# 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.

## 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 | Match Information | Match Information | Match Information |
| Home | Score | Away | 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.
| 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 |
| Tries | Player |
| 16 | Jack Troy |
| 13 | Ron Roberts |
| 12 | Bobby Lulham |
| 12 | Mitchell Wallace |
| 12 | Peter O'Brien |
| Goals | Player |
| 73 | Bill Keato |
| 56 | Joe Jorgenson |
| 54 | Darcy Russell |
| 49 | Noel Pidding |
| 47 | Ron Willey |