The 1956–57 Rugby Football League season was the 62nd season of rugby league football.
Season summary Oldham finished the regular season as the league leaders and then won their fourth Rugby Football League Championship when they beat Hull F.C. 15-14 in the play-off final.
The Challenge Cup winners were Leeds who beat Barrow 9-7 in the final.
Oldham won the Lancashire League, and Leeds won the Yorkshire League. Oldham beat St. Helens 10–3 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Wakefield Trinity beat Hunslet 23–5 to win the Yorkshire County Cup.
Lewis Jones' record total of 496 points was only bettered in 2024 by Max Jowitt, who scored 500 in Wakefield Trinity's successful Championship campaign.
Championship TeamPldWDLPts1Oldham383305662Hull382927603Barrow382909584Leeds3828010565St. Helens3825310536Wigan3826012527Hunslet3826012528Wakefield Trinity3823114479Huddersfield38230154610Warrington38211164311York38210174212Halifax38210174213Salford38192174014Workington Town38200184015Featherstone Rovers38190193816Rochdale Hornets38190193817Leigh38181193718Whitehaven38181193719Swinton38180203620Keighley38171203521Bradford Northern38170213422Bramley38142223023Widnes38150233024Blackpool Borough38140242825Castleford38112252426Hull Kingston Rovers38112252427Liverpool City3891281928Batley3880301629Dewsbury3851321130Doncaster3830356 Play-offs
Play-offs
Final
OldhamNumberHull Teams Bernard Ganley1Colin HuttonDick Cracknell2Stan CowanAlan Davies3Geoff DannattDennis Ayres4Carl TurnerJohn Etty5Ivor WattsFrank Daley6Rowley MoatFrank Pitchford7Tommy FinnKen Jackson8Mick ScottJack Keith9Tommy HarrisDon Vines10Jim DrakeCharlie Winslade11Cyril SykesSid Little12Bill DrakeDerek Turner13Johnny WhiteleyCoachRoy Francis
Challenge Cup
Leeds beat Barrow 9-7 in the Challenge Cup Final played at Wembley Stadium before a crowd of 76,318.
This was Leeds’ eighth Challenge Cup Final win in ten Final appearances. Jeff Stevenson, their scrum half back, was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for his man-of-the-match performance.
Kangaroo Tour
October until December also saw the appearance of the Australian team in England on their 1956–57 Kangaroo Tour. Other than the three test Ashes series against Great Britain (won 2–1 by Australia), The Kangaroos played 16 matches against club and county representative sides.1956–57 Kangaroo Tour at Rugby League Project
The Kangaroos were captain-coached by St George Dragons hooker Ken Kearney.
game Date Result Venue Attendance1 10 October Australia def. Liverpool City 40–12 Knotty Ash Stadium, Liverpool 4,7122 13 October Leeds def. Australia 18–13 Headingley, Leeds 24,4593 15 October Australia def. Hull F.C. / Hull KR XIII 37–14 The Boulevard, Hull 17,1724 18 October Australia def. Barrow 25–11 Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness 9,9885 20 October Whitehaven def. Australia 14–11 Recreation Ground, Whitehaven 10,8406 24 October Australia def. Bradford Northern 23–11 Odsal Stadium, Bradford 2,7437 27 October Warrington def. Australia 21–17 Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 15,6138 29 October Australia def. English League XIII 19–15 Hilton Park, Leigh 7,8119 3 November Australia def. York 20–18 Clarence Street, York 6,84210 7 November Oldham def. Australia 15–2 The Watersheddings, Oldham 8,45811 10 November Australia def. Huddersfield 20–10 Fartown Ground, Huddersfield 12,12712 17 November def. 21–10 Central Park, Wigan 22,47313 21 November Australia def. Hunslet 27–11 Parkside, Hunslet 4,45114 24 November St Helens def. Australia 44–2 Knowsley Road, St Helens 15,57915 1 December def. 22–9 Odsal Stadium, Bradford 23,63416 5 December Halifax def. Australia 6–3 Thrum Hall, Halifax 2,25417 8 December Australia def. Wigan 32–4 Central Park, Wigan 15,85418 10 December Wakefield Trinity def. Australia 17–12 Belle Vue, Wakefield 3,38119 15 December def. 19–0 Station Road, Swinton 17,542
References
Sources 1956-57 Rugby Football League season at Wigan.rlfans.com The Challenge Cup at The Rugby Football League website