The 1949 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the forty-second season of Sydney's top-level professional rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. Ten teams from across the city contested the premiership during the season which culminated in a grand final between St. George and South Sydney.
Season summary St. George winger Ron Roberts’ 25 tries during 1949 stands in third place behind Les Brennan's 29 in 1954 and Bob Lulham’s 28 in 1947 for the highest number of tries by a player in a debut season.
The 1949 season was also the last in the NSWRFL for future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Vic Hey.
Teams Balmain, formed on 23 January 1908 at Balmain Town Hall Canterbury-Bankstown Eastern Suburbs, formed on 24 January 1908 at Paddington Town Hall Manly-Warringah Newtown, formed on 14 January 1908 North Sydney, formed on 7 February 1908 Parramatta, formed in November 1946 South Sydney, formed on 17 January 1908 at Redfern Town Hall St. George, formed on 8 November 1920 at Kogarah School of Arts Western Suburbs, formed on 4 February 1908
Balmain 42nd seasonGround: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Athol Smith Captain: Fred de Belin Canterbury-Bankstown 15th seasonGround:Belmore Oval Coach: Henry PorterCaptain: Bruce Hopkins Eastern Suburbs 42nd seasonGround: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Ray StehrCaptain: Paul TierneyManly-Warringah 3rd seasonGround: Brookvale Oval Coach: George MullinsCaptain: George Hunter Newtown 42nd seasonGround: Erskineville Oval Captain-Coach: Frank Farrell North Sydney 42nd seasonGround: North Sydney Oval Coach: Harry McKinnon Captain: Frank Cottle Parramatta 3rd seasonGround: Cumberland Oval Captain-Coach: Vic HeySouth Sydney 42nd seasonGround: Redfern Oval Coach: Dave Watson & Jack Rayner Captain: Jack Rayner St. George 29th seasonGround: Hurstville Oval Coach: Jim Duckworth Captain: Johnny HawkeWestern Suburbs 42nd seasonGround: Pratten Park Captain-Coach: Col Maxwell
Ladder
TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 South Sydney181314360210+150272 Western Suburbs181206365280+85243 St. George181116345231+114234 Balmain181026265206+59225 Parramatta18846311269+42206 Newtown18918358332+26197 Canterbury186210236337−101148 Manly186111171293−122139 North Sydney185112253369−1161110 Eastern Suburbs183114214351−1377
Finals Minor premier South Sydney's loss to St. George in the finals meant that a grand final would be necessary. HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd Semifinals South Sydney12–16 St. George20 August 1949Sydney Cricket GroundTom McMahon41,696 Western Suburbs13–20 Balmain27 August 1949Sydney Cricket GroundGeorge Bishop38,209 Preliminary Final St. George18–7 Balmain3 September 1949Sydney Cricket GroundJack O'Brien55,341 Grand Final South Sydney12–19 St. George10 September 1949Sydney Cricket GroundGeorge Bishop56,534
Grand Final South SydneyPositionSt. George 13. Clive Churchill FB 26. Doug Fleming 12. John Graves WG 11. Ron Roberts 42. Norm Spillane CE 10. Doug McRitchie 27. Ken Brogan CE 9. Matt McCoy 14. Len Allmond WG 13. Noel Pidding 46. Arthur Moynihan FE 8. Johnny Hawke (capt) 7. Des Bryan HB 7. Noel Hill Denis Donoghue PR 3. Jack Holland 29. Ernie Hammerton HK 2. Frank Facer (v.capt) 28. Jack Melville PR 54. Jack Munn5. Bernie Purcell SR 16. Carl Langton 4. Jack Rayner (Ca./Co.) SR 4. Charles Banks 6. Les Cowie LK 6. George Jardine Coach Jim Duckworth In a brutal encounter, St George ran in five tries and overcame minor premiers South Sydney 19–121949 Grand Final at nrlstats.com to claim their second premiership in front of 56,532 people, the second biggest crowd of all time to witness a Sydney club match.
Souths opened the scoring, with a converted try to Graves after 21 minutes. However the Dragons were led masterfully by their captain, Kangaroos five-eighth, Norman "Johnny" Hawke. Controlling all aspects of the match, Hawke took the game away from Souths who only got back into the contest when he was forced from the field with injury. Also injured was Saints forward George Jardine who played the match with a broken wrist.
St. George led 11–5 at half time. Hawke returned to the field after treatment and was later dubbed "Man of the Match" and "the Player’s Player". The Dragons' wingers, season's top try scorer Ron Roberts (25 tries) and newcomer Noel Pidding scored two tries each.
Each of the grand final winning players received a record bonus of £300 each.
St. George 19 Tries: Roberts (2), Pidding (2), McCoy Goals: McCoy, Pidding
South Sydney 12 Tries: Graves, Purcell Goals: Graves (3)
Player statistics The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 18.
Top 5 point scorers PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals159 Bill Keato1780122 Matt McCoy8490110 Ron Crossley4490100 Darcy Russell050092 Bobby Lulham16220 Top 5 try scorers TriesPlayer21 Ron Roberts18 Mitchell Wallace17 Len Allmond16 Bobby Lulham14 Horrie Kessey
Top 5 goal scorers GoalsPlayer78 Bill Keato50 Darcy Russell49 Matt McCoy49 Ron Crossley44 Colin Schomberg
References
External links Rugby League Tables – Notes AFL Tables Rugby League Tables – Season 1949 AFL Tables Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 Finals lineups and results Hunterlink site Results:1941–1950 at rabbitohs.com.au 1949 Labor Daily Cup at rleague.com NSWRFL season 1949 at rugbyleagueproject.org