New South Wales Rugby League season 1909
Encyclopedia
The 1909 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the second season of Sydney
's top-level rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Eight teams contested during the season for the premiership and the Royal Agricultural Society
Challenge Shield; seven teams from Sydney and one team from Newcastle, New South Wales
.
At the begninning of the season, the nearly broke NSWRFL had met and kicked out its founders Henry Hoyle
, Victor Trumper
and J J Giltinan
. Part-way through the season, Edward Larkin
was appointed full-tme secretary of the NSWRFL.
Also in 1909 north of the border, the Queensland Rugby Football League got its club competition started for the rebel football code of rugby league.
with the exception of Cumberland who were dissolved, being unable to field a competitive team. Their last premiership match turned out to be a 45-0 loss at the hands of North Sydney
on 25 July 1908, a game where the team had to "borrow" two of North Sydney's officials in order to make up a 13-man side. Seven of Cumberland's players ended up going to Western Suburbs
the following year, but only three of these players were able to play another premiership match.
Souths lost only one game in the regular season, to Newcastle in Newcastle, 3 days after the Novocastrians had beaten a New Zealand Maori team.
The jerseys of the 8 teams for the 1909 season are shown below.
and Balmain
were able to win their respective semi-finals. However, after the New South Wales Rugby League had planned a match between the Australian rugby union and rugby league
teams that would upstage the premiership final, both South Sydney and Balmain unofficially agreed to not play out a final. But unknown to Balmain, South Sydney turned up ready to play. Another version states that Balmain refused to play in protest against the match being held at Souths' home ground. The final was deemed to be a forfeit as a result, with South Sydney claiming their second premiership in as many years. Requests from Balmain for the match to be played at a later date were refused by the League. Conflict over whether there was an agreement between the two clubs not to play a final caused a deep seated resentment towards Souths by Balmain which lasted many years.
Members of the South Sydney side who showed up on Grand Final day and won by forfeit were:
• Arthur Butler • Arthur Conlin
(c) • Harry Butler • Howard Hallett
• T.Anderson • J.Davis • Frank Storie • Ed Fry
• Dick Green • Jack Coxon • W.Cann • P.Carroll • Arthur Hennessy
(coach)
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
's top-level rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Eight teams contested during the season for the premiership and the Royal Agricultural Society
Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales
The Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales is an Agricultural society based in New South Wales, Australia. They run many of the agricultural shows around New South Wales including the Sydney Royal Easter Show....
Challenge Shield; seven teams from Sydney and one team from Newcastle, New South Wales
Newcastle, New South Wales
The Newcastle metropolitan area is the second most populated area in the Australian state of New South Wales and includes most of the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie Local Government Areas...
.
At the begninning of the season, the nearly broke NSWRFL had met and kicked out its founders Henry Hoyle
Henry Hoyle
Henry "Harry" Clement Hoyle was an Australian politician and rugby league football administrator of the 1890s and 1900s...
, Victor Trumper
Victor Trumper
Victor Thomas Trumper was an Australian cricketer known as the most stylish and versatile batsman of the Golden Age of cricket, capable of playing match-winning innings on wet wickets his contemporaries found unplayable. Archie MacLaren said of him, "Compared to Victor I was a cab-horse to a Derby...
and J J Giltinan
J J Giltinan
James Joseph Giltinan was an Australian entrepreneur who helped to found the sport of rugby league football in Australia.On 8 August 1907 at Bateman's Crystal Hotel, George Street, Sydney politician Henry Hoyle chaired a meeting of fifty, comprising several leading rugby players and officials...
. Part-way through the season, Edward Larkin
Edward Larkin
Edward Rennix "Teddy" Larkin was an Australian parliamentarian and a national representative rugby union player who saw service in World War I and was killed in action on the first day of the Gallipoli Campaign. He was one of only two serving members of any Australian parliament to fall in World...
was appointed full-tme secretary of the NSWRFL.
Also in 1909 north of the border, the Queensland Rugby Football League got its club competition started for the rebel football code of rugby league.
Teams
The teams that made up the 1909 premiership season were the same as the 1908 seasonNew South Wales Rugby League season 1908
The 1908 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the inaugural season of Australia's first rugby league football club competition, which was based in Sydney, New South Wales...
with the exception of Cumberland who were dissolved, being unable to field a competitive team. Their last premiership match turned out to be a 45-0 loss at the hands of North Sydney
North Sydney Bears
The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
on 25 July 1908, a game where the team had to "borrow" two of North Sydney's officials in order to make up a 13-man side. Seven of Cumberland's players ended up going to Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
the following year, but only three of these players were able to play another premiership match.
