Balmain Tigers 8–7 Western Suburbs Magpies — Semi-Final, 1948 NRL Finals Series
28 Aug 1948 · Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, NSW · Attendance: 25,907
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
Semi-Final, 1948 NRL finals series: Balmain Tigers 8–7 Western Suburbs Magpies, at Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney, NSW on 28 Aug 1948.
Sourcing caveat: RLP's extraction repeatedly gave Tom Bourke (Balmain) 2 goals, but this does not reconcile with the 8-7 score or the 8-2 halftime (which implies Balmain's whole 8-point tally was scored by the break, and 2 tries + 2 goals would total 10, not 8). 1 goal for Bourke is the only figure that reconciles.
Scorers
| Balmain Tigers | Tries: Hampstead; Spencer Goals: Bourke (1) |
| Western Suburbs Magpies | Tries: Hansen Goals: Keato (2) |
Team sheets
| Balmain Tigers | Western Suburbs Magpies | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parkinson | Fullback | Keato | 1 |
| 2 | Patton | Wing | Leal | 2 |
| 3 | Bourke (c) | Centre | Bennett | 3 |
| 4 | Williams | Centre | Rodda | 4 |
| 5 | Nosworthy | Wing | Hudson | 5 |
| 6 | Sneddon | Five-Eighth | Stanmore | 6 |
| 7 | Bryan | Halfback | Hogan | 7 |
| 8 | Hampstead | Lock | McLean | 8 |
| 9 | Ryan | Second Row | Purcell | 9 |
| 10 | Madden | Second Row | Hansen | 10 |
| 11 | Spencer | Prop | Walsh (c) | 11 |
| 12 | Crane | Hooker | Brown | 12 |
| 13 | Thomson | Prop | Horder | 13 |
| Athol Smith | Coach | Jeff Smith | ||
Match officials
| Referee | George Bishop |
Match report
28 Aug 1948, SCG, kickoff delayed to 4:00pm (reserve-grade semi went to extra time). Halftime: Balmain 8-2. Team changes: Balmain - Bill Sneddon and Jim Thomson in (Mitchell Wallace and Hilton Kidd unavailable), Leo Nosworthy moved centre to wing, George Williams moved five-eighth to centre; Western Suburbs - Pat Leal in for Jack Lackey (wing).