1950 NSWRFL season

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.

1950 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams	10
Premiers	South Sydney (12th title)
Minor premiers	South Sydney (11th title)
Matches played	93
Points scored	2901
Top points scorer(s)	Bill Keato (180)
Wooden spoon	North Sydney (7th spoon)
Top try-scorer(s)	Jack Troy (16)
← 1949 1951 →

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	18	9	0	9	296	277	+19	18
7	Eastern Suburbs	18	7	0	11	237	345	-108	14
8	Manly	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	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
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.

Top 5 point scorers Points Player Tries Goals Field Goals 152 Bill Keato 2 73 0 124 Joe Jorgenson 4 56 0 116 Noel Pidding 6 49 0 111 Darcy Russell 1 54 0 106 Bernie Purcell 8 41 0 Top 5 try scorers Tries Player 16 Jack Troy 13 Ron Roberts 12 Bobby Lulham 12 Mitchell Wallace 12 Peter O'Brien

Top 5 goal scorers Goals Player 73 Bill Keato 56 Joe Jorgenson 54 Darcy Russell 49 Noel Pidding 47 Ron Willey