The 1927 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twentieth season of Sydney's top-level rugby league club competition, Australia's first. Nine teams from across the city contested during the season, which culminated in South Sydney's victory over St. George in the premiership final.
Season summary The 1927 season saw a new record for length of a player's suspension. Balmain's Bill Maizey was suspended for twelve months for punching Easts player George Clamback. The season was also the last as a player in the NSWRFL for future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Frank Burge, who had returned as captain-coach of St. George after three seasons out of the NSWRFL.
Teams 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 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
Balmain20th seasonGround: Birchgrove OvalCoach: Alf Fraser Captain: Norm Robinson Eastern Suburbs20th seasonGround: RAS Showground Coach: Captain: Arthur Oxford Glebe20th seasonGround: Wentworth Park Captain: Tom McGrath Newtown20th seasonGround: Marrickville Oval Coach: Albert "Ricketty" Johnston Captain(s): Charles Kell, Tom Ellis North Sydney20th seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Coach: Captain: Leo O'Connor St. George7th seasonGround: Earl Park Captain-Coach: Frank BurgeSouth Sydney20th seasonGround: Sydney Cricket Ground Captain-coach: Alf Blair University8th seasonCoach: Captain: Frank O'Rourke, Sammy Ogg Western Suburbs20th seasonGround: Pratten Park Coach: Clarrie Prentice Captain: Frank McMillan
Ladder
TeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts1 South Sydney1614022402162+240322 St. George1612132284141+143293 Western Suburbs169072222182+40224 Eastern Suburbs168262215216-1225 Newtown168082189259-70206 North Sydney166192174256-82177 Balmain165292210238-28168 Glebe1640122176297-121129 Sydney University1630132199320-12110
Finals All four finalists had been decided before the end of the final round and by coincidence faced each other in the penultimate round. 1926 wooden spooners St. George had a massive turnaround in 1927, with a chance to become minor premiers in the final round when they played South Sydney who were just one point ahead of them on the ladder. However looking for their third successive title, South Sydney prevailed 22-9 in front of a large crowd of 26,649 at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and as a result took the minor premiership. On the same day, Western Suburbs and Eastern Suburbs played each other for third spot, with Western Suburbs winning 8-6.
In the semi-finals, both South Sydney and St. George overcame their opponents and were able to set up a rematch of their Round 18 game just two weeks earlier.
Final South SydneyPositionSt. George 25. Harry Kadwell FB 21. Jack McCormack 12. Benny Wearing WG 9. Stan Brain 13. Vic Lawrence CE 11. George Carstairs 17. Sid Harris CE 28. Lennie Guest 15. Harry Finch WG 12. Frank Saunders 11. Alf Blair (Ca./Co.) FE 8. Arnold Traynor 20. Mick O'Connor HB 7. Bill Benson 3. David Watson PR 6. Clarrie Tye 6. Alby Carr HK 5. Arthur Justice 31. Chas Fennell PR 15. Tom Killiby 5. George Treweek SR 3. Bill Hardman 8. Edward Root SR 2. Frank Burge (Ca./Co.) Harry Cavanough LK Aub Kelly
Playing on a quagmire at the Royal Agricultural Society Grounds in front of a modest crowd of 12,124 St. George contested their first ever premiership decider in their seventh year in the top league. They confronted the might of South Sydney who were reigning premiers in the two prior years and minor premiers at the end of the 1927 regular season.
The two teams had already met earlier in the season at the Sydney Cricket Ground when Souths defeated Saints 17–14 in front of a massive crowd of 31,500. With heavy rain falling throughout the match, refereed by former Rabbitoh and international Webby Neill Souths took a 13–6 lead to the half time break. The Rabbitohs won the decider scoring four tries to three to take their third successive premiership and becoming the third club to do so.
South Sydney 20 (Tries: Carr, Root, Wearing, Finch. Goals: Blair 2, Kadwell 2)
defeated
St George 11 (Tries: Justice, Carstairs, Saunders. Goal: Saunders )
References
External links Rugby League Tables - Notes AFL Tables Rugby League Tables - Season 1927 AFL Tables Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 Results: 1921-30 at rabbitohs.com.au