Throw Back Thursday – Newtown’s Finest Hour On Its Biggest Stage
Each week thanks to Cryo, we look back at a momentin our rich history. Ahead of this second leg of the Frank Hyde Shield Clashagainst North Sydney this weekend, we revisit the 1943 Grand Final
NEWTOWN’S FINEST HOUR ON ITS BIGGEST STAGE
The 1943 NSWRL Grand Final delivered Newtown it’sthird and final First Grade premiership.
Newtown had actually finished the regular seasonminor premiers, although a loss to Norths in the first Semi-Final meant that ifthey wished to take the title, Newtown was required to play a grand finalchallenge, again against North Sydney.
The Blues hadn’t beaten Norths in their previousthree encounters during that season, although two of Norths’ key players,captain-coach Hyde and hooker Frank Facer, came into the match carryinginjuries. Norths had also lost star lock Harry Taylor, who was sent to PapuaNew Guinea for military service so suddenly that his club did not realise hewasn’t showing up until minutes before kick-off.
The attendance on Grand Final Day 1943 set a recordfor the code. The day of the game coincided with an Austerity Day during whichall horse and dog racing was banned throughout Australia. With no reservedseats and tickets only available at the gate, records numbers flocked to the SydneyCricket Ground. The gates were closed an hour before kick-off, however, thesheer number of people outside the ground eventually caused them to be crashedopen. The official figure recorded was 60,922, but many more people werebelieved to be in attendance.
Bluebags winger Sid Goodwin got things underway whenhe brushed off Stan Ridgway and Johnny McLachlan to score after 10 minutes.Goodwin completed his double minutes later, while tries to Jimmy Brailey andBruce Ryan gave the Blues a 14-0 lead at the break.
North Sydney got on the board early in thesecond-half when McLachlan scored, while a subsequent penalty goal to Tedd Ruddmade the score 14-7. However, from that point on though it was all Newtown.Expert tactics from coach Arthur Folwell neutralised Norths’ dangerous shortkicking game and allowed the Bluebags to dominate possession. With second halftries to Herb Narvo, Len Smith and Frank Farrell, as well as five goals to TomKirk, Newtown skipped away with the game, chalking up a convincing 34-7 win.
At the time, it was the most points scored by a teamduring a grand final.
Newtown 34 (Tries: Goodwin 2,Ryan, Brailey, Phillips, Narvo, Smith, Farrell. Goals: Kirk 5) defeated North Sydney 7 (Tries: McLachlan. Goals: Rudd2).
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