The 1937–38 Rugby Football League season was the 43rd season of rugby league football.

Season summary

Hunslet won their second, and to date last, Championship when they defeated Leeds 8-2 in the play-off final. They had also finished the regular season as the league leaders. The final was due to have taken place at Belle Vue, Wakefield, but as both clubs were from Leeds, the Rugby Football League switched the match to Elland Road in Leeds, with the final being played on 30 April 1938 in front of a crowd of 54,112.

The Challenge Cup Winners were Salford who beat Barrow 7-4 in the final.

Warrington won the Lancashire League, and Leeds won the Yorkshire League. Warrington beat Barrow 8–4 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Leeds beat Huddersfield 14–8 to win the Yorkshire County Cup.

Championship

TeamPldWDLPFPAPts1Hunslet362538459301532Leeds362529530227523Swinton3624210392198504Barrow3625011447260505Warrington3623112534286476Salford3623112493293477Castleford3623112481320478Widnes3622212475210469Wigan36221134783294510Wakefield Trinity36213124763464511Oldham36212133922764412Bradford Northern36204124393554413Hull36193144793644114Halifax36192155313934015Batley36172173923673616Keighley36172172673183617Liverpool Stanley36171182843243518York36155163814923519Broughton Rangers36162183944133420Dewsbury36151203884073121St. Helens36143193704763122St Helens Recs36151203534713123Huddersfield36141214995022924Hull Kingston Rovers36131223544762725Rochdale Hornets3691263385671926Featherstone Rovers3682263116061827Leigh3673262035971728Newcastle362430206750829Bramley3622322216436

Championship play-off

Final

HunsletNumberLeeds Teams Jack Walkington1Charlie EatonEric Batten2Eric HarrisCyril Morrell3Evan WilliamsErnest Winter4Stan BrogdenJames O'Sullivan5Stan SmithOliver Morris6Vic HeyBilly Thornton7Dai JenkinsMark Tolson8Stan SatterthwaiteLes White9Con MurphyEddie Bennett10Dai ProsserSam Newbould11Harry DyerColin Stansfield12Ted TattersfieldCyril Plenderleith13William DuffyCoachDai ProsserSource:

Challenge Cup

Salford beat Barrow 7-4 in the final played at Wembley on Saturday 7 May 1938 in front of a crowd of 51,243. This was the lowest winning score in a Wembley final, only equalled in 1970.

This was Salford’s first Challenge Cup Final win in their fourth Final appearance.

This was Barrow’s first appearance in the Final.

References

Sources 1937-38 Rugby Football League season at wigan.rlfans.com The Challenge Cup at The Rugby Football League website