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1969 NSWRFL season

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1969 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams12
Premiers Balmain (11th title)
Minor premiers South Sydney (15th title)
Matches played136
Points scored4258
Attendance1788112
Top points scorer(s) Eric Simms (265)
Rothmans Medal Denis Pittard
Top try-scorer(s) Ken Irvine (17)

The 1969 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 62nd season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six Sydney-based foundation teams and another six from the Sydney area competed for the J.J. Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup during the season, which culminated in a grand final between Balmain and South Sydney.

Season summary

[edit]

South Sydney fullback Eric Simms' tally of 265 points for the season from 112 goals, 19 field-goals and one try topped the season point scoring record that had been set in the 1935 season by Dave Brown.

The 1969 season's Rothmans Medallist was South Sydney's Denis Pittard.

The 1969 season also saw the retirement from the League of future Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame inductee, John Raper.

Teams

[edit]
Balmain

62nd season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Leo Nosworthy
Captain: Peter Provan

Canterbury-Bankstown

35th season
Ground: Belmore Oval
Coach: Kevin Ryan
Captain: Kevin RyanBob Hagan

Cronulla-Sutherland

3rd season
Ground: Endeavour Field
Coach: Ken Kearney
Captain: Noel Thornton

Eastern Suburbs

62nd season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Captain-Coach: Louis Neumann

Manly-Warringah

23rd season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: George Hunter
Captain(s): Bob Fulton / Fred Jones

Newtown

62nd season
Ground: Henson Park
Coach: Harry Bath
Captain: Bob Carnegie

North Sydney

62nd season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Roy Francis
Captain: Ken Irvine

Parramatta

23rd season
Ground: Cumberland Oval
Coach: Ian Johnston
Captain: Dick Thornett

Penrith

3rd season
Ground: Penrith Park
Captain-coach: Bob Boland

South Sydney

62nd season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach: Clive Churchill
Captain: John Sattler

St. George

49th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Captain-coach: Johnny Raper

