Balmain Tigers

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com

Few clubs can produce an honour roll of champions to match that of the Balmain Tigers.

Almost a century of rugby league greats including Jimmy Craig, Charles ‘Chook' Fraser, Pony Halloway, Latchem Robinson, Joe ‘Chimpy' Busch, Pat Devery, Harry Bath, Tom Bourke, Fred de Belin, Bobby Lulham, Billy Marsh, Keith Barnes, Wayne Pearce, Ben Elias, Paul Sironen, Steve Roach and Tim Brasher.

Balmain Rugby League Club was born at a public meeting held at Balmain Town Hall in Darling Street, on January 23, 1908. The meeting saw over 600 crowd the room, and much anger was vented against the RU administration. There were wild cheers went it was announced that with only an exception or two, the entire Balmain RU team had agreed to join the new club.

Balmain RU club had been a foundation member of Sydney RU in 1874, winning its only premiership the next year - ultimately it remnants merged with what was left of its Glebe counterpart and together became the Drummoyne RU club.

The Balmain RL club continued the use of the RU club's black and gold colours. The origins of the distinctive colour combination is unknown. Theories have it that the colours are reflective of the blackwattle plants indigenous to the local Blackwattle Bay. It is also claimed that Balmain sporting identity Bill Beach wore a black and gold jumper while defending his world rowing title in England in the late 19th century.

The rugby league club's horizontally striped jersey led to the team being called the ‘Tigers', but they were also known as ‘The Watersiders' - after the club's first home ground Birchgrove Oval located adjacent to the Harbour.

The Balmain club's first captain was prop forward Robert Graves. In 1907 he had played in the ‘rebel' NSW matches against Bakerville's New Zealanders, and later became a member of the First Kangaroos to England.

Balmain became the fourth of the founding clubs to win a premiership title when they finished at the top of the 1915 season. However, the Tigers could have had a title as early as 1909 if events had not conspired against them.

After losing the opening two games of 1909 Balmain went through the rest of the season undefeated. The Balmain side that included Alfred "Duce" Latta, Pony Halloway and Bob Graves lost its first two matches, before winning every game from then on to join Souths in the Final. Both teams were far superior to the rest of the competition, and the Final was keenly anticipated.

The NSWRL though was still looking to recoup money owed on the Wallabies raids, and decided to make the Final a double-header with an unscheduled 4th ‘Kangaroos v Wallabies' game. The Final was relegated to the under-card and all proceeds of the day were to go to the League. Understandably both Souths and Balmain voiced their disapproval to the downgrading of the Final.

The earlier kick-off time also meant many players would struggle to arrive on time after Saturday moring work duties. Both club's apparently agreed with each other not to play. But in a move that would ensure the two clubs were bitter rivals for the rest of the century, Souths turned up ready to play, kicked off, picked up the ball and scored a try.

The referee then awarded Souths the game and with it the title, much to Balmain's protestations in the week that followed. Only a small crowd attended the League's "gala" day, but it was enough to clear the monies owed by the NSWRL.

The club did not reach the top echelon of clubs again until 1915 - but what a return it would be as the Watersiders went on to win five of the next six premierships. It was the first time Sydney had been so dominated by one club.

With the 1915 premiership awarded at the end of the home and away series, Balmain and rivals Glebe were set for a late season top-of-the-table clash. The winner would, barring major form loss, go on to take the premiership. At the Sydney Sports Ground over 20,000 were on hand to witness a hard fought match in cold, drizzling late-winter rain.

Balmain converted a handy 5-2 lead into a comfortable 12-2 win over the luckless Glebe side to kick two points clear on the table. In the last round a loss by the yet beaten Balmain side to Souths would see them forced into a Final against Glebe for the title. Again at the Sports Ground, Balmain prevailed over the Rabbitohs by 7-4 and claimed their maiden premiership.

Arguably, this Balmain side can still be considered its best ever. Defensively, they were astounding - allowing on 71 points from 14 games. The side included Lyall Wall, a great fullback, ex-Kiwi Test player Bill Kelly, Jack Robinson, Charles ‘Chook' Fraser, Bob Craig, Jimmy Craig and ‘Pony' Halloway.

In 1916 Balmain and Souths finished the season in equal first place, resulting in a Final being played for the title. In a dour game held at the SCG, Balmain took an early lead after smart work from 'Pony' Halloway after a scrum win. Souths hit back with their own first-half try to level scores, before Balmain's Charles' Chook' Fraser landed a penalty goal for a 5-3 advantage.

