1950 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams10
Premiers South Sydney (12th title)
Minor premiers South Sydney (11th title)
Matches played93
Points scored2901
Top points scorer(s) Bill Keato (180)
Top try-scorer(s) Jack Troy (16)

The 1950 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the forty-third season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league competition, Australia’s first. Ten teams from across the city contested the premiership during the season which culminated in a grand final between South Sydney and Western Suburbs.

Teams

Balmain

43rd season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Athol Smith
Captain: Fred de Belin

Canterbury-Bankstown

16th season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Coach: Alby Why
Captain: Eddie Burns

Eastern Suburbs

43rd season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Ernie Norman
Captain: Ferris Ashton

Manly-Warringah

4th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Wally O'Connell
Captain: Perce Pritchard

Newtown

43rd season
Ground: Erskineville Oval
Captain-Coach: Frank Farrell

North Sydney

43rd season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Frank Hyde
Captain: Martin Gallagher

Parramatta

4th season
Ground: Cumberland Oval
Coach: Vic Hey
Captain: Bob Hobbs

South Sydney

43rd season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Captain-Coach: Jack Rayner

St. George

30th season
Ground: Jubilee Oval
Coach: Jim Duckworth
Captain: Johnny Hawke

Western Suburbs

43rd season
Ground: Pratten Park
Coach: Jeff Smith
Captain: Frank Stanmore

Ladder

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 South Sydney 18 14 0 4 323 228 +95 28
2 Balmain 18 12 2 4 255 208 +47 26
3 Newtown 18 11 2 5 347 269 +78 24
4 Western Suburbs 18 10 2 6 307 259 +48 22
5 St. George 18 9 3 6 336 261 +75 21
6 Canterbury-Bankstown 18 9 0 9 296 277 +19 18
7 Eastern Suburbs 18 7 0 11 237 345 -108 14
8 Manly-Warringah 18 6 0 12 231 293 -62 12
9 Parramatta 18 3 3 12 203 296 -93 9
10 North Sydney 18 3 0 15 258 357 -99 6

Finals

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Semifinals
South Sydney 30–4 Newtown 2 September 1950 Sydney Cricket Ground George Bishop 33,514
Balmain 10–28 Western Suburbs 9 September 1950 Sydney Sports Ground Tom McMahon 33,542
Final
South Sydney 21–15 Western Suburbs 16 September 1950 Sydney Sports Ground Tom McMahon 32,373

Final

South Sydney Position Western Suburbs
13. Clive Churchill FB
  1. William Keato
12. John Graves WG 22. Jack Wall
11. Kevin Woolfe CE 20. Dev Dines
10. Milton Atkinson CE 3. Jack Woods
9. Cliff Smailes WG 26. John Lackey
26. Greg Hawick FE 6. Frank Stanmore (c)
8. Bill Stewart HB 7. Keith Holman
  1. Denis Donoghue
 PR 57. Don Stait
2. Ernie Hammerton HK 15. Alan Hornery
18. Ken Macreadie PR 5. Bill Horder
5. Bernie Purcell SR 17. Kevin Hansen
4. Jack Rayner (Ca./Co.) SR 9. Don Milton
6. Les Cowie LK 8. Peter McLean

In a close and physical encounter South Sydney held a 17–11 six point lead at half time. The second half was tryless, but South Sydney kept ahead on penalty goals throughout.

Souths’ captain Jack Rayner led the team in fine style to their first title in eighteen years while the club’s internationals all stood up and were counted. Forward Bernie Purcell kicked five long-range penalty goals in succession; fullback Clive Churchill ran Wests’ heavyweight forwards off their legs and winger Johnny Graves scored two great tries.

South Sydney Rabbitohs 21 (Tries: Graves 2, Smailes. Goals: Purcell 5, Graves 1.)

Western Suburbs Magpies 15 (Tries: Holman. Goals: Keato 6.)

Player statistics

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 18.

References

External links

South Sydney squad - 1950 NSWRFL Premiers (12th title)
South Sydney Rabbitohs
National Rugby League seasons
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