New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1928

Infobox rugby league season
year = 1928
competition = New South Wales Rugby Football League


imagesize = 125px
caption =
teams = 9
premiers =
count = 8th
minor premiers =
mpcount = 1st
matches = 59
points = 1597
attendance =
top points scorer = (94)
top try scorer = (9)The 1928 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the twenty-first season of rugby league football in Australia. During the season, which lasted from April until September, nine teams from across Sydney contested the premiership.

eason summary

* No minor premiership was awarded, and hence no "right of challenge" arose from the finals. Only 14 rounds of premiership matches were played.
* A dispute between the NSWRL and the Sydney Cricket Ground Trust over a number of issues lead to the League moving their match of the day to the neighbouring Sydney Sports Ground. The dispute wasn't patched up until 1935.
* The first ever night football match was played at the Sydney Showground, The match involved South Sydney and Eastern Sububs and was played on the 22nd of December. Souths won 10-6. The match was played 9-a-side and took place without the approval of the NSWRL.
* Western Suburbs became the first Sydney club to use an animal for its nickname and logo. Wests, previously known as "The Fruitpickers" became "The Magpies".

Teams

* 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
* St. George, formed on November 8 1920 at Kogarah School of Arts
* Western Suburbs, formed on February 4 1908
* University, formed in 1919 at Sydney University

A crowd of 25,000 were at the Royal Agricultural Society Grounds to watch the final between South Sydney and Easts, referreed by Lal Deane. George Treweek scored Souths' first try, crashing over under the posts after Easts fullback Toby fumbled the high kick. Wearing converted. Then Jack Why, Root and Brien combined to put Williams over and Souths took an 8-0 lead. Before the half-ended Wearing kicked a penalty goal from halfway and Quinlivan crossed for another Souths try and a 13-0 lead at the break.

The second stanza started no better for Easts when Hardy took the ball close with the line wide open only to see his pass dropped. Harry Kadwell struck back for Souths who went to a 16-0 lead before the floodgates opened - Cavanough scored from the next kick-off and then Kadwell crossed again. Easts' only try of the match was by Steel under the posts and was the last of the match with bell sounding shortly after. Thus the Rabbitohs took their fourth successive title and become the first club to achieve that feat.

South Sydney 26 (Tries: Kadwell (2), Treweek, Williams, Quinlivan, Cavanagh. Goals: Wearing 2, Quinlivan 2)

defeated

Eastern Suburbs 5 (Tries: Steel. Goal: Oxford)

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/1928.html Rugby League Tables - Season 1928] "The World of Rugby League"
* [http://www.rl1908.com/premiership.htm Premiership History and Statistics] "RL1908"
* Andrews, Malcolm (2006) "The ABC of Rugby League" Austn Broadcasting Corpn, Sydney
* Haddan, Steve [2007] "The Finals - 100 Years of National Rugby League Finals", Steve Haddan Publishing, Brisbane
* [http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/The-Club/Tradition/Results---1921-1930.html Results: 1921-30 at rabbitohs.com.au]