1975 NSWRFL season

Last updated
1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League
Teams12
Premiers Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs (11th title)
Minor premiers Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs (13th title)
Matches played140
Points scored4444
Attendance1528180
Top points scorer(s) Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Graham Eadie (242)
Player of the year Cronulla colours.svg Steve Rogers (Rothmans Medal)
Top try-scorer(s) Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Johnny Mayes (16)

The 1975 New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the 68th 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 St. George clubs. [1] NSWRFL teams also competed for the 1975 Amco Cup.

Contents

Season summary

The season saw the introduction of differential penalties for scrum offences. Each side faced each other twice in twenty-two regular season rounds from March to August, [2] resulting in a top five of Eastern Suburbs, Manly-Warringah, St. George, Canterbury-Bankstown and Parramatta who battled it out for the premiership over six finals matches. With three sides finishing in equal fifth place, two elimination finals playoffs also had to be played. [3]

Western Suburbs had 1 point deducted for fielding an ineligible player in round 8. After losing two consecutive matches in rounds 2 and 3, defending premiers Eastern Suburbs posted nineteen consecutive wins to close out the regular season; a streak than ran from round 4 to round 22 and remained the record for the most consecutive wins in premiership history until Melbourne Storm equalled the record in 2021; Round 3 to Round 23, although they were later eliminated by eventual Premiers Penrith Panthers in the preliminary final.

The 1975 season's Rothmans Medallist was Cronulla-Sutherland centre Steve Rogers. Rugby League Week gave their player of the year award to Manly-Warringah back Bob Fulton.

Teams

Balmain
Tigers
Balmain Jersey 1975.png

68th season
Ground: Leichhardt Oval
Coach: Paul Broughton
Captain: Brian Lockwood, Keith Outten

Canterbury-Bankstown
Canterbury-Bankstown Jersey 1975.png

45th season
Ground: Belmore Sports Ground
Coach: Malcolm Clift
Captain(s):Tim Pickup John Peek, Barry Phillis

Cronulla-Sutherland
Sharks
Cronulla-Sutherland Jersey 1975.png

9th season
Ground: Endeavour Field
Coach: Johnny Raper
Captain: Greg Pierce

Eastern Suburbs
Roosters
Eastern Suburbs Jersey 1975.png

68th season
Ground: Sydney Sports Ground
Coach: Jack Gibson
Captain: Arthur Beetson

Manly-Warringah
Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Jersey 1975.png

29th season
Ground: Brookvale Oval
Coach: Frank Stanton
Captain(s): Bob Fulton / Mal Reilly

Newtown
Jets
Newtown Jersey 1915.png

68th season
Ground: Henson Park
Coach: Clarrie Jeffries
Captain: Barry Cox

North Sydney
Bears
North Sydney Jersey 1975.png

68th season
Ground: North Sydney Oval
Coach: Noel Kelly
Captain: Bruce Walker

Parramatta
Eels
Parramatta Jersey 1975.png

29th season
Ground: Cumberland Oval
Coach: Norm Provan
Captain(s): John Baker,→ Denis Fitzgerald

Penrith
Panthers
Penrith Jersey 1975.png

9th season
Ground: Penrith Football Stadium
Coach: Barry Harris & Mike Stephenson
Captain: Zac Olejarnik

South Sydney
Rabbitohs
South Sydney Jersey 1975.png

68th season
Ground: Redfern Oval
Coach(s): Clive Churchill / Bob McCarthy
Captain: Bob McCarthy

