Three Premeirships in a Row

1909

The 1909 season saw a remarkable turn of events concerning the second NSWRL Grand Final. After drawing 2 games and winning the other 8, the Tigers made the semi finals where they defeated the Easts side. The Grand Final was scheduled to be played as a preliminary match to the Kangaroos V Wallabies clash later in the day.

Balmain officially protested to the NSWRL complaining that a Grand Final should not be a lead up match to another match but an event in itself. This protest achieved nothing. The next day when the South Sydney side walked onto the field the Balmain side were nowhere to be seen. Souths were officially awarded the Premiership when at 2pm they kicked off to an empty half of the field. Souths then defeated a composite side 18-10.

1910

The 1910 season will be remembered as the year that League and Union clashed. Both codes fought for popularity and it became evident that both codes would survive.

Balmain won 8 games but were left in 4th position and a loss to Glebe ended the Premiership aspirations of the Balmain Tigers in 1910.

1911

The Tigers got their first wooden spoon in 1911, after winning only 3 matches and not utilising the obvious potential in the First Grade ranks. Eastern Suburbs went on to capture their first Premiership. 4 Balmain players were chosen to represent an Australasian team comprising several Kiwis and the Kangaroos. The Balmain players to go to England were Pony Halloway, R.R Craig, Charles McMurtrie and 18 year old Tiger legend Charles "Chook" Fraser. Chook became the youngest player to tour England, a record that stood for many years and Chook went on to become one of the greatest ever Tigers.

1912

The Tigers failed to worry the front runners Eastern Suburbs who claimed their 2nd consecutive Premiership in 1912.The tourists returned after an arduous 7 month journey and failed to live up to expectation. Late in the season however the Tigers strung a few wins together but it was all too late.

1913

Eastern Suburbs domination continued in 1913 with a Three-Peat. The Tigers were again disappointing, only win 4 games and drawing 1. 1913 is certainly a season the Tigers would rather forget, losing the last match to the wooden spooners - Wests.

1914

Surprisingly the League prospered in 1914 despite the First World War depleting the playing strength of the League. The Tigers ran equal 3rd and were undefeated in the final 8 rounds. South Sydney recaptured the Premiership and 3 Tigers - Bill Kelly, Chook Fraser and R.R Craig - represented Australia in the Ashes Series. The Roos went down 2-1 to the Touring Great Britain side.

1915

1915 was BALMAIN's year. After 8 years of rugby league the Tigers were without a Premiership but in 1915 the Balmain sides won every grade and completely dominated. Balmain were undefeated Premiers in First Grade and won the other 2 grades to capture the first ever hat-trick.

1916

After winning all 3 grades in 1915 the Balmain Tigers returned in 1916 to repeat the marvellous effort for a second straight season. At the conclusion of the season Balmain and Souths were equal aloft the premiership ladder with 22 points apiece. The League didn't expect such a finish and a Final had to be scheduled. The Balmain side carried a 5-3 lead from the First Half and hung on to win the Final in what was a tough match for both sides. The rivalry of the Tigers and Bunnies had truly begun, and has not wavered since.

1917

The Balmain side made it 3 in a row in 1917 and also captured the City Cup. The Tigers were way out in front on 26 points when the season came to a close and as pennant holders no final was required.

The Hugh D. McIntosh Challenge Shield was now the Balmain Tigers. This trophy has since been replaced by the famous J.J. Giltinan Shield. A for and against record of 269-61 shows how dominant this Balmain side were, throughout the season they only lost 1 game.

The Rabbitohs met the Tigers in the City Cup Final but were again defeated 14-9.

1918

1918 was remembered as the year the war ended, and the Tigers winning run ended. Going for 4 straight, the Tigers fell short. Ironically it was the Souths loss that caused the end of the Tigers chances for 4 straight. Souths ran second in both the premiership and the City Cup to the Tigers the year before.

1919

The Tigers brilliant backline came to the rescue in 1919 and Balmain reclaimed the Premiership. It was not the massive run away victories of earlier seasons, despite being undefeated after 8 rounds. The Tigers missed their rep stars whilst they toured New Zealand, and the lead was lost to Easts late in the season. But with one match to go, against Easts, the Tigers needed a victory to claim the Premiership. It was the goal kicking of Les Wall in this match that secured the Premiership, with a 3 point advantage over runners up Easts.

1908 1909-1919 1920-1929 1930-1939 1940-1949 1950-1959
1960-1969 1970-1979 1980-1989 1990-1999 2000-Present
Tigers Centenary