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The 1939 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the thirty-second season of Sydney’s top-level rugby league club competition, Australia’s first. Eight teams from across the city contested the premiership during the season, which lasted from April until September and culminated in Balmain’s victory over South Sydney in the final.[1]
| 1939 New South Wales Rugby Football League | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 8 |
| Premiers |  Balmain (7th title) |
| Minor premiers | Balmain (7th title) |
| Matches played | 59 |
| Points scored | 1655 |
| Top points scorer(s) |  Neville Smith (97) |
| Top try-scorer(s) | Sid Goodwin (18) |
This was to be the St. George club’s final season at Earl Park, Arncliffe, the following season moving back to Hurstville Oval.
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 32nd season |
Canterbury-Bankstown 5th season |
Eastern Suburbs 32nd season |
Newtown 32nd season |
North Sydney 32nd season |
South Sydney 32nd season |
St. George 19th season |
Western Suburbs 32nd season |
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balmain |
14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 249 | 115 | +134 | 22 |
| 2 | St. George |
14 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 268 | 169 | +99 | 20 |
| 3 |  Canterbury |
14 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 234 | 155 | +79 | 20 |
| 4 |  South Sydney |
14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 219 | 158 | +61 | 18 |
| 5 |  Eastern Suburbs |
14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 192 | 184 | +8 | 16 |
| 6 |  Western Suburbs |
14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 148 | 213 | -65 | 6 |
| 7 |  North Sydney |
14 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 129 | 272 | -143 | 6 |
| 8 |  Newtown |
14 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 124 | 297 | -173 | 4 |
In the two semi finals, minor premiers Balmain narrowly defeated Canterbury whilst fourth-placed South Sydney beat second-placed St. George.
| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Crowd | |||||
| Semifinals | ||||||||
| Balmain |
13–9 | Canterbury |
19 August 1939 | Sydney Cricket Ground | George Bishop | 23,774 | ||
| St. George |
10–23 | South Sydney |
26 August 1939 | Sydney Cricket Ground | Tom McMahon | 21,722 | ||
| Final | ||||||||
| Balmain |
33–4 | South Sydney |
2 September 1939 | Sydney Cricket Ground | George Bishop | 26,972 | ||
Premiership final
| Balmain | Position | South Sydney |
|---|---|---|
| FB | 16. Dick Johnson | |
| 2. Sid Goodwin (c) | WG | 12. Harry Thompson |
| 5. Jack Winchester | CE | 11. Alan Quinlivan |
| 3. Frank Hyde | CE | 14. Fred Felsch (c) |
| 17. Tom Bourke | WG | 13. Alan Tuohey |
| 7. Billy Bischoff | FE | 10. Jack Kadwell |
| 4. Jim Quealey | HB | 20. Albert Webster |
| 21. Dawson Buckley | PR | 36. John Whitfield |
| 9. George Watt | HK | 4. George Kilham |
| 6. Dave Manning | PR | |
| 12. Athol Smith | SR | 2. Percy Fairall |
| 11. Billy Johnson | SR | 3. Johnny Brown |
| 13. Jack Redman | LK | 8. Eddie Hinson |
| Bill Kelly | Coach | Charlie Lynch |
The decider was played on the weekend when the world’s future altered dramatically with the invasion of Poland by Germany leading to England, Australia and the world going to war.
The match was played at the Sydney Cricket Ground and refereed by George Bishop in front of 26,972. The game was tight in the first half with the Tigers scoring one try to lead 7–2 at the break.
In the second-half Balmain ran away with it, scoring six further tries to South Sydney’s none for a crushing seventh premiership title and the Tigers’ first since 1924. Star Balmain players of the time included Sid Goodwin, Frank Hyde, Tom Bourke, Athol Smith, Billy Bischoff, George Watt and Jim Quealey.
Balmain 33 (Tries: Tom Bourke 2, Frank Hyde, J. Redman, Jim Quealey, D. Buckley, A. Smith. Goals: H. Day 5, W. Johnson )
defeated
South Sydney 4 (Fred Felsch 2 goals)
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