1936 NSWRFL season

The 1936 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twenty-ninth season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league football club competition, Australia’s first. Nine teams from across the city contested the premiership during the season, which lasted from April until September, and culminated in Eastern Suburbs’ victory over Balmain in the final.[1]

1936 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams9
Premiers Eastern Suburbs (6th title)
Minor premiers Eastern Suburbs (7th title)
Matches played63
Points scored1956
Top points scorer(s) Syd Christensen (123)
Top try-scorer(s) Fred Tottey (25)

Season summary

In round 14 of the University club ended a losing streak which had begun round 2, 1934 and marked the most consecutive losses in NSWRL/NRL premiership history at 42. Eastern Suburbs went through 1936 undefeated – a feat achieved by teams in only five other seasons before or since.

The first premiership game of Rugby League at Henson Park was played on 1 April 1936, when Newtown defeated University 20–0.

For the first time since 1919 and only the second since the competition began South Sydney lost more games than it won.[2]

Teams
Balmain

29th season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Joe Busch
Captain: Syd Christensen

 Canterbury-Bankstown

2nd season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Coach: Frank Burge
Captain: Alan Brady

 Eastern Suburbs

29th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Arthur Halloway
Captain: Dave Brown

 Newtown

29th season
Ground: Henson Park
Coach: Bill Kelly
Captain: Hans Mork

 North Sydney

29th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Jim Craig
Captain: Rex Harrison

South Sydney

29th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Dave Watson
Captain: Eric Lewis

 St. George

16th season
Ground: Earl Park
Coach: Arthur Justice / Eddie Root
Captain: Eddie Root

 University

17th Season
Coach: Bob Williams
Captain: Leo Reddy

 Western Suburbs

29th season
Ground: Pratten Park
Coach: Frank McMillan
Captain: Cliff Pearce

Ladder
The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1936 premiership across Sydney.
Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Eastern Suburbs 1311202335145+19028
2 Balmain 139042268161+10722
3 Canterbury 149231345243+10222
4 North Sydney 137152210161+4919
5 Newtown 147071203226-2316
6 Western Suburbs 135172199203-415
7 South Sydney 135082187185+214
8 St. George 1330102141228-8710
9 Sydney University 141013199414-3154

Finals

In the two semi finals, the top two ranked teams Eastern Suburbs and Balmain beat their lower-ranked opponents North Sydney and Canterbury-Bankstown. Eastern Suburbs and Balmain then played off for the premiership in the Final.

 
Semi-finalsFinal
 
      
 
September 1936 - Sports Ground
 
 
 Balmain 16
 
 12 September 1936 - Sports Ground
 
 North Sydney 3
 
 Eastern Suburbs 32
 
September 1936 - Sports Ground
 
 Balmain 12
 
 Eastern Suburbs 25
 
 
 Canterbury-Bankstown 13
 

Premiership Final
Eastern Suburbs Position Balmain
13. Tom DowlingFB 14. Frank Johnston
12. Rod O'LoanWG 2. Sid Goodwin
11. Dave Brown (c)CE 15. Gus Reeves
23. Jack LynchCE 32. Eddie Lockhart
9. Fred TotteyWG 3. Jack Redman
8. Ernie NormanFE 5. Syd Christensen (c)
7. Viv ThicknesseHB 6. Tom Grahame
32. Jack CootePR 10. Dave Manning
17. Tom McLachlanHK 9. Bill Alexander
  1. Ray Stehr
 PR 8. Frank Griffiths
4. Harry PierceSR 21. Billy Johnson
5. Joe PearceSR 11. Edmund Beaver
6. Andy NorvalLK 26. Roy Palmer
Arthur HallowayCoach Joe Busch

In front of a crowd of 14,395 at the Sydney Cricket Ground Easts were vying for back-to-back premierships and took on Balmain.

The match, officiated by referee Lal Deane was tight in the first half with a scoreline favouring Easts 8–6 at the break. In the second half Easts ran away with the game, scoring eight tries all up to Balmain's two.

The game marked the end of a sterling career for champion Tiger and former international halfback Joe “Chimpy” Busch, and was a suitable farewell for Roosters’ captain and star, Dave Brown. Brown headed to English club Warrington for two years, so that he did not play for the Tricolours during the 1937 and 1938 seasons.

Eastern Suburbs 32 (Tries: Fred Tottey 2, Rod O’Loan, Dave Brown, Ray Stehr, Ernie Norman, Jack Lynch, Andy Norval. Goals: Jack Lynch 2, Dave Brown 2 )

defeated

Balmain 12 (Tries: Frank Griffiths, Sid Goodwin. Goals: Sid Christensen 2, Bill Johnson)

References
  1. Premiership Roll of Honour Archived 2007-04-28 at the Wayback Machine at rl1908.com
  2. "South Sydney: Season Summary". Archived from the original on 2014-07-14. Retrieved 2014-07-03.
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