1904 Metropolitan Rugby Union season

1904 Sydney Rugby Premiership
1904 Sydney Rugby Premiership
Duration	7 May to 10 September
Teams	8
Premiers	Sydney University (11th title)
Minor Premiers	Sydney University (8th title)
Runners-up	North Sydney
Wooden spoon	Balmain (4th spoon)
Top point-scorer(s)	HE Glanville (52)
Top try-scorer(s)	William Burleigh (8)
Second Grade
Number of teams	10
Premiers	Sydney University Glebe
Boroughs Competition
Number of teams	18
Premiers	East Sydney
Runners-up	Marrickville
	← 1903 1905 →

Last updated December 24, 2023

The 1904 Metropolitan Rugby Union season was the 31st season of the Sydney Rugby Premiership. It was the fifth season run for clubs that represented a district. Eight clubs (seven representing a district, the remaining club representing Sydney University) competed from May till September 1904. The season culminated in the fourth district premiership, which was won by Sydney University. Sydney University were crowned premiers by virtue of finishing the season on top of the table.

Teams

Eight clubs contested the season; seven clubs representing a district and one club representing Sydney University.^[1]


Balmain Formed on 26 March 1900 Ground: Birchgrove Oval Captain: C Light	Eastern Suburbs Formed on 22 March 1900 Ground: Hampden Park Captain: Patrick Carew	Glebe Formed on 15 March 1900 Ground: Wentworth Park Captain: Victor Harris
Newtown Formed on 22 March 1900 Ground: Erskineville Oval Captain: Ross Brown	North Sydney Formed on 23 March 1900 Ground: North Sydney Oval Captain: Charlie White	South Sydney Formed on 26 March 1900 Ground: Sydney Sports Ground Captain: J Bourke
Sydney University Formed on 19 August 1865 Ground: University Oval Captain: John Manning	Western Suburbs Formed on 22 March 1900 Ground: St Luke's Park Captain: Stanley Wickham

Season Summary

The 1904 Sydney Rugby Premiership was the most successful on record. The attendance of the public at the various matches was, on the average, the greatest yet known in Sydney football. In nearly every district there were young players coming into First Grade, developing play through lessons learnt from the games against the visiting British team.^[2]

For the first time in thirteen years, Sydney University carried off the premiership without any question of legitimacy. The team were one of the best during the first round of games, but their performance slipped during the second round. However, the team were worthy premiership winners despite their drop in form. It was a popular victory for the old club.^[2]

North Sydney finished the season in the runners-up position and could have won the premiership if they had not lost key players to the NSW tour of Queensland. Astonishingly, the team were only able to score 14 tries throughout the regular games compared to over twice that amount for the Varsity. In the end, they lost the premiership by one competition point.^[2]

South Sydney were considered the most dangerous of all of the teams. They were some of the most cleverest players in the competition displaying control, excellent tackling and smart tactics. Their weak point was their three-quarter line who, if they had performed better, may have given the team the premiership. South Sydney lost the premiership by the slim margin of two points.^[2]

Ladder

	Team	Pld	W	D	L	PF	PA	PD	Pts
1	Sydney University	14	10	2	2	138	64	+74	22
2	North Sydney	14	10	1	3	92	64	+28	21
3	South Sydney	14	9	2	3	143	71	+72	20
4	Newtown	14	9	0	5	126	59	+67	18
5	Eastern Suburbs	14	6	2	6	160	92	+68	14
6	Glebe	14	4	1	9	57	133	-76	9
7	Western Suburbs	14	2	2	10	57	170	-113	6
8	Balmain	14	1	0	13	22	142	-120	2

^[3]

Ladder Progression

Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished in last place on the ladder in that round

	Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12	13	14
1	Sydney University	2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	17	17	19	19	20	22
2	North Sydney	2	3	5	7	9^[4]	9	9	11	13	15	17	17	19	21^[5]
3	South Sydney	0	2	4	4	5	7	9	11	11	13	15	17	18	20^[6]
4	Newtown	2	2	4	4	6	8	10	10	12	14	14	16	18	18
5	Eastern Suburbs	0	0	0	2	3	3	5	5	6	8	8	10	12	14
6	Glebe	0	2	2	3	3	5^[7]	5	7	7	7	7	9	9	9^[5]
7	Western Suburbs	0	1	1	2	2	2	2	2	4	4	6	6	6	6
8	Balmain	2	2	2	2	2^[4]	2^[7]	2	2	2	2	2	2	2	2^[6]

