The 1911 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the fourth season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. Eight teams from across the city contested during the season for the premiership and the Royal Agricultural Society Challenge Shield.

1911 NSWRFL season
LeagueNew South Wales Rugby Football League
DurationApril 29 to September 16
Teams8
Matches played59
Points scored1374
Premiers Eastern Suburbs[1] (1st title)
Minor Premiers Glebe (1st title)
Runners-up Glebe
Top point-scorer(s) Dally Messenger (148)
Top try-scorer(s) Dave Garlick (13)
Second Grade
Number of teams16
Premiers Eastern Suburbs
Runners-up Glebe
Third Grade
Number of teams22
PremiersLeichhardt
Runners-upSouth Sydney Kinkora

The League’s turnover for the 1911 season was £15,889, up £2,477 on the previous year.[2]

Teams

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For the first time in its short history, the premiership consisted of the same teams for two consecutive seasons. The same eight teams from the 1910 season played in 1911.

 
Annandale
2nd season
Ground: Wentworth Park
Captain-Coach: Charlie Hedley
 
Balmain
4th season
Ground: Birchgrove Oval
Coach: Robert Graves
Captain: Arthur Halloway
 
Eastern Suburbs
4th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Captain-Coach: Dally Messenger
 
Glebe
4th season
Ground: Wentworth Park
Coach: Chris McKivat
Captain: Albert Burge
 
Newtown
4th season
Ground: Erskineville Oval
Coach:
Captain: Bill Noble
 
North Sydney
4th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach:
Captain: Con Sullivan
 
South Sydney
4th season
Ground:Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Arthur Hennessy
Captain: Billy Cann
 
Western Suburbs
4th season
Ground: St Luke's Park
Coach:
Captain: Tedda Courtney

Ladder

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The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1911 premiership across Sydney.
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1   Glebe 14 11 0 3 244 88 +156 22
2   Eastern Suburbs 14 9 2 3 208 129 +79 20
3   South Sydney 14 9 2 3 188 117 +71 20
4   Newtown 14 6 3 5 154 120 +34 15
5   Annandale 14 5 1 8 113 184 -71 11
6   North Sydney 14 4 1 9 138 209 -71 9
7   Western Suburbs 14 4 1 9 116 189 -73 9
8   Balmain 14 3 0 11 130 255 -125 6

Finals

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Sculpture-statue of Dally Messenger by Cathy Weiszmann

The finals system used for the 1910 season was similar in the 1911 season. The top two teams at the end of the year were to play each other in a final to decide the premiership, but in the event of the minor premiers losing, they were deemed to have the "right of challenge" to play a Grand Final. However, because both Eastern Suburbs and South Sydney finished on equal premiership points in second place, a playoff was used to decide who would play minor premiers Glebe in the final.

Eastern Suburbs ended up beating local rivals South Sydney 23-10 at the Sports Ground in front of 14,000 people on September 2, 1911, to win the play-off in order to play minor premiers Glebe. The following week, Eastern Suburbs beat Glebe in front of 16,000 at the Agricultural Ground 22-9. Glebe immediately exercised their right for a rematch the following week for a match to be held at the Agricultural Ground on September 16, 1911.

Final

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Eastern Suburbs Position Glebe
Fred Kinghorn FB Roy Algie
Barney Dalton WG Mick Muggivan
John Campbell CE Dave Garlick
Dally Messenger (Ca./Co.) CE Tom Gleeson
Eddie White WG Charlie Cubitt
Herb Collins FE Les Cubitt
Leslie Cody HB Fritz Thiering
Larry O'Malley PR Sid Pert
Sandy Pearce HK Tony Redmond
Mick Frawley PR Sam Griffiths
Eddie Griffiths SR Albert Burge (c)
Charlie Lees SR Frank Burge
W Dalton LK Harry Brighton
Reserve J Farrelly
Coach Chris McKivat

After Glebe won the toss, Dally Messenger kicked off at 3:31pm on what was a very windy Saturday afternoon.[3] Glebe winger Cubitt scored early and Easts were only able to post a penalty goal in the first half and trailed 5–2 at the break. The referee was Tom McMahon (the elder of the two Sydney top-grade referees of that name) who in the first half sent off Glebe’s Sid Pert and Rooster Larry O'Malley, the former Australian Kangaroo captain. Early in the second half, Cubitt scored again for Glebe to take an 8–4 lead. However, in the final ten minutes, Eastern Suburbs were able to score a try after a high kick was misjudged by the Glebe fullback, and Charlie Lees took the loose ball to score a try. Dally Messenger converted to take the lead 9–8 with only minutes to play, and consolidated the win with another penalty kick to win the game 11–8 for the Roosters and allowing them to take their first premiership in front of 20,000 people.

Played in blustery conditions, Glebe’s form improved greatly but they could not compete with the immaculate kicking of Dally Messenger.

In an incident-packed opening stanza McMahon reduced each side to twelve men by sending off O'Malley and Sid Pert after a touch judge's report. Ensuing scrums were played with only four forwards. Glebe three-quarter Tom Gleeson left the field with an ankle injury and was replaced at half time by Farrelly.

 
Glebe RLC 1911 McKivat (centre with ball), flanked by R Algie left F Burge right

With first use of the stiff southerly, Glebe winger C.R. Cubitt scored out wide in the second minute from a scrum close to the Easts line. Messenger replied with a goal shortly after for Glebe to lead 5–2 at halftime. When play resumed, Messenger scored a goal again to narrow the gap to one point. Twelve minutes in, Glebe edged to an 8–4 lead when Cubitt crossed for his second try: a brilliant length of the field effort featuring Farrelly, Redmond, Alby Burge and finally Cubitt who beat Messenger's ankle tap.

With thirteen minutes left in the grand final, Lees scored Easts’ only try, from a high kick. The ball bounced off dazed Glebe fullback “Bunny” Algie (who had been injured in a headclash in the opening minutes with winger White). Messenger converted and Easts snatched a 9–8 lead. Messenger's field goal six minutes from the bell gave his team the three point buffer at 11–8 and the confidence to hang on and win their first premiership. After exchanging jerseys, the elated surfsiders carried Messenger from the field".

— Haddon, Steve, "History of the NSWRL Finals"

Eastern Suburbs 11 (Tries: Lees. Goals: Messenger 3. Fld Goal: Messenger )

defeated

Glebe 8 (Tries; C Cubitt 2 Goals: 1.)

Notable events

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On June 22, the Sydney Cricket Ground staged its first game of rugby league. NSW defeated New Zealand in the match, 35–10.

References

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  1. ^ Premiership Roll of Honour Archived 2011-05-14 at the Wayback Machine at rl1908.com
  2. ^ "Football Takings". Grey River Argus. New Zealand. 1912-03-20. p. 5. Retrieved 2009-12-03.
  3. ^ "Rugby League Final". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia. 1911-09-18. p. 4. Retrieved 2009-12-13.
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