1920 NSWRFL season

The 1920 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the thirteenth season of Sydney's professional rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. The introduction of a Sydney University side saw nine teams from across the city contest during the season. Balmain were crowned premiers by virtue of finishing the season on top of the League.[1]

1920 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams9
Premiers Balmain (5th title)
Minor premiers Balmain (5th title)
Matches played60
Points scored1981
Top points scorer(s) Frank Burge (110)
Top try-scorer(s) Gordon Wright (18)

Season summary

Due to the 1920 Great Britain Lions tour, from rounds 5 to 8, several players in the NSWRFL were selected to play matches for Metropolis (Sydney), New South Wales and Australia.

In a round 7 game between Glebe and University Frank Burge scored eight tries which remains the standing record for the most tries by an individual in a NSWRL/NRL premiership match. Arthur Oxford set the pace in goal kicking, scoring 29 goals in three games. He also took the record of most goals in succession (23) which would stand until 1978.

The NSWRFL ran the City Cup competition for the second half of the season.

The Balmain Tigers again dominated the season, while University's first year was a disappointment: the Students conceded a whopping 118 tries in thirteen games for a record “tries against” average of 9.08 per match that has not been beaten since.[2] Balmain played consistently and defensively throughout the season except for a slip-up 13–30 loss to Eastern Suburbs in Round 10. Holding a seven-point lead on the premiership ladder with three rounds left to play secured their fifth premiership in six years. The final three rounds were left unplayed and no Finals were contested.

Teams

With the addition of Sydney University's team, the League was again at nine sides. At the end of the season however, Annandale exited the League after eleven seasons,[3] having won only fifteen and drawn four of 126 games since 1912.[4]

Annandale
11th season
Ground: Birchgrove Park
Coach:
Captain: Tom McGuiness
Balmain
13th season
Ground: Birchgrove Park
Captain-Coach: Arthur Halloway
Eastern Suburbs
13th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach:
Captain: Ray Norman
Glebe
13th season
Ground: RAS Showground
Coach:
Captain: Frank Burge
Newtown
13th season
Ground: Marrickville Oval
Captain-Coach: Albert Johnston
North Sydney
13th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Chris McKivat
Captain: Harold Horder
South Sydney
13th season
Ground: RAS Showground
Coach:
Captain: Reg Fusedale
University
1st season
Coach: Paddy McCue
Captain: Alan McLeod 		Western Suburbs
13th season
Ground: Pratten Park
Captain-coach: Tedda Courtney

Ladder
The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1920 premiership across Sydney.
Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Balmain 1311112287114+17327
2 South Sydney 138052258149+10920
3 Glebe 138052268166+10220
4 Western Suburbs 148151309141+16819
5 North Sydney 137062237151+8618
6 Eastern Suburbs 148061254175+7918
7 Newtown 148061208203+518
8 Sydney University 1310122101498-3976
9 Annandale 130013259384-3254
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References
  1. Premiership Roll of Honour Archived 2011-05-14 at the Wayback Machine at rl1908.com
  2. Rugby League Tables: Season Records
  3. "History of the Premiership". centenaryofrugbyleague.com.au. Australian Rugby League. Archived from the original on 9 February 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  4. "Annandale - Season Summary". Archived from the original on 2012-06-03. Retrieved 2014-07-13.
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