Statistics

Points

	Player	Pl	T	G	FG	Pts
1	HE Glanville	12	1	13	4	52
2	Joseph McMahon	13	3	11	1	37
3	William Burleigh	13	8	0	2	32
4	Jack Verge	13	0	10	1	24
5	Charles Russell	7	5	3	0	21
6	Arthur Fisher	11	7	0	0	21
7	Victor Futter	14	7	0	0	21
8	Stanley Wickham	7	1	3	2	19
9	L Seaborn	12	6	0	0	18
10	Walter Ogaard	10	6	0	0	18

Tries

	Player	Pl	T
1	William Burleigh	13	8
2	Arthur Fisher	11	7
3	Victor Futter	14	7
4	L Seaborn	12	6
5	Walter Ogaard	10	6
6	Edward Mandible	11	5
7	Charles Russell	7	5
8	H Barry	8	5
9	Reg Baker	8	4
10	EG Hooper	11	4

Lower Grades

The MRFU also conducted Second Grade and Boroughs competitions this season.

Second Grade

Ten teams participated in the Second Grade competition: the eight First Grade clubs entered a team each, in addition two Boroughs clubs, Gipps and Manly, were permitted to each enter a team. At the end of the regular games, North Sydney finished at the top of the ladder.^[8] The season concluded with a final between Sydney University and Glebe. The game resulted in a scoreless draw, with both teams declared joint premiers.^[9]

Boroughs Competition

Eighteen teams participated in the Boroughs Competition. The teams were split into two divisions of nine teams. In Division A was North Sydney, Willoughby, Mosman, Manly, East Sydney, Surry Hills, Redfern, Balmain and Gipps. In Division B was Marrickville, University, Waterloo, Rockdale, Glebe, Annandale, Leichhardt, Rozelle and Ashfield. At the end of the regular games, North Sydney finished at the top of Division A and Marrickville finished at the top of Division B.^[8] The final saw East Sydney beat Marrickville 6 points to 5 to take the premiership.^[10]

Participating Clubs

Club	Grade
Club	1st	2nd	B.
Annandale Football Club			Y
Ashfield Football Club			Y
Balmain District Football Club	Y	Y	Y
East Sydney Football Club			Y
Eastern Suburbs District Rugby Football Club	Y	Y
Gipps Football Club		Y	Y
Glebe District Football Club	Y	Y	Y
Leichhardt Football Club			Y
Manly Football Club		Y	Y
Marrickville Football Club			Y
Mosman Football Club			Y
Newtown District Football Club	Y	Y
North Sydney District Rugby Football Club	Y	Y	Y
Redfern Football Club			Y
Rockdale Football Club			Y
Rozelle Football Club			Y
South Sydney District Football Club	Y	Y
Surry Hills Football Club			Y
Sydney University Football Club	Y	Y	Y
Waterloo Football Club			Y
Western Suburbs District Rugby Football Club	Y	Y
Willoughby Football Club			Y

Footnotes

↑ "FOOTBALL". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 4 May 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
1 2 3 4 "FOOTBALL". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 14 September 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
↑ "SYDNEY FIRST GRADE PREMIERSHIP, 1904". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 14 September 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
1 2 Balmain forfeited the game against North Sydney. (Rd. 5)
1 2 Glebe forfeited the game against North Sydney. (Rd. 14)
1 2 Balmain forfeited the game against South Sydney. (Rd. 14)
1 2 Balmain forfeited the game against Glebe. (Rd. 6)
1 2 "SYDNEY RUGBY PREMIERSHIP FIRST GRADE". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 10 August 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
↑ ""REFEREE" SCORE-BOOK". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 31 August 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
↑ ""REFEREE" SCORE-BOOK". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 7 September 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.

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References

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[1] "FOOTBALL". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 4 May 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.

[:5-2] 1 2 3 4 "FOOTBALL". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 14 September 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.

[3] "SYDNEY FIRST GRADE PREMIERSHIP, 1904". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 14 September 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.

[:0-4] 1 2 Balmain forfeited the game against North Sydney. (Rd. 5)

[:2-5] 1 2 Glebe forfeited the game against North Sydney. (Rd. 14)

[:3-6] 1 2 Balmain forfeited the game against South Sydney. (Rd. 14)

[:1-7] 1 2 Balmain forfeited the game against Glebe. (Rd. 6)

[:4-8] 1 2 "SYDNEY RUGBY PREMIERSHIP FIRST GRADE". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 10 August 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.

[9] ""REFEREE" SCORE-BOOK". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 31 August 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.

[10] ""REFEREE" SCORE-BOOK". Referee (Sydney, NSW : 1886 - 1939). 7 September 1904. p. 8. Retrieved 27 May 2018.

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