1918–19 Northern Rugby Football Union season

1918–19 Northern Rugby Football Union season
StructureSeparate county championships
1918–19 Season
Lancashire League
Champions Rochdale Hornets
Yorkshire League
Champions Hull

The 1918–19 Northern Rugby Football Union season was the first season of rugby league football following a break during the Great War. The ban on competitive matches was removed in September 1918, but official games did not restart until January 1919.[1] The season consisted of the Lancashire League and Yorkshire League, but the Championship did not restart until the 1919–20 season.

Rochdale Hornets won the Lancashire League, and Hull F.C. won the Yorkshire League.

Season summary

Unofficial competition resumed in September 1918, but due to the increasing difficulties of raising a team, and further restrictions on travel, very few clubs had arranged fixtures.[2]

Following the end of the First World War, it was agreed to restart official competition in January 1919. Clubs competed in separate Lancashire and Yorkshire leagues.

Tables

Lancashire League

Team Pld W D L PF PA Pts Pct
1 Rochdale Hornets 13 10 0 3 109 53 20 76.92
2 Leigh 12 8 2 2 99 31 18 75.00
3 Wigan 11 7 1 3 164 87 15 68.18
4 Warrington 17 10 1 6 145 105 21 61.76
5 Barrow 5 3 0 2 52 66 6 60.00
6 Widnes 12 7 0 5 120 83 14 58.33
7 Salford 15 7 0 8 107 95 14 46.66
8 Oldham 14 6 1 7 159 121 13 46.43
9 St. Helens 9 3 0 6 29 109 6 33.33
10 St Helens Recs 13 3 2 8 75 134 8 30.77
11 Broughton Rangers 14 4 0 10 80 144 8 28.70
12 Swinton 15 3 1 11 64 179 7 23.33

[1]

Yorkshire League

Team Pld W D L PF PA Pts Pct
1 Hull F.C. 16 13 0 3 392 131 26 81.25
2 Leeds 16 10 1 5 183 112 21 65.62
3 Bramley 14 8 1 5 140 89 17 60.71
4 Halifax 15 8 1 6 187 82 17 56.66
5 Dewsbury 13 5 4 4 150 100 14 53.85
6 Batley 15 7 1 7 77 117 15 50.00
7 Hull Kingston Rovers 14 5 2 7 129 139 12 42.85
8 Wakefield Trinity 14 4 2 8 73 156 10 35.71
9 York 4 1 0 3 18 141 2 25.00
10 Hunslet 13 3 0 10 97 262 6 23.03
11 Bradford Northern 10 2 0 8 51 168 4 20.00

[1]

Challenge Cup

The Challenge Cup Competition was suspended for the final time following its absence during the war. The competition would return the following year.

County cups

Main article: 1918–19 Lancashire Cup
Main article: 1918–19 Yorkshire Cup

Rochdale Hornets beat Oldham 22–0 to win the Lancashire Cup, and Huddersfield beat Dewsbury 14–8 to win the Yorkshire Cup.

References

  1. ^ a b c Raymond Fletcher; David Howes (1995). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1995-1996. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 266. ISBN 0-7472-7817-2.
  2. ^ "Poor Outlook For Northern Union Clubs". The Manchester Guardian. 2 September 1918. p. 2. ProQuest 476124840.