Western Suburbs

62nd season
Ground: Lidcombe Oval
Captain-Coach: Noel Kelly

Regular season

[edit]
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 F1 F2 F3 GF
Balmain SOU
+9
CRO
+18
EAS
+14
PEN
+1
MAN
+5
CBY
−4
NEW
+15
WES
+9
PAR
+2
STG
+5
NOR
+8
SOU
−17
CRO
+3
EAS
+2
PEN
−4
MAN
−3
CBY
+24
NEW
+10
WES
−7
PAR
+5
STG
+9
NOR
+2
X SOU
−1
MAN
+1
SOU
+9
Canterbury-Bankstown NEW
+18
WES
−21
PAR
+16
STG
+10
NOR
+6
BAL
+4
CRO
+27
EAS
−5
PEN
−5
MAN
−8
SOU
−20
NEW
−8
WES
+5
PAR
−9
STG
+4
NOR
−1
BAL
−24
CRO
+11
EAS
−15
PEN
−2
MAN
+12
SOU
−28
Cronulla-Sutherland NOR
−11
BAL
−18
SOU
−39
EAS
−10
PEN
−20
MAN
−9
CBY
−27
NEW
+16
WES
−1
PAR
−7
STG
−4
NOR
+8
BAL
−3
SOU
−5
EAS
−5
PEN
+3
MAN
−7
CBY
−11
NEW
+11
WES
−10
PAR
+8
STG
−6
Eastern Suburbs STG
+13
NOR
−9
BAL
−14
CRO
+10
SOU
−4
PEN
+3
MAN
−7
CBY
+5
NEW
+7
WES
−11
PAR
−12
STG
−4
NOR
0
BAL
−2
CRO
+5
SOU
−27
PEN
+1
MAN
−28
CBY
+15
NEW
−18
WES
−17
PAR
−8
Manly-Warringah WES
+11
PAR
+2
STG
−21
NOR
+18
BAL
−5
CRO
+9
EAS
+7
PEN
+1
SOU
−12
CBY
+8
NEW
−5
WES
+1
PAR
+16
STG
−1
NOR
−10
BAL
+3
CRO
+7
EAS
+28
PEN
+9
SOU
−4
CBY
−12
NEW
+7
STG
+9
X BAL
−1
Newtown CBY
−18
SOU
−14
WES
−18
PAR
−25
STG
−3
NOR
−9
BAL
−15
CRO
−16
EAS
−7
PEN
0
MAN
+5
CBY
+8
SOU
−20
WES
+6
PAR
−1
STG
−18
NOR
+6
BAL
−10
CRO
−11
EAS
+18
PEN
+7
MAN
−7
North Sydney CRO
+11
EAS
+9
PEN
+3
MAN
−18
CBY
−6
NEW
+9
WES
−3
PAR
+4
STG
−23
SOU
+9
BAL
−8
CRO
−8
EAS
0
PEN
+29
MAN
+10
CBY
+1
NEW
−6
WES
−5
PAR
+3
STG
−8
SOU
−20
BAL
−2
Parramatta PEN
+11
MAN
−2
CBY
−16
NEW
+25
WES
+6
SOU
−27
STG
+1
NOR
−4
BAL
−2
CRO
+7
EAS
+12
PEN
−2
MAN
−16
CBY
+9
NEW
+1
WES
+6
SOU
+9
STG
−25
NOR
−3
BAL
−5
CRO
−8
EAS
+8
Penrith PAR
−11
STG
−24
NOR
−3
BAL
−1
CRO
+20
EAS
−3
SOU
−1
MAN
−1
CBY
+5
NEW
0
WES
+6
PAR
+2
STG
−1
NOR
−29
BAL
+4
CRO
−3
EAS
−1
SOU
−22
MAN
−9
CBY
+2
NEW
−7
WES
−10
South Sydney BAL
−9
NEW
+14
CRO
+39
WES
+10
EAS
+4
PAR
+27
PEN
+1
STG
−4
MAN
+12
NOR
−9
CBY
+20
BAL
+17
NEW
+20
CRO
+5
WES
+7
EAS
+27
PAR
−9
PEN
+22
STG
+21
MAN
+4
NOR
+20
CBY
+28
X BAL
+1
X BAL
−9
St. George EAS
−13
PEN
+24
MAN
+21
CBY
−10
NEW
+3
WES
−2
PAR
−1
SOU
+4
NOR
+23
BAL
−5
CRO
+4
EAS
+4
PEN
+1
MAN
+1
CBY
−4
NEW
+18
WES
+11
PAR
+25
SOU
−21
NOR
+8
BAL
−9
CRO
+6
MAN
−9
Western Suburbs MAN
−11
CBY
+21
NEW
+18
SOU
−10
PAR
−6
STG
+2
NOR
+3
BAL
−9
CRO
+1
EAS
+11
PEN
−6
MAN
−1
CBY
−5
NEW
−6
SOU
−7
PAR
−6
STG
−11
NOR
+5
BAL
+7
CRO
+10
EAS
+17
PEN
+10
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 F1 F2 F3 GF

Bold – Home game
X – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder

[edit]
Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 South Sydney 22 18 0 4 489 222 +267 36
2 Balmain 22 17 0 5 410 304 +106 34
3 St. George 22 14 0 8 411 323 +88 28
4 Manly 22 14 0 8 355 298 +57 28
5 Western Suburbs 22 11 0 11 315 288 +27 22
6 Parramatta 22 11 0 11 323 338 -15 22
7 North Sydney 22 10 1 11 343 362 -19 21
8 Canterbury 22 10 0 12 316 349 -33 20
9 Eastern Suburbs 22 8 1 13 307 409 -102 17
10 Penrith 22 6 1 15 311 398 -87 13
11 Newtown 22 6 1 15 279 421 -142 13
12 Cronulla 22 5 0 17 301 448 -147 10

Ladder progression

[edit]
  • Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 4.
  • Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
  • Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
1 South Sydney 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 12 14 14 16 18 20 22 24 26 26 28 30 32 34 36
2 Balmain 2 4 6 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 20 20 22 24 24 24 26 28 28 30 32 34
3 St. George 0 2 4 4 6 6 6 8 10 10 12 14 16 18 18 20 22 24 24 26 26 28
4 Manly-Warringah 2 4 4 6 6 8 10 12 12 14 14 16 18 18 18 20 22 24 26 26 26 28
5 Western Suburbs 0 2 4 4 4 6 8 8 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 12 14 16 18 20 22
6 Parramatta 2 2 2 4 6 6 8 8 8 10 12 12 12 14 16 18 20 20 20 20 20 22
7 North Sydney 2 4 6 6 6 8 8 10 10 12 12 12 13 15 17 19 19 19 21 21 21 21
8 Canterbury-Bankstown 2 2 4 6 8 10 12 12 12 12 12 12 14 14 16 16 16 18 18 18 20 20
9 Eastern Suburbs 2 2 2 4 4 6 6 8 10 10 10 10 11 11 13 13 15 15 17 17 17 17
10 Penrith 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 4 5 7 9 9 9 11 11 11 11 11 13 13 13
11 Newtown 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 3 5 5 7 7 7 9 9 9 11 13 13
12 Cronulla-Sutherland 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 2 4 4 4 4 6 6 6 8 8 10 10

Finals

[edit]

In the preliminary final, Balmain trailed 12-14 against Manly-Warringah until late in the match when winger George Ruebner charged for the corner post to snatch a win in dramatic fashion.

