1959 NSWRFL season

1959's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 52nd 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.

1959 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams10
Premiers St. George (6th title)
Minor premiers St. George (6th title)
Matches played94
Points scored3107
Attendance896911
Top points scorer(s) Darcy Russell (206)
Top try-scorer(s) Ken Irvine (19)

Season summary

The St. George team went through the 1959 season undefeated[1] – a feat achieved by five teams prior to 1959 but by none since. The club won nineteen of their twenty matches and played a draw against Balmain. They were able to score more than forty points on six occasions. After eighteen premiership rounds St. George had scored an average of over thirty points per match and conceded an average of ten points.

Future Immortals Reg Gasnier and Johnny Raper both debuted for St. George in first grade in 1959 and both made the Australian side, aged just 19. Seven St. George players made that year's Kangaroo Tour.

The 1959 season also saw the retirement from the League of future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Harry Bath.

Teams
Balmain
52nd season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: John O'Toole
Captain: Keith Barnes
Canterbury-Bankstown
25th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: Cec Cooper
Captain: Brian Davies		 Eastern Suburbs
52nd season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Dave Brown
Captain: Terry Fearnley		 Manly-Warringah
season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Ken Arthurson
Captain: Ron Willey
Newtown
52nd season
Ground: Henson Park
Coach: Charles Cahill
Captain: Tony Brown
North Sydney
52nd season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Ross McKinnon
Captain: Bob Honeysett		 Parramatta
season
Ground: Cumberland Oval
Coach: Jack Rayner
Captain: Roy Fisher		 South Sydney
52nd season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach: Denis Donoghue
Captain: Bernie Purcell
St. George
39th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Captain-coach: Ken Kearney
 Western Suburbs
52nd season
Ground: Pratten Park
Coach: Vic Hey
Captain: Dick Poole

Ladder
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 St. George 181710550190+36035
2 Western Suburbs 181314405273+13227
3 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 181107283239+4422
4 Newtown 181008254296-4220
5 North Sydney Bears 18909371282+8918
6 South Sydney Rabbitohs 18909257276-1918
7 Balmain Tigers 186111308336-2813
8 Eastern Suburbs 186012211314-10312
9 Canterbury-Bankstown 185112194378-18411
10 Parramatta 182016150399-2494

Finals
Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Semi Finals
Manly-Warringah 17–0 Newtown 25 July 1959 Sydney Cricket Ground Darcy Lawler 8,967
St. George 35–25 Western Suburbs 1 August 1959 Sydney Cricket Ground Darcy Lawler 42,347
Preliminary Final
Western Suburbs 13–14 Manly-Warringah 8 August 1959 Sydney Cricket Ground Darcy Lawler 28,385
Grand Final
St. George 20–0[2] Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 15 August 1959 Sydney Cricket Ground Darcy Lawler 49,457

Grand Final
St. George Position Manly-Warringah
Brian GrahamFBRon Willey (c)
Eddie LumsdenWGLen Wadling
Johnny RaperCEKevin Mosman
Geoff WeekesCEBill Lloyd
Brian MessiterWGGeorge Hugo
Brian ClayFEAlf Madden
Bob BugdenHBPeter Burke
Harry BathPRRoy Bull
Ken Kearney (Ca./Co.)HKGeorge Lenon
Billy WilsonPRBill Delamare
Monty PorterSRPeter Diversi
Norm ProvanSRRex Mossop
Peter ProvanLKJim Peebles
CoachKen Arthurson

In the lead up to the Grand Final, rumours were circulating that Manly-Warringah's Rex Mossop was carrying a broken cheekbone. From the kick off, Saints' forwards took turns at testing Mossop's injury with Harry Bath giving him particular attention. For most of the match the Manly forward copped a hammering until in frustration, Mossop retaliated by standing on Bath's head. A brawl broke out between the two and the referee Lawler sent both off.

In the meantime, St. George's forwards were steamrolling Manly-Warringah and the red and white backs were cutting loose. Winger Eddie Lumsden had a magnificent match, scoring a hat trick of tries. Lumsden beat Ron Willey cold for his first try and then was on the end of later backline passing bursts for two more.

As the Manly-Warringah pack tired in the second half, experienced St. George second rower Norm Provan began to easily break their defence out wide, linking with his backs and being rewarded himself with a try. Reserve grade centre Geoff Weekes had been promoted when Gasnier and Johnny Riley were both injured in the major semi final. He scored a try as did St. George's steady and safe custodian Brian Graham.

St. George outclassed Manly-Warringah 20–0 in a ruthless display of speed and strength. The match was future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee Harry Bath's last game.

St. George 20 (Tries: Lumsden 3, Graham, Weekes, N Provan. Goals: Bath 1.)

Manly-Warringah 0

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References
  1. Clarkson, Alan (1986-09-26). "The best Grand Finals I've seen". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. p. 77. Retrieved 2010-09-14.
  2. "Sydney Rugby". The Age. 1959-08-17. p. 20. Retrieved 2009-11-20.
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