The second half saw the defensive lines in control and with the clock counting down Balmain were forced to repel attack after attack from the Rabbitohs. Balmain proved to be too resolute though and held on to win the premiership after a scoreless second half. It was their second title in two seasons.

Balmain and South Sydney continued to camp at the top of the 1917 table, but late season losses by the Rabbitohs left them adrift of Balmain as it took its 3rd title in a row. The Watersiders took the title in a crushing style, losing only one game during the season. They amassed 269 points (the second highest yet recorded) while allowing opponents an average of a meagre four points a game (61 points).

In 1918 the club sought to be the first to claim four titles in a row and to become the most successful club in the League (Souths and Easts also had 3 titles). Unfortunately, the season long absence of star player Jimmy Craig to injury seemed to disrupt the Balmain campaign and the Tigers finished mid-table as the Rabbitohs took their fourth premiership.

Balmain responded immediately by being clear winners in 1919 and then again in 1920 to be the first club to reach five premiership wins. The 1920 side, playing in a nine team competition, finished a staggering seven points clear of its nearest rivals - in fact the League called the season off early as the Tigers lead proved unassailable.

Over the next few seasons Balmain remained a top club, but were unable to push for another premiership until 1924 when they reached the Final against South Sydney. Thanks largely to a Reg "Wip" Latta try engineered by the freakish skills of the ever present Charles "Chook" Fraser, the Watersiders beat the Rabbitohs by 3-0. It marked the end of what would be Balmain's most successful period ever in the history of the club.

In the first era of Sydney rugby league, Balmain were the most successful and dominant club. At the end of the 1924 season Balmain held six premiership titles - it represented more than a third of the competitions held so far.

The mid-1930s saw the famous international half-back Joe ‘Chimpy' Busch join Balmain in the latter seasons of his career. Busch became captain-coach of Tigers at a time when the club was at one of its lowest ebbs. In 1935 Busch's creative attacking play saw the club rise from the bottom of the table and it continued into 1936.

When Busch retired mid-season to concentrate on his coaching, Balmain pushed towards the top of the premiership ultimately reaching the deciding Final against the devastating Easts side of the era. The Tri-Colours won easily, but Busch had left a platform that would see Balmain become the top side of the 1940s.

From 1938 to 1950 Balmain only missed finishing in the Top 4 semi-final play-offs once. It was the Balmain club's second glory period.

At the start of the era the Tigers enjoyed the services of great players including Sid Goodwin, Frank Hyde, Tom Bourke, Athol Smith, Billy Bischoff, George Watt and Jim Quealey. They soon secured the 1939 premiership with a team the Rugby League News called "one of the most evenly balanced sides the club has fielded".

From 1941 to 1943, with Balmain watching on, the (Grand) Final deciders saw five different clubs involved as fortunes ebbed. Yet, through all three seasons Balmain was the most consistently successful team.

The Tigers finished the regular season in equal first place in all three years, yet points differentials left the Tigers exposed to the vagaries of elimination games and premature ends to their campaigns resulted.

In 1944 the Tigers arrived in the finals in 2nd place, one point behind Newtown. Coached by Norm ‘Latchem' Robinson, Balmain was determined to make amends for the past three seasons.

The side still included the ever present Bourke, Watt and Goodwin, along with new heroes in Arthur Patton, Stan Ponchard, Joe Jorgenson, Pat Devery and Jack Hampstead. Balmain met Newtown in the Final winning a close game by 19-16 with some great last-ditch cover defence.

Newtown exercised their "right of challenge" calling for a Grand Final - in a low scoring affair Balmain's Jorgenson kicked two late penalty goals to give the Tigers a 12-8 win and their 8th title.

1945 saw the fourth placed Balmain reach the Final against Easts. With both clubs on 8 premiership titles (3 behind Souths), the battle to edge ahead was a determined affair. The final score was 22-18 with Easts' Dick Dunn proving the difference as Balmain went down.

Boosted by the inclusion of powerful forwards Fred de Belin and Harry Bath, Balmain pounced upon St George (1946) and Canterbury (1947) to win successive premierships, leaving them just one title behind South Sydney.

Balmain's Pat Devery (a play-making five-eighth) and Bath were by all accounts the greatest young players seen in the Australian game for years. The club was rightfully looking toward a golden period with teams built around these two gifted players. But their hopes evaporated when both left after 1947 for the big money on offer in England.

Initially, the Tigers overcame the disappointment and reached the 1948 Grand Final against Wests. Balmain's success over the 40s had seen them claw back to within one title win of Souths as the most successful club in the competition, and the Grand Final gave them the chance to draw level.

