The 1946 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the thirty-ninth season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league competition, Australia’s first. Eight teams from across the city contested during the season which culminated in Balmain’s victory over St. George in the premiership final.Premiership Roll of Honour at rl1908.com
Season summary The South Sydney club did not win a single match in 1946, continuing a losing streak that started in round 8, 1945 and which would run till round 1, 1947.
Eastern Suburbs’ Lionel Cooper took out the New South Wales “Player of the Year” award.
Teams 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 Western Suburbs, formed on February 4, 1908
Balmain 39th seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Norm RobinsonCaptain: Tom BourkeCanterbury-Bankstown 12th seasonGround: Belmore Oval Coach: Ross McKinnonCaptain: Ron BaileyEastern Suburbs 39th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Captain-Coach: Ray Stehr Newtown 39th seasonGround: Henson Park Coach: Frank Farrell & Len Smith Captain: Frank Farrell North Sydney 39th seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Coach: Harry Forbes Captain: Jim Scoular South Sydney 39th seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Arthur HennessyCaptain: Clem Kennedy St. George 26th seasonGround: Hurstville Oval Captain-Coach: Herb NarvoWestern Suburbs 39th seasonGround: Pratten Park Captain-Coach: Jack Walsh
Ladder
TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 St. George141103264203+61222 Newtown141004294189+105203 Balmain14905279193+86184 Canterbury14815212196+16175 Eastern Suburbs14806213174+39166 North Sydney14509248283-35107 Western Suburbs14419224267-4398 South Sydney140014124353-2290
Finals With just two rounds remaining, Newtown looked on track for the minor premiership until they lost to Eastern Suburbs and then Balmain in the two final rounds of the year. This left St. George to take the minor premiership, and with it, a guaranteed place in a final. This proved costly for Newtown, who were narrowly beaten by Canterbury-Bankstown in the semifinal eliminator, meaning they were out of the competition. St. George also lost their first round match, meaning they immediately got sent into the Grand final against the winner of a Balmain and Canterbury-Bankstown match, which Balmain won by a point.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd Semifinals St. George14–22 Balmain24 August 1946Sydney Cricket GroundGeorge Bishop34,408 Newtown10–12 Canterbury-Bankstown31 August 1946Sydney Cricket GroundJack O'Brien28,012 Preliminary Final Balmain8–7 Canterbury-Bankstown7 September 1946Sydney Cricket GroundTom McMahon36,445 Grand Final St. George12–13 Balmain14 September 1946Sydney Sports GroundGeorge Bishop32,296
Grand Final St GeorgePositionBalmain 44. Ray Lindwall FB 30. Jack McCullough 18. Noel Jones WG 2. Arthur Patton 10. Doug McRitchie CE 6. Pat Devery 8. Fred Brown CE 4. Tom Bourke (c) 40. Jack Lindwall WG 3. Joe Jorgenson 48. Don Graham FE 19. George Williams 7. Max Hayward HB 7. Stan Ponchard Jack Munn PR 10. Hilton Kidd 2. Ken Banks HK 9. Herb Gilbert Jnr 3. Jack McPherson PR 8. Jack Spencer 4. Jim Hale SR 25. Fred de Belin 5. Herb Narvo (c/c) SR 11. Harry Bath 22. Chick Donnelley LK 13. Jack Hampstead Coach Norm Robinson In spite of St George’s status as minor premiers, Balmain were Grand Final favourites due to their comprehensive routing of the Dragons in the first semi-final. The decider, played on Saturday 14 September, was a closely fought contest.1946 Grand Final at nrlstats.com
A series of dubious decisions by referee George Bishop gave Balmain an advantage. There was a disallowed try to St George and two Balmain tries which came off what appeared to be forward passes, one when Balmain’s Joe Jorgenson scored after receiving a ball that seemed to have been propelled at least a yard forward.
The Dragons came close to victory when late in the game Jack Lindwall scored in the corner but his brother, prospective Test bowler, Ray Lindwall was unable to convert it. Lindwall in fact missed all four conversion attempts on the day.
The Tigers had won seven straight victories to take the premiership.
Tensions of the encounter overflowed after full-time, and at the conclusion of the match Saints forward, Jim Hale went toe to toe with Balmain hooker, Herb Gilbert, Jr, himself a former Dragon. Hale was then attacked by a spectator and an all-in brawl followed.
Balmain 13 (Tries: Jorgenson 2, Patton. Goals: Bourke 2 )
defeated
St George 12 (Tries: J Lindwall 2, Jones, Munn)
Player statistics The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 14.
Top 5 point scorers PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals120 Tom Kirk257084 Bill Keato042077 Dick Dunn137068 Roy Hasson231060 Joe Jorgenson4240 Top 5 try scorers TriesPlayer14 Jack Lindwall12 Cyril McMahon11 Johnny Bliss10 Denis Boocker9 Len Smith
Top 5 goal scorers GoalsPlayer57 Tom Kirk42 Bill Keato37 Dick Dunn31 Roy Hasson28 Pat Morgan
References
External links Rugby League Tables - Notes AFL Tables Rugby League Tables - Season 1946 AFL Tables Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 Finals lineups and results Hunterlink site Results: 1941-1950 at rabbitohs.com.au 1946 Labor Daily Cup at rleague.com NSWRFL season 1946 at rugbyleagueproject.org