Newtown v Norths 1945 State Cup Final

by Terry Williams (Newtown RLFC Club Historian)

Ahead of this week’s NSW Cup decider there will be much focus on the 1943 Grand Final between the two clubs. But that’s not the only time the two clubs have met in a decider.

During the Second World War the NSWRL revived the City Cup competition, which had only been played once after its demise in 1925. With the addition of the top country teams – Newcastle clubs and some other divisional representative teams – they had a new State Cup which ran from 1941-45.

And in 1945 Newtown met Norths for the trophy.

Both clubs had enjoyed relatively successful seasons. Newtown had finished a single point behind Eastern Suburbs for the minor premiership before being controversially beaten 13-9 in the semi final by Balmain. Norths had finished level fourth with Balmain and lost a play off to qualify for the semis, so the Cup competition was a chance for both clubs to salvage something.

The first round of the Cup saw Newtown defeat Waratah-Mayfield 14-0, whilst Norths had beaten Group 7 by 35-11. In the quarter finals the Bluebags beat Western Suburbs 19-12 and North Sydney eliminated St George with a 14-7 win

A day after the premiership final Norths won their semi final at Kurri Kurri by 15-14 and the following Saturday Newtown blitzed premiers Easts by 38-20 after trailing midway through the second half.

The Cup final was played on September 15, a month after the end of the war at the old Sydney Sports Ground. Although St George was not playing the “Ear biting” furore was at its height, and Dragons’ secretary Arthur “Snowy” Justice had stormed out of the NSWRL meeting a week earlier when President Jersey Flegg refused the St George plea for a swift resolution.

To add to the drama, although the war was over the military commitments of players from both teams continued. That meant that several of the best players on the rosters of the respective clubs were still absent overseas, although they both had some great names and had earned their place in the final.

So tension was in the air (if not the ear), when the two teams took the field.

Teams for the final were:

Newtown: Tom Kirk, Athol Stewart, Joe Redmond, Sid Goodwin, Norm Jacobson, Tommy Nevin, Paddy Bugden, Keith Phillips, Herb Narvo, Charlie Montgomery, Gordon Maclennan, Noel Mulligan and Bumper Farrell (captain)

North Sydney: George Carver, Johnny Bliss, Vince Emery, Kelly McMahon, Kurt Davies, Rex Harrison (captain), Harry Ryan, Bill McLean, Bob Pearson, Keith Kirkwood, Laurie Doran, Frank Facer, Harry McKinnon

Although it was only two years since their famous Grand Final encounter Norths had a very different line up. Frank Hyde had retired and Frank Burge was coach but only four of the players from the decider were backing up. Newtown, conversely, had the same coach in Snowy Folwell and nine of their premiership winning squad back on deck.

Another bonus for the Blues was the appointment of Tom McMahon not Jack O’Brien as referee. O’Brien had been in involved in many contentious and controversial games in the Newtown’s losses in the 1944 Grand Final and their semi final loss to Balmain in 1945.McMahon was more impartial by all accounts.

Played in a howling southerly gale before 9,073 the Cup final match was a scrappy affair marred by dropped balls and mini dust storms as the bare surface blew clouds around the players.

Both teams missed early scoring chances – Sid Goodwin twice dropping the ball with the line open – before Carver and Kirk kicked penalties. Carver edged Norths ahead with another penalty before Farrell and Stewart featured in a move that saw Goodwin tackled touch in goal.

In the lead up to half time Gordon Maclennan showed why he’d been an Australian representative when he scored a powerhouse solo try after bulldozing his way past four defenders. Kirk added the extras for a 7-4 half time lead but before the interval flying Bluyes’ three-quarter Norm Jacobson had broken his left ankle and took no further part in the game.

Coached by the wily veteran Burge Norths kept up the pressure in the second half and started to win the majority of the ball after Newtown moved Montgomery out wide to fill the gap. Red and Black endeavour saw them draw level when Harrison sent Bliss, the Australian beach sprint champion over for a try to make it 7-7.

With time running out Bumper Farrell, the scourge of the underworld and opposition fans, created an opening for rookie centre Jim Redmond who stepped through the defence and linked with “The Bombala Express” Athol Stewart who sprinted away to score the match winner under the posts.

At the conclusion of the game some fans ran on the field and presented Bumper with a cake in the shape of a football field with posts at either end. Given his parched state he may have preferred a Reschs..

This was the last game for Stewart, Goodwin, Nevin, Maclennan in Royal Blue but several of the players from both teams backed up the next day for a patriotic charity match at Henson between a Metropolitan XII and an Army XIII. It was certainly a different world back then!

The Cup concept would be revived at times in the future, the City Cup was dusted off for 1959, there was the brief Ampol State Cup in the mid 1960s and then most famously the Amco Cup which ran from 1974-89.

But back in 1945 it was Newtown and North Sydney fighting for the silverware. There’s going to be another chapter added to the rivalry this Sunday.