1921 Eastern Suburbs season
Eastern Suburbs (now known as the Sydney Roosters) competed in the 14th New South Wales Rugby League(NSWRL) premiership in 1921.[1]
Details
- Home Ground: Agricultural Ground
- Line ups:-
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Results
In 1921 there was only one round of matches played!
- Premiership Round 1, bye.
- Premiership Round 2, Saturday 30 April 1921;
Eastern Suburbs 32( 6 Tries; 7 Goals) defeated South Sydney 8( Funnell, McGrath Tries; Oxford Goal) at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
- Premiership Round 3, Saturday 7 May 1921;
Eastern Suburbs 30 (Tries 6; Goals 6) defeated Newtown 5(Try; Goal) at Sydney Cricket Ground.
This was reported to be a particularly wild match, reporter for the Sun newspaper, Claude Corbett, wrote "The first half was one of the wildest exhibitions of football I have ever seen. Newtown was solely responsible. There were times when a dozen players were tossing about in a heap, tearing and reefing at each other. Fists and feet flew on occasions and it was a miracle that no one was hurt.
- Premiership Round 4, Saturday 14 May 1921;
Eastern Suburbs 23( Tries 5; Goals 4) defeated St George 11(Try; Goals 3; Field Goal) at the Sydney Cricket Ground No.2.
This was the first meeting of the two clubs.
- Premiership Round 5, Saturday 21 May;
Eastern Suburbs 8( Norman 4 Goals) drew with North Sydney 8( Blinkhorn, Green Tries; Thompson Goal) at Sydney Cricket Ground.
Described as the match of the season, Premiers, North Sydney, and eventual runners up Eastern Suburbs drew their match 8-all. The win, with no final played that year, virtually assured Norths of their 1st premiership. The official attendance was 44,818, but thousands more scaled the surrounding fences and walls - It was the largest crowd seen at a club match and remained so until the 1940s. A last gasp try by North’s George Green, just as Easts forward Jack 'Bluey' Watkins nailed him right on the corner flag, secured the draw for Norths.
- Premiership Round 6, Saturday 28 May 1921;
Balmain 14(Tries 2; Goals 4) defeated Eastern Suburbs 8(Tries 2; Goal) at Sydney Sports Ground.
- Premiership Round 7, ??? 11 June;
Eastern Suburbs 19 (Tries 5; Goals 2) defeated Glebe 3(Tries) at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
- Premiership Round 8, ??? 18 June;
Eastern Suburbs 55(Rex Norman 3, + 10 Tries; Rex Norman 8 Goals) defeated University 11 (Tries 3; Goal) at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
- Premiership Round 9, Saturday 25 June 1921;
Eastern Suburbs 12( Tries 2; Goals 3) defeated Western Suburbs 7( Try; Goals 2) at Pratten Park.
Ladder
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  North Sydney
|
8 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 172 | 82 | +90 | 17 |
| 2 |  Eastern Suburbs
|
8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 187 | 67 | +120 | 15 |
| 3 |  Glebe
|
8 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 115 | 71 | +44 | 14 |
| 4 |  Balmain
|
8 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 135 | 71 | +64 | 12 |
| 5 |  South Sydney
|
8 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 141 | 104 | +37 | 10 |
| 6 |  Newtown
|
8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 77 | 117 | +40 | 8 |
| 7 |  St George
|
8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 87 | 124 | -37 | 6 |
| 8 |  Western Suburbs
|
8 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 90 | 155 | -65 | 6 |
| 9 |  University
|
8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 82 | 295 | -213 | 2 |
Season highlights
- Eastern Suburbs were defeated by South Sydney 21-10 in the final of that year's City Cup.
- Rex Norman Was the New South Wales Rugby League's leading pointscorer.
- Gordon Wright was the New South Wales Rugby League's leading try scorer for the 3rd year running.
- Sid 'Sandy' Pearce, the last remaining member of Eastern suburbs original 1908 team, retired after breaking his leg on that year's 'Kangaroo Tour'.
- Representatives: Rex Norman(NSW), Bill Ives(NSW), Ed Rigney(NSW), Sid 'Sandy' Pearce (Australia)