The 1937 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 30th season of the Sydney, New South Wales-based top-grade rugby league club competition, Australia's first. Nine teams from across the city contested the premiership during the season, which lasted from April until June, with Eastern Suburbs being crowned champions.Premiership Roll of Honour at rl1908.com
Season summary The 1937 season only lasted eight rounds due to the Kangaroo tour, and used a “first past the post” system to determine the premiers. There were no Finals. The second half of what would normally have been the NSWRFL season was taken up with a City Cup competition.
Eastern Suburbs won their seventh Premiership going through the season undefeated – a feat achieved by teams in only five other seasons before or since. Having won only two matches in four seasons and only fifteen (plus two draws) in the nine seasons since 1929, the University club withdrew voluntarily from the premiership at the end of the season.
Teams 1937 proved University’s final NSWRFL season. After being allowed one more season to prove themselves, the Students did not win a match in any grade, scoring only 41 points in first grade, 39 in reserves, and 21 in third grade – in which University veterans were allowed to play the second half of the last match as a farewell.Lester, Gary; From Berries to Bulldogs: Fifty Years of Canterbury-Bankstown RLFC, p. 25 Balmain, formed on January 23, 1908, at Balmain Town Hall Canterbury-Bankstown Eastern Suburbs, formed on January 24, 1908, at Paddington Town Hall 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 University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University Western Suburbs, formed on February 4, 1908
Balmain 30th seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Harold MatthewsCaptain(s): Jim Duckworth, Jack RedmanCanterbury-Bankstown 3rd seasonGround: Belmore Oval Coach: George MasonCaptain: Alan BradyEastern Suburbs 30th seasonGround: Sydney Cricket Ground Coach: Arthur Halloway Captain: Viv Thicknesse Newtown 30th seasonGround:Henson Park Coach: Bill KellyCaptain: Herb Narvo North Sydney 30th seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Captain-Coach: Laurie Ward South Sydney 30th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Charlie Lynch Captain: Eric Lewis St. George 17th seasonGround: Earl Park Coach: Peter Burge / Norm PopeCaptain: Norm Pope & Percy Fairall University 18th season Coach: Bob "Botsy" Williams Captain: Tom CareyWestern Suburbs 30th seasonGround: Pratten Park Coach: Jerry Brien Captain: Cliff Pearce
Ladder
TeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts1 Eastern Suburbs8620118756+131162 South Sydney8512116458+106133 St. George8512115192+59134 Newtown84041144126+18105 Canterbury840419891+7106 Balmain84041115136-21107 North Sydney830518494-1088 Western Suburbs83051104126-2289 Sydney University8008141309-2682
References
External links Rugby League Tables - Notes AFL Tables Rugby League Tables - Season 1937 AFL Tables Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 Results: 1931-40 at rabbitohs.com.au