St. George
Dragons
St George Jersey 1975.png

55th season
Ground: Kogarah Oval
Captain-coach: Graeme Langlands

Western Suburbs
Magpies
Western Suburbs Jersey 1975.png

68th season
Ground: Lidcombe Oval
Coach: Don Parish
Captain: Tom Raudonikis

Regular season

Team12345678910111213141516171819202122F1F2F3F4F5GF
Balmain Tigers EAS
−3
PAR
+3
NOR
−7
NEW
−10
SOU
−37
STG
−26
CRO
+2
MAN
−13
WES
−16
PEN
+15
CBY
+5
STG
+3
EAS
−2
NOR
+13
NEW
+2
SOU
+15
PAR
−21
CRO
−1
MAN
+3
WES
0
PEN
+7
CBY
−1
XPAR
−11
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs STG
+4
CRO
−11
MAN
−12
WES
+1
PEN
+22
SOU
+13
EAS
−19
PAR
+5
NOR
+44
NEW
0
BAL
−5
SOU
+3
STG
+1
MAN
+18
WES
0
PEN
−15
CRO
−8
EAS
−22
PAR
−1
NOR
−1
NEW
+25
BAL
+1
XXPAR
−1
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks PEN
−2
CBY
+11
EAS
+4
PAR
−7
NOR
+4
NEW
+2
BAL
−2
STG
0
SOU
+30
MAN
−6
WES
−6
NEW
−9
PEN
−25
EAS
−2
PAR
+14
NOR
+13
CBY
+8
BAL
+1
STG
−3
SOU
−6
MAN
−10
WES
−14
Eastern Suburbs Roosters BAL
+3
STG
−8
CRO
−4
MAN
+6
WES
+6
PEN
+13
CBY
+19
SOU
+3
PAR
+5
NOR
+14
NEW
+9
PEN
+17
BAL
+2
CRO
+2
MAN
+1
WES
+1
STG
+34
CBY
+22
SOU
+19
PAR
+19
NOR
+23
NEW
+27
XXXSTG
−3
MAN
+15
STG
+38
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles WES
+2
PEN
+19
CBY
+12
EAS
−6
PAR
−15
NOR
+8
NEW
+13
BAL
+13
STG
+1
CRO
+6
SOU
+4
NOR
+6
WES
−18
CBY
−18
EAS
−1
PAR
+19
PEN
+17
NEW
+5
BAL
−3
STG
−3
CRO
+10
SOU
+54
XXSTG
−7
PAR
+10
EAS
−15
Newtown Jets PAR
−9
NOR
−8
SOU
−7
BAL
+10
STG
−17
CRO
−2
MAN
−13
WES
+11
PEN
+14
CBY
0
EAS
−9
CRO
+9
PAR
+11
SOU
+6
BAL
−2
STG
−6
NOR
−7
MAN
−5
WES
+3
PEN
0
CBY
−25
EAS
−27
North Sydney Bears SOU
−4
NEW
+8
BAL
+7
STG
−3
CRO
−4
MAN
−8
WES
−13
PEN
+25
CBY
−44
EAS
−14
PAR
−12
MAN
−6
SOU
+2
BAL
−13
STG
+6
CRO
−13
NEW
+7
WES
+3
PEN
+21
CBY
+1
EAS
−23
PAR
−15
Parramatta Eels NEW
+9
BAL
−3
STG
−10
CRO
+7
MAN
+15
WES
−17
PEN
+5
CBY
−5
EAS
−5
SOU
−7
NOR
+12
WES
−4
NEW
−11
STG
0
CRO
−14
MAN
−19
BAL
+21
PEN
+15
CBY
+1
EAS
−19
SOU
+32
NOR
+15
WES
+5
BAL
+11
CBY
+1
MAN
−10
Penrith Panthers CRO
+2
MAN
−19
WES
+9
SOU
−5
CBY
−22
EAS
−13
PAR
−5
NOR
−25
NEW
−14
BAL
−15
STG
−9
EAS
−17
CRO
+25
WES
+5
SOU
+2
CBY
+15
MAN
−17
PAR
−15
NOR
−21
NEW
0
BAL
−7
STG
+6
South Sydney Rabbitohs NOR
+4
WES
−11
NEW
+7
PEN
+5
BAL
+37
CBY
−13
STG
−7
EAS
−3
CRO
−30
PAR
+7
MAN
−4
CBY
−3
NOR
−2
NEW
−6
PEN
−2
BAL
−15
WES
−11
STG
−17
EAS
−19
CRO
+6
PAR
−32
MAN
−54
St. George Dragons CBY
−4
EAS
+8
PAR
+10
NOR
+3
NEW
+17
BAL
+26
SOU
+7
CRO
0
MAN
−1
WES
+7
PEN
+9
BAL
−3
CBY
−1
PAR
0
NOR
−6
NEW
+6
EAS
−34
SOU
+17
CRO
+3
MAN
+3
WES
−14
PEN
−6
XXMAN
+7
EAS
+3
XEAS
−38
Western Suburbs Magpies MAN
−2
SOU
+11
PEN
−9
CBY
−1
EAS
−6
PAR
+17
NOR
+13
NEW
−11
BAL
+16
STG
−7
CRO
+6
PAR
+4
MAN
+18
PEN
−5
CBY
0
EAS
−1
SOU
+11
NOR
−3
NEW
−3
BAL
0
STG
+14
CRO
+14
PAR
−5
Team12345678910111213141516171819202122F1F2F3F4F5GF

Bold – Home game
X – Bye
Opponent for round listed above margin

Ladder

TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts
1 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs 222002431198+23340
2 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 221507439314+12530
3 St. George colours.svg St. George 221228341294+4726
4 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown 221129330287+4324
5 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs 2210210365289+7621
6 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta 2210111391373+1821
7 Balmain colours.svg Balmain 2210111288357-6921
8 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland 229112370375-519
9 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney 229013322414-9218
10 Newtown colours.svg Newtown 227213349422-7316
11 Penrith colours.svg Penrith 227114312452-14015
12 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney 226016298461-16312

Ladder progression

Team12345678910111213141516171819202122
1 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs Roosters 22246810121416182022242628303234363840
2 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 24666810121416182020202022242626262830
3 St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons 024681012131315171717181820202224262626
4 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2224688101213131517192020202020202224
5 Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies 0222246688101214141514161616171921
6 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 2224668888101010111111131517171921
7 Balmain colours.svg Balmain Tigers 022222444681010121416161618192121
8 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 024468891111111111111315171919191919
9 North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 024444466666881010121416181818
10 Newtown colours.svg Newtown Jets 00022224677911131313131315161616
11 Penrith colours.svg Penrith Panthers 224444444444681012121212131315
12 South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs 22468888810101010101010101010121212

