The 1963 NSWRFL season was the 56th season of the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership based in Sydney. Ten teams from across the city competed for the J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a rematch of the previous two years' grand finals between St George and Western Suburbs.

Teams Balmain 57th seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Harry Bath Captain: Keith Barnes, Billy Bischoff Jr.Canterbury-Bankstown 29th seasonGround: Belmore Sports Ground Coach: Clive ChurchillCaptain: Ray GartnerEastern Suburbs 57th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Dick DunnCaptain: Terry FearnleyManly-Warringah 17th seasonGround: Brookvale Oval Captain-Coach: Tony PaskinsNewtown 57th seasonGround: Henson Park Coach: Allan EllisCaptain: Tony BrownNorth Sydney 57th seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Captain-Coach: Fred GriffithsParramatta 17th seasonGround: Cumberland Oval Coach: Ken KearneyCaptain: Ron LynchSouth Sydney 57th seasonGround: Redfern Oval Coach: Denis Donoghue Captains: Darrel Chapman, Jim Lisle St George 43rd seasonGround: Jubilee Oval Captain-coach: Norm ProvanWestern Suburbs 57th seasonGround: Pratten Park Coach: Jack FitzgeraldCaptain: Arthur Summons

Ladder TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 St George18151243495+339312 Western Suburbs181404256160+96283 Balmain181206246183+63244 Parramatta181107186165+21225 North Sydney181008272236+36206 Manly187011158217-59147 Newtown187011206331-125148 Canterbury186111170277-107139 South Sydney184014170298-128810 Eastern Suburbs183015116252-1366

Finals HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd Semi-finals Balmain7–9 Parramatta3 August 1963Sydney Cricket GroundDarcy Lawler39,408 St George8–10 Western Suburbs10 August 1963Sydney Cricket GroundDarcy Lawler42,065 Preliminary Final St George12–7 Parramatta17 August 1963Sydney Cricket GroundDarcy Lawler57,973 Grand Final Western Suburbs3–8 St George24 August 1963Sydney Cricket GroundDarcy Lawler69,860

Grand Final St. GeorgePositionWestern Suburbs Magpies 13. Graeme Langlands FB Don Parish 12. Johnny King WG 2. John Mowbray 11. Reg Gasnier CE 3. Bob McGuinness 24. Billy Smith CE 4. Gil MacDougall 9. Eddie Lumsden WG 5. Peter Dimond 21. Bruce Pollard FE 6. Arthur Summons (c) 7. George Evans HB 7. Don Malone Monty Porter PR 13. Jack Gibson 2. Ian Walsh HK 12. Noel Kelly 3. Kevin Ryan PR 11. Denis Meaney 4. Norm Provan (Ca./Co.) SR 14. Kel O'Shea 5. Elton RasmussenSR 9. John Hayes 6. Johnny Raper LK 8. Kevin Smyth Coach Jack Fitzgerald The crowd of 69,806 who turned out for the grand final was a record. From the opening whistle the 1963 decider was a gruelling affair. Heavy rain meant that the wet SCG pitch quickly became a quagmire and players unrecognisable. At one point, St George five-eighth, Bruce Pollard was blinded by the mud such that he couldn't pass or catch the ball so he swapped places with Johnny Raper and played out the second half at lock. Raper also set up the best movement of the match when he broke the line and found Reg Gasnier in support. Gasnier, with a Wests defender hanging off him, sent the ball to Norm Provan who in turn found Johnny King. However, the Magpies defence held and no try was scored.

Saints conceded their first grand final try since 1958 when Wests centre Gil McDougall scored. As the match developed, it was clear that Wests had a game plan which involved a focus of intimidation on Gasnier. McDougall and other Magpies punched, stiff armed and kneed Gasnier at every opportunity. He was consequently subdued throughout the game.

The game was ultimately the Dragons' most controversial win in their 11-year run since the story has passed into Australian rugby league folklore that St George benefitted from dubious decisions made by referee Darcy Lawler.

Lawler, the game's No.1 referee was known to enjoy a bet. A number of Wests players and sports journalists have claimed that the 1963 Grand Final was a rout and point to some questionable decisions with Wests captain Arthur Summons claiming that before the game one of his team mates (later revealed to be Jack Gibson) entered the change room and told others that if they had backed themselves to win they had better lay off their bets because "The ref has backed St George". Just before half time, Wests had a try disallowed. At 8–3, McDougall had a chance to even the score when he won a race to the ball in goal, but Lawler ruled that he did not ground it. Later, with 15 minutes to go and the score favouring Saints 5–3, Johnny King scored a controversial match winning try. Both decisions fuelled the debate about Lawler's impartiality on the day. Lawler, who awarded St George the penalties 18–7, retired after the match.

Newcomer Graeme Langlands passed to King who raced down his muddy wing after fending off his opposite John Mowbray. King appeared to be claimed by the cover defence of Don Parish but both players tumbled and in the slimy conditions King was not clearly held. He got up and was bowled over again but still not held and with no marker he ran towards the corner past a relaxed defence who believed he had been tackled. If ever there was an example of playing to the whistle, this was it. Johnny King scored one of the most debated tries in Australian Grand Final history. King claims that he was told by the referee to 'play on' while Wests legend, Noel Kelly claims that King was tackled and that Wests 'were robbed'. Behind the try line as the conversion was being lined up Chow Hayes yelled at Lawler "you're a cheat". Lawler said "Say that again and I will send you off". Jack Gibson said "send him off and I will rearrange your face on Monday". Lawler blushed and throughout the conversion Hayes continued to chant "you're a cheat".

But for the record books, St George won their eighth consecutive Grand Final, defeating a gallant Wests team, 8-3 and destroying Wests' hopes for the third year running. It was the final time that Western Suburbs would appear in a Grand Final. Also, St George won the premiership that year in all three grades.

The match is also celebrated in Australian rugby league history as a result of John O'Gready's enduring photo of rival captains Provan and Summons in a congratulatory mud-caked embrace at game's end. The award winning photo became known as "the Gladiators" and since it was first published has been appreciated by rugby league fans as capturing an essence of the game wherein a little man can fairly compete against the bigger man, and where sporting respect and camaraderie follow epic struggle. Since 1982 a bronze replica of the Provan and Summons embrace has adorned the various incarnations of the Australian rugby league premiership trophy.

St. George 8 (Tries: Evans, King. Goals: Gasnier 1.)

Western Suburbs 3 ( Tries: McDougall.)

Player statistics The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 18.

Top 5 point scorers PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals136 Fred Griffiths2650122 Keith Barnes455099 Graeme Langlands1527088 Reg Gasnier2211087 Les Johns3390 Top 5 try scorers TriesPlayer22 Reg Gasnier16 Ken Irvine15 Graeme Langlands14 Johnny King14 John Mowbray14 Nick Yakich

Top 5 goal scorers GoalsPlayer65 Fred Griffiths55 Keith Barnes39 Don Parish39 Les Johns34 John Mullins

References

External links Rugby League Tables - Season 1963 The World of Rugby League Writer, Larry (1995) Never Before, Never Again, Pan MacMillan, Sydney Results: 1961-70 at rabbitohs.com.au 1963 J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup at rleague.com NSWRFL season 1963 at rugbyleagueproject.org St George 1963 season at showroom.com.au