1923 NSWRFL season

The 1923 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixteenth season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. Nine teams from across the city contested during the season which culminated in Eastern Suburbs’ victory over South Sydney in the premiership final.[1] This season would be the last season that future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee Duncan Thompson played in, for he returned to Toowoomba after a dispute with North Sydney.

1923 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams9
Premiers Eastern Suburbs (4th title)
Minor premiers Eastern Suburbs (3rd title)
Matches played73
Points scored1862
Top points scorer(s) Arthur Oxford (113)
Top try-scorer(s) Herman Peters (16)

Teams
  • Balmain, formed on 23 January 1908 at Balmain Town Hall
  • Eastern Suburbs, formed on 24 January 1908 at Paddington Town Hall
  • Glebe, formed on 9 January 1908
  • Newtown, formed on 14 January 1908
  • North Sydney, formed at the North Sydney School of Arts in Mount Street on 7th February 1908.
  • 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
  • University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University
Balmain
16th season
Ground: Birchgrove Oval
Captain-Coach: Charles Fraser
Eastern Suburbs
16th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Ray Norman
Captain: Harry Caples		 Glebe
16th season
Ground: Wentworth Park
Captain-Coach: Frank Burge
Newtown
16th season
Ground: Marrickville Oval
Coach: Arthur Halloway & Albert Johnston
Captain: Alex Bolewski
North Sydney
16th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach:
Captain: Duncan Thompson 		St. George
3rd season
Ground: Hurstville Oval
Coach: Herb Gilbert
Captain: Clarrie Tye
South Sydney
16th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Captain-Coach: Bill Gillespie
University
4th season
Coach: Bill Kelly
Captain: Hubert Finn		 Western Suburbs
16th season
Ground: Pratten Park
Captain-Coach: Tedda Courtney

Ladder
The geographical locations of the foundation teams across Sydney.
Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Eastern Suburbs 1613032235124+11130
2 South Sydney 1613032242173+6930
3 Balmain 1610152247136+11125
4 Western Suburbs 169072257218+3922
5 North Sydney 168082245223+2220
6 Glebe 1660102160193-3316
7 St. George 1650112168236-6814
8 Newtown 1642102161297-13614
9 Sydney University 1621132120235-1159

Finals

The top two sides, Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney, tied on equal points at the end of the season. Eastern Suburbs had previously been leading South Sydney by two premiership points coming into the final round of the year, only to lose to third-placed Balmain by one point in front of 14,000 people in their final match. South Sydney on the other hand won their final match against North Sydney to finish level on top of the ladder.

Premiership final
Eastern Suburbs Position South Sydney
Ed RigneyFBHoward Hallett
Cyril AbotomeyWGBenny Wearing
Jack DawsonCETom Barry
Les SteelCEVic Lawrence
George AgarWGOscar Quinlivan
Harry Caples (c)FEBill Gillespie (c)
Sid KaufmanHBAlec Johnson
Arthur OxfordPRDavid Watson
Bill RichardsHKPat Murphy
Tom MolloyPRPerce Horne
Bill IvesSRErn Wilmot
Harold HolmesSRAlf O'Connor
Jack WatkinsLKJack Lawrence
Edward ConnertonRes.-
Ray NormanCoach

A final, the second in as many seasons, was played between Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney the following Wednesday 12 September at the Sydney Cricket Ground, attracting a crowd of 15,000 people. With referee Tom McMahon officiating Eastern Suburbs prevailed winners 15–12 and claimed their first premiership since 1913.

Eastern Suburbs 15 (Tries: Caples 2, Steel. Goals: Oxford 3)

South Sydney 12 (Tries: Wearing 2. Goals: Wearing 3)

Easts kicked off in front of 15,000 spectators, Souths responded soon after with a try to Benny Wearing, the try was unconverted leaving Souths with a 3–0 lead. Easts responded with an unconverted try to Les Steel after some good lead up work from Easts captain Harry Caples. Both sides then traded penalty goals. The Tricolours took a 7–5 lead to the break following another goal to front-row forward Arthur Oxford.

After the break play flowed from end to end until, from a scrum win in Souths halfback, Johnstone, kicked over the defense, regathered, then found Wearing who scored under the posts, Wearing then converted his own try to give Souths a 10–7 lead. The lead changed yet again when Caples took an intercept, kicked past the fullback and scored, Oxford converted to make it 12–10. A penalty goal to Benny Wearing soon after locked the scores up at 12 points all. With time almost up Caples scored out wide after some fine lead up work from Easts centre, Dawson.

The win gave Eastern Suburbs their first premiership in ten years. rugby league publication Rugby League News referred to the match as “the most brilliant game of the season.”

— Hadden, Brad, "History of the NSWRL Finals"
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References
  1. Premiership Roll of Honour Archived 2011-05-14 at the Wayback Machine at rl1908.com
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