A hotly disputed late try by the Magpies saw Balmain's hopes shattered as they lost by 8-5. The 1950s would see another successful era for the Rabbitohs and the chance for Balmain (and everyone else!) to join Souths at the top of the 'title-tally' was gone.

The Tigers, with Keith Barnes now in the team, had some joy in 1956 when they suddenly ended that Souths run in the Final (by 36-33), earning Balmain a place in the Grand Final. Unfortunately, Balmain ran straight into even bigger juggernaut - the first premiership of the St George ‘11 seasons' rout. The Tigers would also become the Dragons' victims #9 (1964) and #11 (1966) during an inconsistent decade for Balmain.

The 1969 season saw Balmain again feature in the finals but few thought that Souths would be troubled in completing their third Grand Final win in a row. Yet the Tigers were almost first into the decider when they led the Rabbitohs by 13-12 until a late 45m goal by Simms won the game for Souths.

The Balmain side was captained by Englishman Dave Bolton and included Arthur Beetson (until suspended), Keith Outten, Peter Provan, Len Killeen and Gary Leo. The Tigers upstaged the more fancied Manly side in the Final with their only try of the game snatching victory.

Balmain took the field in the Grand Final as 7/2 outsiders and tackled their way to a memorable 11-2 win. That day Balmain confounded Souths, the critics and just about every rugby league fan in Sydney.

Their fierce tackling and great fighting spirit kept knocking down the oncoming Rabbitohs while they chalked up winning points themselves and scoring the only try of the game. The Tigers were well pleased to have got one back on their rivals, and as it turned out, ensure Souths didn't win five premierships in a row.

The club struggled for consistency again in the 1970s, though the 1976 season saw Brian Lockwood and Neil Pringle inspire a productive season. The Tigers won the pre-season competition in 1976, won the mid-week Amco Cup over North Sydney and featured in the semi-finals.

It was not until 1985 that Balmain again established itself as a premiership force, finishing the regular season one win behind first place. The semi-finals were quickly over though for the Tigers side that included stars Garry Jack, Ben Elias, Steve Roach, Wayne Pearce and England's Garry Schofield and Tony Myler.

The club's improved showing continued in 1986 as the Tigers fought from a 5th-place play-off to reach the Final - the ‘sudden-death' experience would count for volumes two years later.

After losing a semi-final to Souths in 1987, Balmain finished 1988 in another 5th-place play-off. The Tigers, bolstered by Paul Sironen and Test internationals Gary Freeman and Ellery Hanley, easily accounted for Penrith to reach the semi-finals. The mid-week win came at a price though with Steve Roach cited and then suspended for the remainder of the season.

Balmain had no problem in defeating Manly to reach the second week of the finals and a match against Canberra. The Raiders were beaten by 14-6 largely thanks to Hanley, and the old Tigers fans came out of the woodwork as the elusive 12th premiership title seemed attainable.

The Final against Cronulla hung in the balance until Hanley again proved to be the difference, edging Balmain to 9-2 win and their first Grand Final since 1969.

Against Canterbury in the decider Balmain took an early lead, however hopes were dimmed when Hanley was flattened in a tackle by Terry Lamb. Unable to continue in the 2nd half, Balmain faltered without the Englishman and lost to the Bulldogs by 24-12.

The Tigers returned to the Grand Final in 1989 and met Canberra who had come from 4th place. Balmain led by 12-2 at half-time and with ninety seconds left in the game were up by 14-8. Canberra jagged a converted try from a last minute bomb to send the match into extra-time.

Balmain coach Warren Ryan had gambled on holding the lead in regular time when he replaced Roach and Sironen. However, when extra-time eventuated the Tigers were forced to battle on without their forward leaders - it proved critical to the outcome as the Raiders completed the comeback to win by 19-14.

For Balmain the result was shattering as one of their best assembled teams of any era were left holding nothing.

The club exited the 1990 play-offs after a loss to Manly, and as the decade endured Balmain did not again see any September action.

Balmain also struggled off the field with its future, at one point abandoning Leichhardt Oval for Parramatta Stadium and a name change to Sydney Tigers.

The club returned to its roots at the back end of the ‘90s, but the financial demands of the modern game, and the pressures within the game itself, saw a merger become an increasing reality as 1999 arrived.

After apparently reaching a decision to merge with Parramatta as the Parramatta Tigers, a mid-season vote of the football club's members saw the Balmain Tigers merge with fellow foundation club Western Suburbs.

From 2000 onwards the Balmain club has operated as a joint venture with the Magpies as the Wests Tigers.

Copyright © 2006 - Sean Fagan. All rights reserved - the article above may not be reproduced (in full or part) in any form without written permission.