subject: 1926 NSWRFL season - CHINA Customers Projects Manufacturer - 3D Cinema System Manufacturer [print this page] 1926 NSWRFL season - CHINA Customers Projects Manufacturer - 3D Cinema System Manufacturer
Season summary Rugby league had been going through a period of declining popularity. Falling crowd numbers led to the NSWRFL making a substantial loss in 1925, forcing changes to be made. The 1926 season saw the introduction of the finals series to determine the Premiership between the leading four teams. The "first past the post" method had resulted in a number of seasons where the premiership was decided before the end of scheduled matches, killing interest in the final rounds. The rules concerning the play-the-ball were changed so that only two players could play at the ball, with one player from each side being allowed to stand immediately behind, and all other players having to stay behind that second man until the ball was heeled. Previously any number of players could play at the ball, and by 1925 play-the-balls had become a real mess. The rules were changed so that when a ball was forced in goal by the defending side play restarted with a line drop-out rather than a scrum. These changes combined with the use of multiple reserve balls made league a faster and much more attractive game to watch, and the fans returned. Teams Balmain, formed on January 23, 1908 at Balmain Town Hall Eastern Suburbs, formed on January 24, 1908 at Paddington Town Hall Glebe, formed on January 9, 1908 Newtown, formed on January 14, 1908 North Sydney, formed on February 7, 1908 South Sydney, formed on January 17, 1908 at Redfern Town Hall St. George, formed on November 8, 1920 at Kogarah School of Arts Western Suburbs, formed on February 4, 1908 University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University Balmain Eastern Suburbs Glebe Newtown North Sydney St. George South Sydney University Western Suburbs Ladder The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1926 premiership across Sydney. Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts 1 South Sydney 16 14 0 2 2 318 146 +172 32 2 Glebe 16 9 1 6 2 188 168 +20 23 3 Eastern Suburbs 16 9 1 6 2 207 192 +15 23 4 University 16 9 0 7 2 198 217 -19 22 5 Western Suburbs 16 8 0 8 2 252 227 +25 20 6 Newtown 16 7 0 9 2 189 223 -34 18 7 North Sydney 16 7 0 9 2 227 271 -44 18 8 Balmain 16 6 0 10 2 187 184 +3 16 9 St. George 16 2 0 14 2 169 307 -138 8 Finals At one stage in the second half of the season, University had been sitting just one win behind reigning premiers South Sydney. But five successive losses at the back end of the season saw them fall to fourth on the ladder. This though was enough to secure their only ever finals berth in their eighteen year history. South Sydney for the second season straight showed consistent good form, and in the end comfortably won the minor premiership. In the semi-finals, both University and South Sydney comfortably defeated their opponents to progress to the final. Semi-finals Final 4 Sept 1926 - Sydney Cricket Ground Glebe 3 University 29 18 Sept 1926 - Agricultural Showground South Sydney 11 University 5 11 Sept 1926 - Sydney Cricket Ground South Sydney 21 Eastern Suburbs 5 Final South Sydney Position University Alan Righton FB Hubert Finn Alby Carr WG Tom Barry Vic Lawrence CE Frank O'Rourke Harry Finch CE Paddy McCormack Reg Williams WG Martin Cunningham Alf Blair (c) FE Georgie Lane (c) Frank Brogan HB Ed Wynter Arch Thompson PR Edward Ryan Harry Cavanagh HK Frank Benning George Treweek PR Jim Ward Edward Root SR Sammy Ogg Alf O'Connor SR Bill Flanagan David Watson LK Jim McIntyre Howard Hallett Coach Bill Kelly The 1926 season was the most successful of the eighteen seasons between the wars in which University competed in the top Sydney grade. This may have had to do with their coach Bill Kelly or their new trainer the former Kangaroo Sid Pearce. Or perhaps they benefitted from that season's play-the-ball rule change which initially resulted in a cleaner and faster game that suited the lighter and quicker Students. Whatever the reason they won their first seven games. However their loss of centre Frank O'Rourke to a broken hand, saw them slip in the final rounds to finish fourth. The play-off system and South Sydney's "right-of-challenge" as minor-premiers required University to beat the powerful Glebe side and then South Sydney twice to take the title. In the semi-final against Glebe, University regained their early season form and trounced Glebe by 29-3. O'Rourke returned for the Final and lined up with state representatives Harry "Butt" Finn, Jim McIntyre and A.S."Georgie" Lane in front of 20,000 at the Royal Agricultural Society Grounds. In the opening twenty minutes University had three opportunities to score but poor finishing let them down. After withstanding the Students' attack Souths responded with eleven points of their own by the half-time break. Early in the second half University's centre McCormack hit back with an intercept try to pull the deficit back to 11-5 however the Rabbitohs defence held for the remainder of the game and they claimed the premiership. Refereee Webby Neill himself a former premiership winning Rabbitoh, sent off South's Edward Root during the match. South Sydney 11 (Tries: Brogan, Finch, Watson. Goal: Blair) University 5 (Tries: Paddy McCormack. Goal: Jim McIntyre) References Rugby League Tables - Notes The World of Rugby League Rugby League Tables - Season 1926 The World of Rugby League Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 History - Introduction North Sydney Bears History of the University Club Sean Fagan's RL1908 Results: 1921-30 at rabbitohs.com.au vde Clubs in the National Rugby League, 2010 Brisbane Broncos Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Canberra Raiders Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Gold Coast Titans Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Melbourne Storm Newcastle Knights New Zealand Warriors North Queensland Cowboys Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers St. George Illawarra Dragons South Sydney Rabbitohs Sydney Roosters Wests Tigers Former NSWRL / ARL / SL / NRL clubs Adelaide Rams Annandale Balmain Tigers Cumberland Glebe Gold Coast Chargers Hunter Mariners Illawarra Steelers Newcastle Newtown Jets North Sydney Bears Northern Eagles Perth Reds South Queensland Crushers St. George Dragons University Western Suburbs Magpies vde NSWRL & NRL Premiership seasons NSWRL era (1908 - 1994) 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 ARL / SL war (1995 - 1997) 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 (ARL / SL)xx NRL era (1998 - present) 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 Categories: 1926 in rugby league | 1926 in Australia
