1930 NSWRFL season

1930 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams	8
Premiers	Western Suburbs (1st title)
Minor premiers	Western Suburbs (1st title)
Matches played	60
Points scored	1721 (total) 28.683 (per match)
Top point scorer(s)	Jim Craig (86)
Top try scorer(s)	Morrie Boyle (15)

The 1930 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 23rd season of Sydney's top-level rugby league football competition, Australia's first. During the season, which lasted from April until October, eight teams from across the city contested the premiership which was won by Western Suburbs who defeated St. George in the final.^[1]

Season summary

In spite of the reduced number of clubs 1930 was the NSWRL's most drawn out season. Because of representative fixtures and the need for a Grand Final, the season didn't end until 4 October.

The 1930 season was also the last in the NSWRFL for future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Jim Craig.

Teams

Foundation club Glebe was voted out of the competition by the New South Wales Rugby League General Committee 13 votes to 12 at the end of 1929, having come second last two years in a row. Although the team never won a premiership, it also managed to avoid the wooden spoon every season during its existence. After the decision was made, many fans and local politicians rallied to reverse the decision but to no avail. One reason suggested as to why this occurred include the fact that the area was gradually shifting away from a residential to industrial centre, with the League perhaps believing that there was no future for the game in the area.

As a result of Glebe's omission, the competition was reduced to eight teams for the first time since 1910,^[2] including six of the remaining nine foundation clubs.

• Balmain, formed on 23 January 1908 at Balmain Town Hall
• Eastern Suburbs, formed on 24 January 1908 at Paddington Town Hall
• Newtown, formed on 14 January 1908
• North Sydney, formed on 7 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 23rd season Ground: Wentworth Park Coach: Cec Fifield & Norman Robinson Captain: Cec Fifield	Eastern Suburbs 23rd season Ground: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Arthur Halloway Captain: Joe Busch	Newtown 23rd season Ground: Marrickville Oval Captain: Jack Holmes	North Sydney 23rd season Ground: North Sydney Oval Coach: Tedda Courtney Captain: Les Carroll
St. George 10th season Ground: Earl Park Coach: Frank Burge Captain: Arthur Justice	South Sydney 23rd season Ground: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Charlie Lynch Captain: Alf Blair	University 11th season Coach: Bill Kelly Captain: Sammy Ogg	Western Suburbs 23rd season Ground: Pratten Park Captain-Coach: Jim Craig

Ladder

The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1930 premiership across Sydney.

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Western Suburbs	14	12	0	2	237	130	+107	24
2	Eastern Suburbs	14	11	0	3	316	178	+138	22
3	South Sydney	14	9	0	5	234	174	+60	18
4	St. George	14	6	2	6	161	151	+10	14
5	Newtown	14	6	1	7	194	176	+18	13
6	Balmain	14	5	2	7	214	218	-4	12
7	North Sydney	14	2	1	11	164	289	-125	5
8	University	14	2	0	12	117	321	-204	4

Finals

In the two semi finals, St. George beat second-placed Eastern Suburbs whilst minor premiers Western Suburbs beat defending premiers South Sydney. The two winners then played a final in which St. George upset Western Suburbs 14-6, as they previously did in Round 11.

St. George 1930 runners-up

The finals system set in place then forced the final to be replayed, in what was known as the "Right of Challenge". This system ensured that in the event that the minor premiers lost in either the first or second round of the finals, then regardless they would be given a second chance in a premiership decider. With this being the first season where the "Right of Challenge" was exercised, the 1930 decider was thus the first "Grand Final" played in the NSWRL.

	Semi-finals				Final
	20 September 1930 - Earl Park
	Eastern Suburbs	10
	St. George	11
					27 September 1930 - Sports Ground
					Western Suburbs	6
					St. George	14
	20 September 1930 - Sports Ground
	Western Suburbs	9
	South Sydney	5

Final

Having pipped Eastern Suburbs 11-10 at their home ground of Earl Park on 20 September, Saints continued their good form into the following weekend in the final, defeating minor premiers Western Suburbs 14-6 in front of 16,557 people. The two teams had met twice before during the season with Wests winning the first encounter in May and St George winning the second match in August. Under the previous system, victory in the final would have seen St George declared premiership champions. But in 1930, Wests were allowed a second chance as minor premiers if defeated during the finals.

Grand Final

The re-match decider was played in front of 12,178 people on 4 October at the Sydney Sports Ground and officiated by referee Lal Deane. St. George led 2-0 early and competed in the first half. But Western Suburbs were a crack outfit and after Saints lost veteran forward, Harry Flower with an arm injury, they skipped away to a 16-2 lead. Wests eventually ran in seven tries and crushed St George 27-2 to take away their first premiership since their 1908 foundation admission to the top grade competition.

It was the final game as a player for Wests captain-coach and versatile representative star Jim Craig.

Western Suburbs 27 (Tries: Alan Brady 3, Jim Craig, Charlie Cornwell, R Morris, C Rhodes. Goals Jim Craig 2, Bill Brogan goals)

St George 2 (B Hyland goal)

References

• Rugby League Tables - Notes The World of Rugby League
• Rugby League Tables - Season 1930 The World of Rugby League
• Premiership History and Statistics RL1908
• Results: 1921-30 at rabbitohs.com.au