New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1916

Infobox rugby league season
year = 1916
competition = New South Wales Rugby Football League


imagesize = 125px
caption =
teams = 8
premiers =
count = 2nd
minor premiers =
mpcount = 2nd
matches = 57
points = 1174
attendance =
top points scorer = (94)
top try scorer = (22)
1916's New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the ninth season of the rugby league competition based in Sydney. Eight teams from across Sydney contested during the season.

eason summary

Three teams dominated the season, Balmain, South Sydney and Glebe. With two rounds to go, each of the three teams had a genuine chance of winning the premiership, each separated by one game or less. This created an interesting scenario with Balmain (20, 1st) facing South Sydney (18, 3rd) and Glebe (19, 2nd) facing Eastern Suburbs who were placed fourth at the time. As it turned out, Balmain lost 11-7 to Souths, leaving the competition wide open for Glebe to take the competition lead by one point. However, Glebe ended up losing crucially to Eastern suburbs 8-5 on the same day. With both Balmain and Souths now equal on 20 points with one game to play, it would have taken a miracle for Glebe to come back given that they were still on 19 points. All three teams won their final games, but it was equal placed Balmain and South Sydney that would play off in a premiership decider.

Teams

The teams remained unchanged from the 1915 season.

* Annandale
* Balmain, formed on January 23 1908 at Balmain Town Hall
* Eastern Suburbs, formed on January 24 1908 at Paddington Town Hall
* Glebe, formed on January 9 1908
* Newtown, formed on January 14 1908
* North Sydney, formed on February 7 1908
* South Sydney, formed on January 17 1908 at Redfern Town Hall
* Western Suburbs, formed on February 4 1908

Having won all 3 grades in 1915 the Balmain Tigers returned in 1916 to repeat the effort for a second straight season. At the conclusion of the season Balmain and Souths were equal aloft the premiership ladder with 22 points apiece. The League didn't expect such a finish and a Final had to be scheduled.

For the first time a Final was held at the Sydney Cricket Ground where they were to be held for many years to come. The game played on July 26 1916 in front of just 6,000 people, saw the lead change three times in the first half with Balmain ahead 5-3 at the break after a try by Arthur Halloway and a penalty goal by Charles "Chook" Fraser. The second half saw the game played predominantly on Balmain's line, with South Sydney putting on repeated attacks. However, the Balmain defence never gave in and the score didn't change by game's end - a two point margin securing Balmain's second consecutive title.

Balmain Tigers 5 (Try: Arthur Halloway. Goal: Charles Fraser)

defeated South Sydney Rabbitohs 3 (Try: Gordon Vaughan )

References

* [http://www.stats.rleague.com/rl/snotes.html Rugby League Tables - Notes] "The World of Rugby League"
* [http://www.stats.rleague.com/rl/seas/1916.html Rugby League Tables - Season 1916] "The World of Rugby League"
* [http://www.rl1908.com/premiership.htm Premiership History and Statistics] "RL1908"
* [http://rl1908.com/Grandfinals/1916.htm 1916 - Balmain Beats Souths In Final] "RL1908"
* [http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Results---1911-1920.html Results: 1911-20 at rabbitohs.com.au]