1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season

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1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season
StructureSeparate county competitions[1]
1896–97 Season
Top point-scorer(s)Rigg (Faxcolours.svg Halifax) 112[2]
Top try-scorer(s)Hannah (Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet) 19 [2]
Joined LeagueYorkshire
Bramley
Castleford colours.svg Castleford
Heckmondwike
Holbeck
Leeds Parish Church
Lancashire
Morecambe
Swintoncolours.svg Swinton
Redscolours.svg Salford
Lancashire Senior Competition
ChampionsCronulla colours.svg Broughton Rangers
Yorkshire Senior Competition
ChampionsBrighouse Rovers

The 1896–97 Northern Rugby Football Union season was the second ever season of rugby league football. Following the success of the Northern Union's first season, several more clubs from the established Rugby Football Union joined the rebel competition. This resulted in the decision that for the 1896–97 season the competition should be split into two separate county championships: Lancashire and Yorkshire.[1] This season also saw the introduction of the Challenge Cup,[1] with Batley defeating St Helens in the inaugural final.[3]

Season summary[]

Eight new teams joined the twenty-two teams already in the breakaway Northern Union, and so it was split into two county leagues for the 1896–97 season. The new teams were Bramley, Castleford, Heckmondwike, Holbeck, Leeds Parish Church, Morecambe, Swinton and Salford. Salford's first game was a 10-0 defeat away to Widnes on 5 September 1896.[4]

Mr J.E. Warren of the Warrington club was elected as the new President of the Northern Union.[1] Warren, previously Warrington's secretary, had played a key role in Warrington's involvement in the foundation of the Northern Union.[1]

The leading try scorer overall this season was Hannah of Hunslet, who crossed the line 19 times.[2] The leading goal kickers were Albert Goldthorpe of Hunslet and Sharpe of Liversedge who both successful 26 times.[2] The leading points scorer was Archie Rigg of Halifax with 112 points.[2]

Lancashire Senior Competition[]

After finishing second from the bottom of the competition in the previous season, Broughton Rangers made a remarkable turnaround to finish the 1896–97 competition at the top of the Lancashire division, just one competition point ahead of Oldham, who had won more matches and had a better points differential. Although participating in the Lancashire Senior Competition, Runcorn and Stockport were from Cheshire.

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Cronulla colours.svg Broughton Rangers 26 19 5 2 201 52 +149 43
2 Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham 26 20 2 4 243 59 +184 42
3 Tyldesley 26 15 2 9 159 80 +79 32
4 Runcorn 26 13 5 8 134 62 +72 31
5 Stockport 26 14 2 10 157 137 +20 30
6 Swintoncolours.svg Swinton 26 12 5 9 125 82 +43 29
7 Wolvescolours.svg Warrington 26 11 5 10 100 124 -24 27
8 Leigh colours.svg Leigh 26 11 4 11 105 147 -42 26
9 Saintscolours.svg St. Helens 26 10 4 12 122 160 -38 24
10 Widnes colours.svg Widnes 26 10 3 13 113 164 -51 23
11 Wigancolours.svg Wigan 26 8 7 11 73 118 -45 23
12 Rochdale colours.svg Rochdale Hornets 26 8 1 17 121 167 -46 17
13 Redscolours.svg Salford 26 3 5 18 76 191 -115 11
14 Morecambe 26 3 0 23 52 238 -186 6

Source: R.L.Yearbook 1995–96 cited in "The Vault".
League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0.
Pld = Games played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; PF = Match points scored; PA = Match points conceded; PD = Points difference; Pts = League points.

Yorkshire Senior Competition[]

The previous season's champions, Manningham continued their good form in the Northern Union's second season, finishing in second place. However Brighouse took the Yorkshire championship with one win more than Manningham.

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Brighouse Rangers 30 22 4 4 213 68 145 48
2 Brisbane colours.svg Manningham 30 21 4 5 291 129 162 46
3 Faxcolours.svg Halifax 30 18 4 8 219 112 107 40
4 Hunsletcolours.svg Hunslet 30 16 4 10 211 138 73 36
5 Hullcolours.svg Hull 30 15 6 9 152 125 27 36
6 Batley colours.svg Batley 30 15 5 10 164 126 38 35
7 Bullscolours.svg Bradford 30 15 3 12 170 157 13 33
8 Wcatscolours.svg Wakefield Trinity 30 13 4 13 172 154 18 30
9 Castleford colours.svg Castleford 30 11 6 13 178 161 17 28
10 Giantscolours.svg Huddersfield 30 10 7 13 142 179 -37 27
11 Liversedge 30 13 0 17 176 233 -57 26
12 Rhinoscolours.svg Leeds 30 10 4 16 115 123 -8 24
13 Leeds Parish Church 30 9 4 17 129 162 -33 22
14 Bramley 30 9 3 18 101 193 -92 21
15 Holbeck 30 7 4 19 86 223 -137 18
16 Heckmondwike 30 3 4 23 72 308 -236 10

Source: R.L.Yearbook 1995–96 cited in "The Vault".
League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0.
Pld = Games played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; PF = Match points scored; PA = Match points conceded; PD = Points difference; Pts = League points.

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Warrington Wolves. "The Northern Union". Warrington Wolves. Archived from the original on 2009-09-26. Retrieved 2009-07-06.
  2. ^ a b c d e Raymond Fletcher; David Howes (1995). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1995-1996. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 164. ISBN 0-7472-7817-2.
  3. ^ "The History Of Rugby League". Rugby League Information. napit.co.uk. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  4. ^ "Salford first game". Salford City Reds Official Web Site, History page. Archived from the original on 7 March 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.

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