1913 NSWRFL season

1913 NSWRFL season
Teams	8
Premiers	Eastern Suburbs[1] (3rd title)
Minor premiers	Eastern Suburbs (2nd title)
Matches played	56
Points scored	1344 (total) 24 (per match)
Top point scorer(s)	Harold Horder (65)
Top try scorer(s)	Harold Horder (13)

The 1913 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the sixth season of Sydney's top-level rugby league football club competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested during the season.

Season summary

By the start of the 1913 season, the NSWRFL had secured the use of the Sydney Cricket Ground for its games.^[2]

As occurred in the 1912 season, the minor premiers were deemed the overall premiers. Eastern Suburbs, who finished top of the table for the second time in as many years, claimed their third straight premiership as a result. The team's success could be attributed to the talent in the team at the time, with ten players having played for Australia and another three for New South Wales. From the team's two losses, one came at the hands of runners-up Newtown midway through the season and the other in the final round to Glebe after the title had already been won.

The Eastern Suburbs side is still considered to be one of the greatest club teams ever assembled, with players including Dally Messenger, Wally Messenger, Sandy Pearce, Larry O'Malley, Les Cubitt, Dan Frawley and Arthur "Pony" Halloway.

The 1913 season also saw the retirement from the League of future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, Dally Messenger.

Teams

The teams remained unchanged from the 1912 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

Annandale	Balmain	Eastern Suburbs	Glebe
Newtown	North Sydney	South Sydney	Western Suburbs

Ladder

The geographical locations of the teams that contested the 1913 premiership across Sydney.

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Eastern Suburbs	14	12	0	2	227	118	+109	24
2	Newtown	14	10	1	3	203	135	+68	21
3	South Sydney	14	9	0	5	200	132	+68	18
4	Glebe	14	8	0	6	198	161	+37	16
5	North Sydney	14	5	2	7	199	193	+6	12
6	Balmain	14	4	1	9	83	135	-52	9
7	Annandale	14	3	0	11	119	219	-100	6
8	Western Suburbs	14	3	0	11	115	251	-136	6

References

1. ^ Premiership Roll of Honour at rl1908.com
2. ^ Cunneen, Chris (2001). The best ever Australian Sports Writing. Australia: Black Inc.. p. 316. ISBN 1 86395 266 7. http://books.google.com.au/books?id=66OBschGE_YC&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false. Retrieved 19 February 2011. 

• Rugby League Tables - Notes The World of Rugby League
• Rugby League Tables - Season 1913 The World of Rugby League
• Premiership History and Statistics RL1908
• 1913 - Eastern Suburbs Make It Three In A Row RL1908
• Results: 1911-20 at rabbitohs.com.au