1945 NSWRFL season
The 1945 NSWRFL season was the thirty-eighth New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership season, Sydney’s top-level rugby league club competition, and Australia’s first. Eight teams from across the city contested during the season which culminated in Eastern Suburbs' victory over Balmain in the grand final.
Teams
- Balmain, formed on January 23, 1908, at Balmain Town Hall
- Canterbury-Bankstown
- Eastern Suburbs, formed on January 24, 1908, at Paddington Town Hall
- 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
| Balmain 38th season Ground: Leichhardt Oval Captain: Tom Bourke Coach: Norm Robinson | Canterbury-Bankstown 11th season Ground: Belmore Sports Ground Coach: Bill Kelly Captain: George Kilham | Eastern Suburbs 38th season Ground: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Arthur Halloway Captain: Ray Stehr | Newtown 38th season Ground: Henson Park Coach: Arthur Folwell, Frank Farrell and Len Smith Captain: Frank Farrell |
| North Sydney 38th season Ground: North Sydney Oval Coach: Frank Burge Captain: Rex Harrison | South Sydney 38th season Ground: Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Eric Lewis | St. George 25th season Ground: Hurstville Oval Coach: Percy Williams & Harry Kadwell Captain: Jim Hale | Western Suburbs 38th season Ground: Pratten Park Coach: Frank McMillan Captain: Jack Walsh |
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
| 1 | Eastern Suburbs | 14 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 276 | 190 | +86 | 22 |
| 2 | Newtown | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 326 | 177 | +149 | 21 |
| 3 | Western Suburbs | 14 | 8 | 1 | 5 | 238 | 192 | +46 | 17 |
| 4 | Balmain | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 252 | 202 | +50 | 16 |
| 5 | North Sydney | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 188 | 175 | +13 | 16 |
| 6 | Canterbury | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 217 | 285 | -68 | 9 |
| 7 | St. George | 14 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 183 | 253 | -70 | 9 |
| 8 | South Sydney | 14 | 1 | 0 | 13 | 144 | 350 | -206 | 2 |
Finals
Premiership Final
Balmain led 10–5 at half time and the match was evenly balanced throughout the second half. With three minutes to go the Tricolours trailed 17—18. The Roosters were awarded a penalty on half way and Dick Dunn convinced his reluctant captain Ray Stehr that he could make the distance. Dunn successfully kicked the goal from the then unorthodox upright position.Dunn received Joe Jorgenson’s kick from the restart and booted the ball into touch five metres from the Balmain line. Tricolours’ George Watt won the scrum against the feed and Easts’ classy halves pairing of Sel Lisle and Wally O'Connell put on a move that saw Dunn score in the corner.
Dunn scored 19 of the Tricolours’ 22 points that day carrying with him for luck the sock of his fourteen-month-old daughter in his shorts pocket throughout the match.
Eastern Suburbs 22
defeated
Balmain 18