The 1902 Metropolitan Rugby Union season was the 29th season of the Sydney Rugby Premiership. It was the third season run for clubs that represented a district. Eight clubs (seven representing a district, the remaining club representing Sydney University) competed from May till August 1902. The season culminated in the third district premiership, which was won by Western Suburbs. Western Suburbs were crowned premiers by virtue of finishing the season on top of the table.
Teams Eight clubs contested the season; seven clubs representing a district and one club representing Sydney University.
Balmain Formed on 26 March 1900 Ground: Birchgrove Oval Captain: Walter DavisEastern Suburbs Formed on 22 March 1900 Ground: Rushcutters Bay Oval Captain: Percy MacnamaraGlebe Formed on 15 March 1900 Ground: Wentworth Park Captain: William HoweNewtown Formed on 22 March 1900 Captain: Harold JuddNorth Sydney Formed on 23 March 1900 Ground: North Sydney Oval Captain: Jack O'DonnellSouth Sydney Formed on 26 March 1900 Ground: RAS Showground Captain: J BourkeSydney University Formed on 19 August 1865 Ground: University Oval Captain: Harry BlaneyWestern Suburbs Formed on 22 March 1900 Captain: Stanley Wickham
Season summary The 1902 Sydney Rugby Premiership saw a popular win for the Western Suburbs District Football Club. The club had experienced the unfortunate and sad loss of their captain, William Shortland, at the end of the previous season. During the season, the team recovered from this huge loss to display improvement in defence, with only 4 tries scored against them over the final 7 rounds. Three-Quarter, Stanley Wickham demonstrated the importance of having a great goal kicker in the team, scoring 11 field goals during the season with 5 scored in one game against South Sydney.
Glebe opened the season in magnificent form defeating the two teams that eventually finished above them on the ladder. However, as the season progressed the team was required to shift players around due to injuries to important members of the team. As a result, over the final four rounds Glebe drew with North Sydney, drew with Western Suburbs and lost the penultimate match to University 6 to 4. This meant that they were out of contention for the premiership in the final round.
The final round of the season had been originally scheduled for 26 July and was postponed to the end of August due to heavy and persistent rain. This meant that for the last round of games for the season, the two teams in contention for the premiership would face each other in a "final". In order that representatives in both teams be able to depart on time for the intercolonial matches in Queensland, the game was scheduled for Wednesday, 27 August at 2pm. Again rain interfered with the quality of the game which resulted in Western Suburbs winning against Sydney University 4 points to 3.
At the conclusion of the season, the rugby world lost another significant player with the death of former University captain Horace Jones. Jones had previously captained the NSW team in intercolonial matches and had retired from rugby at the end of the 1901 season due to ill health. His cause of death was sarcoma, a soft tissue cancer.
Ladder TeamPldWDLBPFPAPDPts1 Western Suburbs141013014870 +78212 Sydney University1410040152108 +44203 Glebe14833015588 +67194 North Sydney14824013656 +80185 Eastern Suburbs14617086132 -46136 Newtown1452709189 +2127 South Sydney143110056147 -9178 Balmain141013063197 -1342
Ladder Progression
Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round. Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round
Team12345678910111213141 Western Suburbs02246810121214161719212 Sydney University22446810101214161820203 Glebe2466681012141617181819No game was played between Glebe and Eastern Suburbs with an agreement made to declare the game as a draw.4 North Sydney013577791113141416185 Eastern Suburbs2444446688810Newtown forfeited the game against Eastern Suburbs.12136 Newtown2356666888101010127 South Sydney000135555557778 Balmain00022222222222
Statistics
Points PlayerPlTGFGPts1 Stanley Wickham140711602 Harry Blaney142133473 Frank Row110180404 Patrick Higgins121100335 Nigel Barker131000306 Aub Johnstone13173307 EC Deering14900278 James Joyce13223239 Thomas Comber102512210 Humphrey Oxenham1370021
Tries PlayerPlT1 Patrick Higgins12112 Nigel Barker13103 EC Deering1494 Humphrey Oxenham1375 Ed Halloren1276 George Roberts1277 R Wickham1268 RH Carlisle1459 Victor Harris13410 C Rundle104
Lower Grades The MRFU also conducted Second Grade and Boroughs competitions this season.
Second Grade The eight First grade clubs entered a team each into the Second Grade competition. The season concluded with a final game between Glebe and Eastern Suburbs that was practically a final. The game ended in a draw. However, Glebe were declared premiers as they were one point ahead of Eastern Suburbs on the ladder.
Boroughs Competition Sixteen teams participated in the first Boroughs Competition. This was a competition for teams that did not necessarily represent a district. Non-district teams acted as a feeder club for the larger district teams. These teams were: Manly, Glebe, Gipps, Willoughby, Surry Hills, Rockdale, Balmain, Newtown, Leichhardt, Burwood, Marrickville, University, Annandale, North Sydney, Mosman and Parramatta. At the conclusion of the season, Manly sat undefeated at the top of the table and were thus declared Premiers.
Participating Clubs ClubGrade1st2ndB.Annandale Football ClubY Balmain District Football ClubYYYBurwood Football ClubY Eastern Suburbs District Rugby Football ClubYYGipps Football Club Y Glebe District Football ClubYYYLeichhardt Football ClubYManly Football Club YMarrickville Football ClubY Mosman Football ClubY Newtown District Football ClubYYY North Sydney District Rugby Football ClubYYY Parramatta Rugby Football ClubYRockdale Football ClubY South Sydney District Football ClubYYSurry Hills Football ClubY Sydney University Football ClubYYY Western Suburbs District Rugby Football ClubYYWilloughby Football ClubY
Footnotes
References
Sydney Club Rugby History. "Rugby Football Notes". Referee (Sydney, NSW: 1886 - 1939). 1902-09-03. p. 8.