| 1917 New South Wales Rugby Football League | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 8 |
| Premiers |  Balmain (3rd title) |
| Minor premiers | Balmain (3rd title) |
| Matches played | 56 |
| Points scored | 1280 |
| Top points scorer(s) | Charles Fraser (67) |
| Wooden spoon | North Sydney (2nd spoon) |
| Top try-scorer(s) |  Harold Horder (17) |
The1917New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership was the tenth season ofSydney's professionalrugby league football club competition, Australia's first. Eight teams from across the city contested during the season and Balmain finished on top of the ladder to claim the premiership.[1]
After nine seasons with only nineteen wins and two draws from 115 matches,[2]Western Suburbs finally made a significant impact on the league, finishing a respectable third behind the traditionally strong sides ofBalmain andSouth Sydney. Their advance was almost entirely due to centreHerb Gilbert, who moved from Easts,Hull F.C. and South Sydney to add skill and knowledge to team crying out for guidance, besides scoring nine of the team's thirty-four tries.[3]
Balmain ultimately won their third consecutive premiership finishing eight points ahead of second placed South Sydney. The Balmain side only failed to win one of their games during the season againstNewtown in round 8. In fourteen games Balmain’s secure defence allowed a mere 61 points and just nine tries to be scored against them, a statistic indicating their dominance and rivalled since only bySt. George in 1963.[4]Annandale managed to avoid bottom spot thanks toGlebe surrendering their two points to them following a 31–5 win for Glebe in round 8. The points were moved over to Annandale due to Glebe fielding Dan “Laddo” Davies – an ineligible player under the residential criteria of the time.
As well as losing Davies, fourteen of Glebe’s first grade players were suspended for a year after the players boycotted a match against Balmain. The NSWRFL changed the venue of the game from theSydney Cricket Ground toBirchgrove Oval in Balmain, drastically reducing spectator numbers and, in doing so, cutting Glebe's share of the big gate takings expected at the SCG. A team consisting of lower grade players was fielded and Glebe lost heavily, 40–9. The NSWRFL suspended all the footballers who refused to play, includingFrank, Laidley and Albert Burge.
Balmain also won the three roundCity Cup played in the late season. Members of the Balmain premiership winning side includedBob Craig,Bill Schultz and E. Burnicle.
The teams remained unchanged fromthe previous season.
 8th season Ground:Wentworth Park Coach: Captain:Walter Haddock |  10th season Ground:Birchgrove Oval Coach-Captain:Arthur Halloway |  10th season Ground:Sydney Sports Ground Coach: Captain:Sandy Pearce |  10th season Ground:Wentworth Park Coaches:Chris McKivat &Alex Burdon Captain:Frank Burge |
 10th season Ground:Erskineville Oval Coach: Captain:Felix Ryan |  10th season Ground:North Sydney Oval Coach: Captain:Sid Deane |  10th season Ground:RAS Showground,S.C.G. Coach: Captain:Roy Almond |  10th season Ground:St Luke's Oval Coach: Captain:Herb Gilbert |
| Team | Pld | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Balmain | 14 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 269 | 61 | +208 | 26 |
| 2 | South Sydney | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 236 | 143 | +93 | 18 |
| 3 |  Western Suburbs | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 162 | 160 | +2 | 15 |
| 4 |  Newtown | 14 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 114 | 123 | -9 | 15 |
| 5 |  Glebe | 14 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 207 | 165 | +42 | 14 |
| 6 |  Eastern Suburbs | 14 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 131 | 145 | -14 | 14 |
| 7 |  Annandale | 14 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 71 | 214 | -143 | 4 |
| 8 |  North Sydney | 14 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 90 | 269 | -179 | 4 |