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Seasons In Review
(Contents)

Introduction

1907 - 1920

1921 - 1925

1926 - 1929

1930 -1934

1935 -1939

1940 -1944

1945 -1949

1950 -1955

1956 -1959

1960 -1963

1964 -1966

1967 -1969

1970 -1973

1974 -1979

1980 - 1984

1985 - 1989

1990 - 1993

1994 - 1995

1996

1997 - 1998

1999

2000 - 2002

2003 - 2005

2006

2007

St George Dragons Rugby League History
Since 1921 - Our Proud History
1930-1934
St George Dragons rugby league history - team 1930
St George team 1930

(click on pic for larger image)

The Dragon Slayers harden
1930:
SAINTS WIN THEIR FIRST MATCH OF THE NEW DECADE
North Sydney Oval, 21 June 1930: After a slow start to the year which saw them lose their first four matches, St George's 1930 campaign has begun with a win over Norths by 10-7.
St George win final but minor premiers get second chance!
The new decade began with no sign of one of Rugby League's first ever clubs, Glebe. No home ground and geographical considerations had forced the inner city club out of the premiership. The competition was reduced to eight teams thus temporarily doing away with the system of teams getting byes.
Sydney Sports Ground, 27 September 1930: The St George Dragon Slayers, positioned fourth on the ladder have hit form at the right end of the season with two remarkable semi-final wins. The first victory being over Eastern Suburbs 11-10 at Earl Park on September 20.
Saints then continued their good form into the following weekend when in the final, they defeated minor premiers Western Suburbs 14-6 in front of 16,557 people.
The two teams have met twice before during the season with Wests winning the first encounter in May and St George winning the second match in August.
Under the previous system, the victory in the final would have seen Saints declared premiership champions. But in 1930, the minor premiers, Wests were allowed a second chance if defeated during the finals.

Harry Flower - St George Dragons rugby league historySydney Sports Ground, 4 October 1930: In what looks more like a return match, the 'Grand Final' of 1930 was decided in front of 12,178 people.
Saints led 2-0 early on and competed well in the first half. But Wests were a crack outfit and they skipped away to a 16-2 as Saints lost veteran forward, Harry Flower [pic right] with an arm injury. Wests went on to defeat St George 27-2.
FRANK BURGE DEPARTS: The season end saw the departure of Frank Burge [pictured] as coach. Frank came to Saints from Glebe in 1927 playing one season as player-coach before remaining as coach.
Frank Burge - St George Dragons rugby league historyWhile Saints didn't win a premiership under Frank, the champion international had indeed instilled the notion and belief that St George could win.
Frank Burge had a profound effect on the club and turned the team into harder more ruthless outfit.
Saints were now a team to be feared.

MORE: THE MIGHTY FRANK BURGE - CLICK HERE

1930
NSWRL First Grade
Ladder

(top 4 in semis)
Wests p 24
Easts 22
Souths 18
St George 14
Newtown 13
Balmain 12
Norths   5
University   4
p = Season Premiers

Saints 1930
AFTER 14 ROUNDS
Minor Premiership
Won-Lost-Draw-Bye
W
L
D
6
6
2
Points For 161
(7th best attack)
Points Against 151
(1st best defence)
MP Standing
4th

(8 teams)

FINALS
W
L
2
1
Points For 27
Points Against 43
Final Standing
2nd

TOTALS
25 matches
W
L
D
8
7
2
Points For 188
Points Against 194
1931
NSWRL First Grade
Ladder

(top 4 in semis)
Easts 24
Souths p 18
Wests 18
St George 16
Norths 12
Newtown 10
Balmain 10
University   4
(14 ROUNDS)
Saints '31 record
Win  Loss Draw
8W, 6L, 0D
Pts for/against
For 178
(6th)

Against 183 (3rd)

1931:
Saints finished 4th
on the ladder in 1931 with 8 wins and 6 losses.

Souths defeat Saints in minor semi final
Sydney Sports Ground, 22 August 1931: Saints ended their season run with a minor semi final loss to Souths in front a crowd of 17,561. Souths scored five tries to one winning 16-5. Souths actually went on to defeat Wests in the preliminary final only to be forced into another playoff in the Grand Final against the previously defeated minor premiers, Easts. Souths won again to claim the 1931 premiership.

1932:
ST GEORGE OUT OF SEMIS FOR FIRST TIME SINCE 1926
Sydney, 27 August 1932: In the same year as the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Saints finish the season in 6th position, ahead of University and Norths. The 1932 record for St George stands at 4 wins, 1 draw and 9 losses for a total of 9 points. Never far away from winning, Saints often went down by narrow margins.

1932
NSWRL First Grade
Ladder

(top 4 in semis)
Souths p 26
Wests 22
Easts 18
Balmain 15
Newtown 14
St George   9
University   4
Norths   4
(14 ROUNDS)
Saints '32 record
Win  Loss Draw
4W, 9L, 1D
Pts for/against
For 140
(7th)

Against 203 (4th)
'SNOWY' RETIRES
1932: Arthur 'Snowy' Justice [pictured] retires from first grade football. Arthur played all his football with Saints and first came to St George in 1922. The small but tough rake who gained a reputation for playing the game hard is expected to join the club's administration.
Arthur 'Snowy' JusticePlaying 110 games (+ 3 repl) for Saints and scoring 12 tries, 'Snowy' also represented NSW 17 times (1925-29) and played five Tests for Australia (1928-30).
He played his first Test in 1928 against Great Britain and went on the Kangaroo tour of 1929 playing in two Tests including the historic scoreless draw..
In other news of 1932, Saints have signed promising St George Rugby Union fullback/winger, Norm Tipping.


1933
NSWRL First Grade
Ladder

(top 4 in semis)
Newtown p 18
Easts 17
Souths 17
St George 16
Balmain 13
University 11
Norths 11
Wests   9
(14 ROUNDS)
Saints '33 record
Win  Loss Draw
8W, 6L, 0D
Pts for/against
For 165
(7th)

Against 174 (3rd)
1933:
HISTORY SPOT

D BRADMAN
& BODYLINE
Saints Runners-up and back in the hunt!
Sydney Sports Ground, 9 September 1933: With the old semi-finals 'sudden death' system back in place, Saints found themselves in yet another Final, this time against the minor premiers, Newtown.
The season saw Saints (16 points) finish 4th on the ladder but they were only two points behind Newtown (18 points). Easts and Souths made up the the other two semi finalists (17 points each). One week before the Final, Saints beat Easts 13-10 after forward, Jim Rutherford scored a sensational try after the bell (Jim went on to captain St George on a tour of New Zealand's North Island later in the year).
Newtown got a week's rest after beating Souths on the 26 August.

The Sports Ground attracted a large crowd of 18,080 on Final day to see Newtown defeat St George 18-5.

Also in 1933, Saints signed forward Len Kelly [pic left].

1934:
Saints finished 3rd on the ladder in 1934 and also handed out a bit of revenge to last year's premiers, Newtown with two wins (10-5 plus a whopping 32-14). Saints also whipped arch rivals Souths with two wins (31-8 plus 18-7).
Sydney Sports Ground, 18 August 1934: Saints are defeated by Wests 16-6 in the major semi final in front of 16,154 spectators. Wests eventually go on to win the Final.
1934
NSWRL First Grade
Ladder

(top 4 in semis)
Easts 24
Wests p 24
St George 18
Souths 16
Newtown 10
Norths 10
Balmain   8
University   2
(14 ROUNDS)
Saints '34 record
Win  Loss Draw
9W, 5L, 0D
Pts for/against
For 251
(3rd)

Against 166 (4th)
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