1957 NSWRFL season

1957's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 50th season of the rugby league competition based in Sydney. Ten teams from across the city competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield during the season, which culminated in a grand final between St. George and Manly-Warringah.

1957 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams10
Premiers St. George (4th title)
Minor premiers St. George (4th title)
Matches played94
Points scored3103
Attendance1089273
Top points scorer(s) Darcy Russell (169)
Top try-scorer(s) Tommy Ryan (26)

Season summary

Teams
Balmain
50th season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Sid Ryan
Captain: Brian Staunton		 Canterbury-Bankstown

season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Captain-coach: Col Geelan

 Eastern Suburbs
50th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Dave Brown
Captain: Tony Paskins		 Manly-Warringah
11th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Ken Arthurson
Captain: George Hunter
Newtown
50th season
Ground: Henson Park
Captain-Coach: Dick Poole		 North Sydney
50th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Trevor Allan
Captain: Ken McCaffery, Bob Dawson 		Parramatta
11th season
Ground: Cumberland Oval
Captain-Coach: Ken Slattery		 South Sydney
50th season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach: Jack Rayner
Captain: Clive Churchill
St. George
37th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Captain-coach: Ken Kearney		 Western Suburbs
50th season
Ground: Pratten Park
Coach: Jack Walsh
Captain: Keith Holman

Ladder
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 St. George 181503417232+18530
2 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 181116282209+7323
3 South Sydney 181107354314+4022
4 Western Suburbs 181017358251+10721
5 North Sydney 18918292278+1419
6 Balmain 18909352281+7118
7 Newtown 18909267228+3918
8 Eastern Suburbs 18909277347-7018
9 Canterbury-Bankstown 183114182339-1577
10 Parramatta 182016189491-3024

Finals
Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Semi Finals
South Sydney 26–13 Western Suburbs 31 August 1957 Sydney Cricket Ground Darcy Lawler 46,957
St. George 21–7 Manly-Warringah 7 September 1957 Sydney Cricket Ground Darcy Lawler 39,845
Preliminary Final
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 15–11 South Sydney 14 September 1957 Sydney Cricket Ground Darcy Lawler 39,065
Grand Final
St. George 31–9 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 21 September 1957 Sydney Cricket Ground Darcy Lawler 54,399

Grand Final
St. George Position Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Brian GrahamFBRon Willey
Tommy RyanWGRay Ritchie
Ray SmithCERay Quinnell
Jack FifieldCEBill Lloyd
Eddie LumsdenWGGeorge Hugo
Peter CarrollFEKevin Diett
Bob BugdenHBPeter Burke
Kevin BrownPRRoy Bull
Ken Kearney (Ca./Co.)HKGeorge Lenon
Bryan OrrockPRDenis Meaney
Harry BathSRDoug Daley
Norm ProvanSRRex Mossop
Brian ClayLKGeorge Hunter (c)
CoachKen Arthurson

Under 27 year-old coach Ken Arthurson, Manly were playing in their second grand final. The match began with Saints pounding the (then called) 'Seagulls' with some heavy tackling. Brian Clay in particular targeted Manly's Rex Mossop, often trapping the dual international forward with the ball. “Poppa” Clay had a fearsome reputation in defence and at one point he knocked the Manly captain George Hunter senseless.

Manly were up to the task in the first half with the score locked at 4–4 for 30 minutes. Straight after half time, the flood gates opened following a magnificent run up the centre by second-row forward Norm Provan. He palmed off Manly defenders, ran deep into their territory, high stepped past fullback Ron Willey and slipped the ball to Poppa Clay who scored under the posts.

A second Dragon try followed within three minutes and the game began to slip away from the Manly side. The Larry Writer reference quotes Manly coach Arthurson: "The sheer physical strength of the St. George team is in itself a formidable thing to overcome. Our fellows tried everything, but St. George had so much more to give. Those big fellows are so clever."[1]

Harry Bath kicked eight goals from eight attempts establishing a standing record for the most goals in a grand final and the most points scored in a grand final (16). His fellow ball playing forward and tactician Ken Kearney had returned for this, the first of five successful seasons as coach (four as captain-coach).

St. George 31 (Tries: Clay 2, Ryan, Fifield, Lumsden. Goals: Bath 8.)

Manly 9 (Tries: Burke. Goals: Willey 3.)

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References

Footnotes
  1. Never Before, Never Again p 39
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