1948 NSWRFL season
The 1948 NSWRFL season was the forty-first New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership season, Sydney’s top-level rugby league football competition, and Australia’s first. The teams remained unchanged from the previous season, with ten clubs from across the city contesting the premiership during the season which culminated in Western Suburbs’ victory over Balmain in the grand final.
Season summary
When Balmain’s young stars of 1946 and 1947 Pat Devery and Harry Bath left for big money offers in England it seemed doubtful that the Tigers would be able to continue their run of success. However Balmain gave themselves every chance to achieve their third title in a row and made it through to the Grand Final match up against Wests.Teams
- Balmain, formed on January 23, 1908, at Balmain Town Hall
- Canterbury-Bankstown
- Eastern Suburbs, formed on January 24, 1908, at Paddington Town Hall
- Manly-Warringah
- Newtown, formed on January 14, 1908
- North Sydney, formed on February 7, 1908
- Parramatta, formed in November 1946
- 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 41st season Ground: Leichhardt Oval Coach: Athol Smith Captain: Tom Bourke | Canterbury-Bankstown 14th season Ground: Belmore Sports Ground Coach: Arthur Halloway Captain: Henry Porter | Eastern Suburbs 41st season Ground: Belmore Oval Coach: Percy Williams Captain: Wally O'Connell | Manly-Warringah 2nd season Ground: Brookvale Oval Coach: Ray Stehr Captain: Ron O'Connell |
| Newtown 41st season Ground: Erskineville Oval Captain-Coach: Frank Farrell | North Sydney 41st season Ground: North Sydney Oval Coach: Cliff Pearce Captain: Frank Cottle | Parramatta 2nd season Ground: Cumberland Oval Captain-coach: Vic Hey | South Sydney 41st season Ground: Redfern Oval Coach: Dave Watson Captain: Jack Rayner |
| St. George 28th season Ground: Hurstville Oval Coach: Jim Duckworth Captain: Matt McCoy | Western Suburbs 41st season Ground: Pratten Park Coach: Jeff Smith Captain: Jack Walsh |
Ladder
Finals
In Balmain’s preliminary final match up with St George, Balmain winger Arthur Patton refused to leave the field whilst injured as the Tigers held on to win 13–12. At game’s end it was found that he had a broken leg.Grand Final
After rainy conditions the Grand Final was played on a soft Sydney Sports Ground surface.The Tigers led the game until the final quarter when a 40-metre run by Wests’ second rower Kevin Hansen saw him tackled right on the tryline. The referee awarded the try and Wests held an 8–5 break until full-time to record their third premiership win.
Western Suburbs Magpies 8
defeated
Balmain Tigers 5