1974 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams12
Premiers Eastern Suburbs (10th title)
Minor premiers Eastern Suburbs (12th title)
Matches played138
Points scored4382
Attendance1278823
Top points scorer(s) Graham Eadie (216)
Player of the year Graham Eadie (Rothmans Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Kevin Junee (23)
Bill Mullins (23)

The 1974 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 67th season of Sydney's professional rugby league football competition, Australia's first. Twelve teams, including six of 1908's foundation clubs and another six from across Sydney, competed for the J. J. Giltinan Shield during the season, which culminated in a grand final match for the WD & HO Wills Cup between the Eastern Suburbs and Canterbury-Bankstown clubs. This season NSWRFL teams also competed for the inaugural Amco Cup.

Season summary

The preseason saw Eastern Suburbs defeat South Sydney 43–0 in the final of the preseason competition at the Sydney Sports Ground, while Parramatta beat Cronulla 20–8 in the playoff for third at Belmore Oval.[1]

This season the NSWRFL made the financial commitment to bring suburban football grounds up to a higher standard in order to take more games to the fans on a home-and-away basis.[2]

Twenty-two regular season rounds were played from March until August, resulting in a top five of Eastern Suburbs, Manly-Warringah, Canterbury-Bankstown, Western Suburbs and Souths who battled it out in the finals. This season would mark the first time since 1950 where St. George failed to make the finals and the first time since 1911 that Balmain would finish last and take out the wooden spoon.

The 1974 Rothmans Medal was awarded to Manly-Warringah's fullback Graham Eadie. Rugby League Week awarded their player of the year award to Eastern Suburbs' forward Arthur Beetson.

Teams

Balmain Tigers

67th season
Ground(s): Leichhardt Oval &
Lidcombe Oval
Coach: Alan Mason
Captain: John Spencer

Canterbury-Bankstown

44th season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Coach: Malcolm Clift
Captain: Barry Phillis

Cronulla-Sutherland

8th season
Ground: Endeavour Field
Coach: Noel Thornton
Captain: Greg Pierce

Eastern Suburbs

67th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Jack Gibson
Captain: Arthur Beetson

Manly-Warringah

28th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Ron Willey
Captain: Fred Jones

Newtown

67th season
Ground: Henson Park
Coach: Clarrie Jeffries
Captain: Lionel Williamson

North Sydney

67th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Noel Kelly
Captain: Tim Pickup

Parramatta

28th season
Ground: Cumberland Oval
Coach: Dave Bolton
Captain: Denis Pittard

Penrith

8th season
Ground: Penrith Football Stadium
Coach: Jack Clare
Captain: Mike Stephenson

South Sydney

67th season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach: Clive Churchill
Captain: Bob McCarthy

St. George Dragons

54th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Captain-coach: Graeme Langlands

Western Suburbs

67th season
Ground(s): Lidcombe Oval &
Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Don Parish
Captain: Tommy Raudonikis

Ladder

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Eastern Suburbs 221903513198+31538
2 Manly-Warringah 221507526316+21030
3 Canterbury-Bankstown 221309364308+5626
4 Western Suburbs 221219402305+9725
5 South Sydney 221219317327-1025
6 North Sydney 221129297272+2524
7 Newtown 229211278261+1720
8 St. George 2210012331363-3220
9 Penrith 229013353465-11218
10 Cronulla-Sutherland 229013314437-12318
11 Parramatta 225017237454-21710
12 Balmain 224216255481-22610

Finals

Home Score Away Match Information
Date and Time Venue Referee Crowd
Qualifying Finals
Manly-Warringah 14–20 Canterbury-Bankstown 31 August 1974 Sydney Cricket Ground Keith Page 23,600
Western Suburbs 24–8 South Sydney 1 September 1974 Sydney Sports Ground Laurie Bruyeres 26,276
Semi-finals
Eastern Suburbs 17–19 Canterbury-Bankstown 7 September 1974 Sydney Cricket Ground Keith Page 31,432
Manly-Warringah 20–23 Western Suburbs 8 September 1974 Sydney Cricket Ground Laurie Bruyeres 40,050
Preliminary final
Eastern Suburbs 25–2 Western Suburbs 14 September 1974 Sydney Cricket Ground Laurie Bruyeres 43,072
Grand final
Canterbury-Bankstown 4–19 Eastern Suburbs 21 September 1974 Sydney Cricket Ground Laurie Bruyeres 57,214

Chart

Qualifying finalMajor semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand final
1 Eastern Suburbs17 Canterbury4
Canterbury19 Eastern Suburbs19
2 Manly14 Eastern Suburbs25
3 Canterbury20Minor semi-final Western Suburbs2
Manly20
4 Western Suburbs24 Western Suburbs23
5 South Sydney8

Grand final

Canterbury-Bankstown Position Eastern Suburbs
  1. Garry Dowling
FB
  1. Russell Fairfax
2. Chris AndersonWG2. Jim Porter
3. Stan CutlerCE3. John Brass
4. Peter WinchesterCE4. Mark Harris
5. Terry MurphyWG5. Bill Mullins
6. Mark HughesFE6. John Peard
7. Don MoseleyHB7. Johnny Mayes
13. Brian LockwoodPR13. Ken Jones
12. George PeponisHK12. Elwyn Walters
11. Bill NoonanPR10. Ian Mackay
10. Geoff ConnellSR11. Arthur Beetson (c)
9. John McDonell (c)SR9. Barry "Bunny" Reilly
8. John PeekLK8. Ron Coote
18. Henry TatanaReserve16. Harry Cameron
Reserve24. Greg Bandiera
Malcolm CliftCoachJack Gibson

“Master coach” Jack Gibson's first title – and the Roosters’ first for twenty-nine years – was won by one of the most talented club teams in the Australian game's history. In rugby union convert Russell Fairfax and giant threequarters Mark Harris and Bill Mullins, Easts had three attacking players who dominated Canterbury with their brilliance.

Eastern Suburbs 19 (Tries: Beetson, Harris, Mullins. Goals: Peard 3, Brass 2.)

defeated

Canterbury-Bankstown 4 (Goals: Cutler 2.)

Player statistics

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

References

  1. "1974 NSWRL Pre-Season Cup Final – South Sydney v Eastern Suburbs".
  2. "Form over five years". The Sun-Herald. 19 March 1978. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
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