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TIGERS CLUB NEWS ARCHIVE
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Blast from the Past
The Season 1939
After losing the 1938 Grand Final the first appearance in the
premiership decider since the Tigers inception in 1925, the Club was determined
to go one better in Season 1939.
The losing Grand Final score in 1938 was 15. 4 (94) to Manuka 18.9
(117) the highest losing score recorded in a Grand Final with Fitzmaurice
of Manuka posting 10 goals to also establish a record for the most goals
kicked in a Grand Final.
The team repeated their efforts of the 38 Season by going through
the 1939 home and away series losing only three games the results of
those matches with some individual efforts are recorded as follows:
R1 Queanbeyan 7.15 (98) to Manuka 11.12 (78)
R2 Queanbeyan 36.26 (242) to Mines Rovers 5.10 (40) this score
being the highest score ever recorded with Syd Browne posting 9 goals
and Merv Strang 7.
R3 Queanbeyan 23.26 (164) to Eastlake 15.7 (97)
R4 Ainslie 15.14 (104) to Queanbeyan 10.12 (73)
R5 Acton 11.9 (75) to Queanbeyan 7.13 (55) Strang 7 goals
R6 Queanbeyan 11.12 (78) to Mines Rovers 11.5 (71) Mines Rovers
lodged a protest after the game claiming the scores were incorrect but
the score was ratified by the timekeeper. Strang posted 8 goals
R7 Queanbeyan 19.16 (130) to Manuka 14.15 (99)
R8 Queanbeyan 14.8 (92) to Ainslie 11.18 (84)
R9 Queanbeyan 20.11 (131) to Eastlake 7.14 (56)
R10 Queanbeyan 18.17 (125) to Acton 15.14 (104)
This game was a top of the table clash.
During the following week Hawthorn and Carlton played an exhibition
match at Manuka Oval. All public Servants were given the afternoon
off and shopkeepers closed their stores. In a first of its kind - 1938
Premiers Carlton won an exciting match 15.8 (98) to 12.15 (87) before
a crowd of 4,233 being 2/3s of Canberras population. Three hundred motor
cars lined the Manuka Oval fence.
R11 Queanbeyan 12.16 (88) to Mines Rovers 10.9 (69)
R12 Manuka 15.19 (109) to Queanbeyan 12.5 (77)
R13 Queanbeyan 19.22 (136) to Eastlake 14.20 (104)
R14 Queanbeyan 21.21 (147) to Ainslie 14.11 (95) Strang 7 goals
R15 Queanbeyan 16.12 (108) to Acton 5.15 (45)
Second Semi Semi
Queanbeyan 12.15 (87) to Manuka 13.8 (86)
GRAND FINAL Queanbeyan v Manuka
Queanbeyan team
G Mulquinney, J Mulquinney, Gibbons Beazley, Netting, R Williams, A Williams,
Kelly, Hawke, Browne, Kay, Lalor, Griffiths, Strang, H Williams, Walters,
McNamara
Primmer, 19th Gallagher.
A new record crowd attendance was established at Manuka Oval for the
1939 Grand Final which was a replay of the 1938s most exciting game.
Manuka had a three goal break at half time and still enjoyed a two goal
advantage at three quarter time. But Queanbeyan in dogged fashion fought
back to level the scores at the final siren (7 goals 10 points each).
The match was not without controversy and the Queanbeyan Age of September
19 reported that Manuka had extreme luck and went onto comment about
an incident when the ball deflected by Primmer onto the goalposts rebounded
off the post with Manuka player Coleman kicking it off the ground and
through for a goal. This obviously should have been a point but two flags
were raised. The article went onto say that numerous other incidents mystified
the parochial crowd.
REPLAY OF THE 1939 GRAND FINAL
The replay of the 1939 Grand Final was played at Queanbeyan Park
Oval and a special train was to run from the Canberra Railway Station
to Queanbeyan departing at 1.45pm
There were no change rooms at the Park Oval so players were asked to change
at Walshes Hotel.
The game commenced at 2.15pm and was umpired by Miller. One of the boundary
umpires was Steve Mauger of which a Junior Australian Football ground
in Queanbeyan is now named after.
E Smith and J Williams had been added to the Tigers squad.
The Tigers won the replay in spectacular fashion by the widest
winning margin in the Leagues history and also surpassed Manukas highest
winning score.
Again a record crowd was in attendance.
FINAL SCORE
Queanbeyan 5.7, 7.9, 15.18, 18.22 (103)
Manuka 2.5, 3.11, 5.13, 9.19 (73)
Goals: Strang 5, Browne 3, Williams 3, Kay 2, McNamara 2, Kelly
1, Griffith 1, Lalor 1.
Best: Reg Netting (best display of the season), Strang, Rowley,
Kelly, Browne and McNamara.
In Season 1939 Johnny Hawke and Frank Nash were elected as the Junior
Representative to the Tigers Senior Committee. Johnny Hawke, who was an
outstanding Aussie Rules player and switched to Rugby League post war
and in 1948 49 representing Australia on the Kangaroos tour. He was
recognised as the best five-eighth or centre in the world of Rugby league.
He played for NSW and Australia again in 1950 and 1951, Captained NSW
and would have also Captained Australian except for injury. He was Captain
of the 1949 St George Premiership team.
Frank Nash would become the hard working long term Secretary of the Queanbeyan
Racing Club establishing the Racing Club during his time as one of the
strongest country Clubs in NSW.
President of the Tigers in 1939 was George Sheehan, Secretary
Reg Netting and Treasurer Merv Strang the later two playing in
the Tigers First ever Premiership team. Captain Coach
was Floyd Primmer who also won the Best and Fairest.
The following members of the Premiership team went on to play over 100
First Grade games for the Club: Jim Beazley, Reg Netting, Ron Williams,
Jim Walters, Arthur Williams, Syd Browne, Bob Kay, Merv Strang, Jack McNamara,
Floyd Primmer and Harold Williams.
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