1914 NSWRFL season

The 1914 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the seventh season of Sydney's top-grade rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested during the season. The 1914 season's gate receipts totalled £24,072, which was £7,038 more than the previous season's.^[2]

Season summary

Eastern Suburbs' stranglehold on the premiership came to an end following the retirement of Dally Messenger at the end of the 1913 season. In their place, previous premiers South Sydney and Newtown took control of the premiership instead. Newtown were in a good position to take out their second premiership midway through the season but a loss to middle-placed Balmain hurt their cause, even though Newtown beat South Sydney the following week. It turned out that this loss would make the difference, with South Sydney finishing just one point ahead of Newtown at the end of the season to claim their third premiership. No Finals were contested. Members of the South Sydney premiership winning side included Arthur McCabe, Howard Hallett (Player of the Season) and Harold Horder.

The season was also punctuated by matches of the 1914 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand.

The 1914 season was also the last for future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Chris McKivat who went on to have a prominent coaching career.

Teams

The teams remained unchanged from the 1913 season.

• Annandale
• 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 on 7 February 1908
• South Sydney, formed on 17 January 1908 at Redfern Town Hall
• Western Suburbs, formed on 4 February 1908

Ladder

References

Sources

Collis, Ian; Whiticker, Alan (2007). 100 Years of Rugby League. 1. Chatswood, NSW: New Holland. p. 52. ISBN 978-1-74110-463-9. 

• Results: 1911-20 at rabbitohs.com.au
• Rugby League Tables - Notes The World of Rugby League
• Rugby League Tables - Season 1914 The World of Rugby League
• Premiership History and Statistics RL1908
• 1914 - South Sydney Edge Out Newtown RL1908