Finals

Balmain, Parramatta and Western Suburbs tied for fifth place, necessitating a play-off drawn from a hat. [4]

HomeScoreAwayMatch Information
Date and TimeVenueRefereeCrowd
Playoffs
Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs 13–18 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta 26 August 1975 Sydney Cricket Ground Greg Hartley9,920
Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta 19–8 Balmain colours.svg Balmain 28 August 1975 Sydney Cricket Ground Gary Cook19,914
Qualifying Finals
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 3–10 St. George colours.svg St. George 30 August 1975 Sydney Cricket Ground Laurie Bruyeres23,492
Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown 5–6 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta 31 August 1975 Sydney Cricket Ground Gary Cook19,312
Semi-finals
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs 5–8 St. George colours.svg St. George 6 September 1975 Sydney Cricket Ground Laurie Bruyeres28,851
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 22–12 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta 7 September 1975 Sydney Cricket Ground Gary Cook26,109
Preliminary final
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs 28–13 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 13 September 1975 Sydney Cricket Ground Laurie Bruyeres31,645
Grand final
St. George colours.svg St. George 0–38 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs 20 September 1975 Sydney Cricket Ground Laurie Bruyeres63,047 [5]

Chart

Qualifying finalMajor semi-finalPreliminary finalGrand final
1 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs5 St. George colours.svg St. George0
St. George colours.svg St. George8 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs38
2 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly3 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Eastern Suburbs28
3 St. George colours.svg St. George10Minor semi-final Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly13
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly22
4 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury5 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta12
5 Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta6

Grand final

St. GeorgePositionEastern Suburbs
  1. Graeme Langlands (c)
FB
  1. Ian Schubert
2. Paul Mills WG 2. Bruce Pickett
3. Roy Ferguson CE 3. John Brass
4. Ted Goodwin CE 4. John Rheinberger
5. John Chapman WG 5. Bill Mullins
6. John Bailey FE 6. John Peard
7. Billy Smith HB 7. Johnny Mayes
13. Barry Beath PR 13. Ian Mackay
12. Steve Edge HK 12. Elwyn Walters
11. Henry Tatana PR 18.Grant Hedger
10. Peter Fitzgerald SR 11. Arthur Beetson (c)
9. Robert Stone SR 10. Ron Coote
8. Lindsay Drake LK 8. Kevin Stevens
14. Robert Finch Reserve9. Bunny Reilly
15. Bruce Starkey Reserve19. Des O'Reilly
Graeme Langlands Coach Jack Gibson

This was the first grand final to be telecast in colour. [6] The star-studded Eastern Suburbs line up had lost only 2 matches in the 22-game regular season and were clear starting favourites. However, St. George looked a chance early on when utility back "Lord Ted" Goodwin put on a chip and chase. Goodwin collided with Eastern Suburbs' fullback Ian Schubert, came off second best and was out of touch for the remainder of the match. Things were also wrong with captain-coach Graeme Langlands who was struggling with his coordination following an ill-directed pain killing injection that numbed his right leg and severely affected his form. [7]

At half-time, Eastern Suburbs were up 5–0. Just after the break the Roosters' prop Ian McKay crashed over from close range and the floodgates opened. Eastern Suburbs unleashed a torrent of tries with Johnny Mayes, Arthur Beetson, John Brass, Bruce Pickett and boom recruit Schubert all scoring.

Despite his numbed leg, Langlands returned in the second half hoping it would come good. It didn't and he was replaced. [8] By the end of the game, St. George had been completely demoralised by Easts in a 38–0 record Grand final defeat. Fellow Immortal and peer Australian Captain Arthur Beetson attempted in vain to console the forlorn Langlands at match end.

Easts' eight tries in the grand final matched South Sydney's record achievement in the 1951 final (subsequently equalled again by Manly in 2008).

Eastern Suburbs 38
Tries: Brass (2), Mayes (2), McKay, Beetson, Pickett, Schubert
Goals: Peard (7)

St George 0

Player statistics

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

Related Research Articles

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References

  1. 1975 J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup Archived May 25, 2012, at the Wayback Machine at rleague.com
  2. Results: 1971-1980 Archived August 28, 2008, at the Wayback Machine at rabbitohs.com.au
  3. NSWRFL 1975 [ permanent dead link ] at rugbyleagueproject.org
  4. "Form over five years". The Sun-Herald . 19 March 1978. Retrieved 19 June 2011.
  5. Rugby League Tables – Season 1975 Archived 2007-03-23 at the Wayback Machine at stats.rleague.com
  6. "Fans turn Parra blue and gold". The Sydney Morning Herald . Australia: Fairfax Digital. 2009-10-02. Archived from the original on 2009-10-29. Retrieved 2010-04-11.
  7. Coady, Ben (2009-09-28). "Grand final dramas". WA Today. Australia: Fairfax Digital. Archived from the original on 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2010-01-15.
  8. Clarkson, Alan (1986-09-26). "The Best Grand finals I've Seen". The Sydney Morning Herald . Fairfax Media. p. 77. Archived from the original on 2012-03-02. Retrieved 2010-09-14.