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Semi-finals
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 19–10 St. George Dragons 30 August 1969 Sydney Cricket Ground Keith Page 40,977
South Sydney Rabbitohs 14–13 Balmain Tigers 6 September 1969 Sydney Cricket Ground Keith Page 44,159
Preliminary Final
Balmain Tigers 15–14 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 13 September 1969 Sydney Cricket Ground Keith Page 41,410
Grand Final
South Sydney Rabbitohs 2–11 Balmain Tigers 20 September 1969 Sydney Cricket Ground Keith Page 58,825

Grand Final

[edit]
South Sydney Position Balmain
  1. Eric Simms
FB
  1. Robert Smithies
2. Michael Cleary WG 2. George Ruebner
3. Bob Honan CE 3. Allan Fitzgibbon
4. Kerry Burke CE 4. Terry Parker
5. Brian James WG 5. Len Killeen
6. Denis Pittard FE 6. Keith Outten
7. Bob Grant HB 7. Dave Bolton
13. John Sattler (c) PR 13. Garry Leo
12. Elwyn Walters HK 12. Peter Boulton
11. John O'Neill PR 11. Barry McTaggart
10. Bob McCarthy SR 10. John Spencer
9. Bob Moses SR 9. Joe Walsh
8. Ron Coote LK 8. Peter Provan (c)
17. Paul Sait Reserve 14. Sid Williams
Clive Churchill Coach Leo Nosworthy

Balmain were not given a chance of winning the Premiership after the retirement of Keith Barnes. Souths had won the last two premierships, beaten the Tigers in the major semi-final to advance to the Grand Final and boasted eleven internationals in their side.

However, as a result their favouritism Souths were overconfident and showed insufficient respect to the young Tigers, who had shown early-season form in beating them in round 1, and to their rookie coach Leo Nosworthy, who presented a well-prepared and determined Balmain team.

The Tigers led 6–0 at halftime after two penalty goals by Len Killeen and a Dave Bolton field-goal. Souths refusal to kick on the last tackle played into Balmain's hands as novice replacement hooker Peter Boulton managed to consistently regain possession from the scrums. Balmain backed up with a robust defensive line and kept South pinned in their own half.

After the break a Bob McCarthy fumble after a mix up with Paul Sait saw Bolton swoop on the ball deep in Souths territory. From the ruck Terry Parker slipped a beautiful pass to replacement winger Sid Williams who juggled but held the ball to cross the line for the only try of the match. With a 9–0 lead early in the second half and a penalty count that continued to mount in their favour, Balmain took control of the game and appeared to begin a ploy of feigning injury whenever Souths looked to build rhythm, stopping the Rabbitohs' flow of play.[1] Hence the match is still referred to today as "the lay-down grand final".[2]

Souths' protests proved pointless as referee Keith Page (in his first Grand Final) was powerless to stop the Tigers tactics under the rules of the day, and Balmain secured and held an 11–2 lead to win their first premiership since 1947 and to give a fairy-tale career farewell for their captain and 159-game veteran Peter Provan.

This was the 11th and most recent premiership for the Tigers as just Balmain, and in 1999, the club formed a 50/50 joint venture with the Western Suburbs Magpies to become the Wests Tigers. The joint venture that continues to this day

Balmain 11 (Tries: Williams. Goals: Killeen 2. Field Goal: D Bolton 2)

South Sydney 2 (Goals: Simms 1.)

Player statistics

[edit]

The following statistics are as of the conclusion of Round 22.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Sean Fagan (3 October 2010). "In league, we leave the dead where they fall". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australia: Fairfax Media. Retrieved 3 October 2010.
  2. ^ Coady, Ben (2009-09-28). "Grand final dramas". WA Today. Australia: Fairfax Digital. Archived from the original on 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
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