Newtown
Real club history, premierships, Grand Final appearances, and ladder finishes, aggregated from our sourced rugby league archive.
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
Club Background
Newtown was formed at a public meeting at Newtown Town Hall in January 1908, one of rugby league's earliest breakaway clubs, and settled at Henson Park as their home ground. Known first as the "Bluebags" for their royal blue and white strip, the club rebranded as the "Jets" in 1973 under coach Jack Gibson, reflecting its location near the airport's flight path.
Honours
League history
Final ladder position each season on record (1908–1983) — 1st at the top. Hover a point for the exact position and field size that season.
Full table
| Season | Final position |
|---|---|
| 1983 | 13 of 14 |
| 1982 | 7 of 14 |
| 1981 | 2 of 12 |
| 1980 | 8 of 12 |
| 1979 | 11 of 12 |
| 1978 | 12 of 12 |
| 1977 | 12 of 12 |
| 1976 | 12 of 12 |
| 1975 | 10 of 12 |
| 1974 | 7 of 12 |
| 1973 | 4 of 12 |
| 1972 | 5 of 12 |
| 1971 | 10 of 12 |
| 1970 | 7 of 12 |
| 1969 | 10 of 12 |
| 1968 | 12 of 12 |
| 1967 | 9 of 12 |
| 1966 | 4 of 10 |
| 1965 | 6 of 10 |
| 1964 | 6 of 10 |
| 1963 | 6 of 10 |
| 1962 | 2 of 10 |
| 1961 | 9 of 10 |
| 1960 | 8 of 10 |
| 1959 | 4 of 10 |
| 1958 | 4 of 10 |
| 1957 | 6 of 10 |
| 1956 | 5 of 10 |
| 1955 | 1 of 10 |
| 1954 | 1 of 10 |
| 1953 | 5 of 10 |
| 1952 | 7 of 10 |
| 1951 | 8 of 10 |
| 1950 | 3 of 10 |
| 1949 | 6 of 10 |
| 1948 | 3 of 10 |
| 1947 | 3 of 10 |
| 1946 | 2 of 8 |
| 1945 | 2 of 8 |
| 1944 | 1 of 8 |
| 1943 | 1 of 8 |
| 1942 | 7 of 8 |
| 1941 | 5 of 8 |
| 1940 | 2 of 8 |
| 1939 | 8 of 8 |
| 1938 | 6 of 8 |
| 1937 | 4 of 9 |
| 1936 | 5 of 9 |
| 1935 | 6 of 9 |
| 1934 | 5 of 8 |
| 1933 | 1 of 8 |
| 1932 | 5 of 8 |
| 1931 | 7 of 8 |
| 1930 | 5 of 8 |
| 1929 | 4 of 9 |
| 1928 | 9 of 9 |
| 1927 | 5 of 9 |
| 1926 | 6 of 9 |
| 1925 | 8 of 9 |
| 1924 | 8 of 9 |
| 1923 | 7 of 9 |
| 1922 | 7 of 9 |
| 1921 | 6 of 9 |
| 1920 | 5 of 9 |
| 1919 | 5 of 8 |
| 1918 | 7 of 8 |
| 1917 | 3 of 8 |
| 1916 | 6 of 8 |
| 1915 | 3 of 8 |
| 1914 | 2 of 8 |
| 1913 | 2 of 8 |
| 1912 | 3 of 8 |
| 1911 | 4 of 8 |
| 1910 | 1 of 8 |
| 1909 | 6 of 8 |
| 1908 | 7 of 9 |
Club history
Newtown was among the earliest clubs formed when rugby league broke away from union in Sydney in January 1908, established at a public meeting at Newtown Town Hall. Sources genuinely disagree on the precise founding date — some cite 14 January 1908, others point to 8 January — and this hasn't been definitively resolved. What is not disputed is that Newtown's royal blue and white strip gave rise to their original nickname, "the Bluebags," a reference to the blue laundry-dye bags common in working households of the era. Newtown's home eventually settled at Henson Park.
Forward Jack Scott is credited with scoring the first try in NSWRL premiership history in that inaugural 1908 season, and Newtown won its maiden premiership in 1910, adding further titles in 1933 and 1943. The Bluebags name endured until 1973, when the club rebranded as the "Jets," a change tied to its flight-path location near the airport and a push for a more modern identity under coach Jack Gibson.
Grand Final appearances (1910-1981)
| Year | Result | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Lost | Parramatta | 11-20 |
| 1955 | Lost | South Sydney | 11-12 |
| 1954 | Lost | South Sydney | 15-23 |
| 1944 | Lost | Balmain | 8-12 |
| 1943 | Won | North Sydney | 34-7 |
| 1933 | Won | St. George | 18-5 |
| 1929 | Lost | South Sydney | 10-30 |
| 1910 | Won | South Sydney | 4-4 |
Sources
← Rugby League · Champions list · All-time records · Grand Final results · World Cup · All competitions · Venues · Players