - Notes AFL Tables Rugby League Tables - Season 1922 AFL Tables Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 Results: 1921-30 at rabbitohs.com.au