- BalmainBalmain TigersThe Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
, formed on 23 January 1908 at Balmain Town Hall - Eastern SuburbsSydney RoostersThe Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
, formed on 24 January 1908 at Paddington Town Hall - Glebe, formed on 9 January 1908
- NewcastleNewcastle RebelsNewcastle were a rugby league team who played in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership from 1908–1909, one of the nine foundation clubs. After the formation of several clubs in January 1908, members of the NSWRFL came to Newcastle to hold talks with the local footballing community...
, formed on 8 February 1908 at Pike's Rooms, Bolton Street, Newcastle - NewtownNewtown JetsThe Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season...
, formed on 14 January 1908 - North SydneyNorth Sydney BearsThe North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
, formed on 7 February 1908 - South SydneySouth Sydney RabbitohsThe South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
, formed on 17 January 1908 at Redfern Town Hall - Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs MagpiesThe Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
formed on 4 February 1908
Souths lost only one game in the regular season, to Newcastle in Newcastle, 3 days after the Novocastrians had beaten a New Zealand Maori team.
The jerseys of the 8 teams for the 1909 season are shown below.
 Balmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
 Sydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
 |
 Newcastle Rebels Newcastle were a rugby league team who played in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership from 1908–1909, one of the nine foundation clubs. After the formation of several clubs in January 1908, members of the NSWRFL came to Newcastle to hold talks with the local footballing community... |
 Newtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... |
 North Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
 South Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
 Western Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  South SydneySouth Sydney Rabbitohs The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital... |
10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 210 | 41 | 18 |
| 2 |  BalmainBalmain Tigers The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles... |
10 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 130 | 62 | 16 |
| 3 |  NewcastleNewcastle Rebels Newcastle were a rugby league team who played in the New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership from 1908–1909, one of the nine foundation clubs. After the formation of several clubs in January 1908, members of the NSWRFL came to Newcastle to hold talks with the local footballing community... |
10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 144 | 93 | 10 |
| 4 |  Eastern SuburbsSydney Roosters The Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League... |
10 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 167 | 141 | 10 |
| 5 |  Glebe |
10 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 62 | 159 | |
| 8 | ||||||||
| 6 |  NewtownNewtown Jets The Newtown Jets are an Australian rugby league football club based in Newtown, a suburb of Sydney's inner west. They currently compete in the NSWRL Premier League competition, having left the top grade after the 1983 NSWRFL season... |
10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 73 | 107 | |
| 7 | ||||||||
| 7 |  North SydneyNorth Sydney Bears The North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on... |
10 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 104 | 157 | |
| 6 | ||||||||
| 8 |  Western SuburbsWestern Suburbs Magpies The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia... |
10 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 42 | 172 | |
| 5 | ||||||||
Finals
In 1909 semi-finals were played amongst the four highest placed teams. Top two finishers South SydneySouth Sydney Rabbitohs
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
and Balmain
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
were able to win their respective semi-finals. However, after the New South Wales Rugby League had planned a match between the Australian rugby union and rugby league
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
teams that would upstage the premiership final, both South Sydney and Balmain unofficially agreed to not play out a final. But unknown to Balmain, South Sydney turned up ready to play. Another version states that Balmain refused to play in protest against the match being held at Souths' home ground. The final was deemed to be a forfeit as a result, with South Sydney claiming their second premiership in as many years. Requests from Balmain for the match to be played at a later date were refused by the League. Conflict over whether there was an agreement between the two clubs not to play a final caused a deep seated resentment towards Souths by Balmain which lasted many years.
Members of the South Sydney side who showed up on Grand Final day and won by forfeit were:
• Arthur Butler • Arthur Conlin
Arthur Conlin
Arthur Conlin was an Australian rugby league footballer of the early 20th century. A New South Wales representative goal-kicking back, he played club football for the South Sydney and Western Suburbs clubs....
(c) • Harry Butler • Howard Hallett
Howard Hallett
Howard Hallett was an Australian rugby league player and coach for theSouth Sydney Rabbitohs in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership. Hallett primarily played at fullback...
• T.Anderson • J.Davis • Frank Storie • Ed Fry
Ed Fry
Ed "Son" Fry was a pioneer Australian rugby league and rugby union footballer. He was one of the founding players of rugby league in Australia at the time of the rebel code's breakaway from rugby union.- Rugby union career :...
• Dick Green • Jack Coxon • W.Cann • P.Carroll • Arthur Hennessy
Arthur Hennessy
Arthur Stephen "Ash" Hennessy was an Australian pioneer rugby league identity. He was a seminal figure in the creation of the South Sydney Rabbitohs for whom he played and later coached...
(coach)