the minor premiership. In the semi-finals, both University and South Sydney comfortably defeated their opponents to progress to the final. Final The 1926 season was the most successful of the eighteen seasons between the wars in which University competed in the top Sydney grade. This may have had to do with their coach Bill Kelly or their new trainer, the former Kangaroo Sid Pearce. Or perhaps they benefitted from that season’s play-the-ball rule change which initially resulted in a cleaner and faster game that suited the lighter and quicker Students. Whatever the reason they won their first seven games. However the loss of their centre Frank O'Rourke to a broken hand, saw them slip in the final rounds to finish fourth. The play-off system and South Sydney’s “right-of-challenge” as minor-premiers required University to beat the powerful Glebe side and then South Sydney twice to take the title. In the semi-final against Glebe, University regained their early season form and trounced Glebe by 29–3. O'Rourke returned for the Final and lined up with state representatives Hubert “Butt” Finn, Jim McIntyre and Alby Lane in front of 20,000 at the Royal Agricultural Society Grounds. In the opening twenty minutes University had three opportunities to score but poor finishing let them down. After withstanding the Students’ attack Souths responded with eleven points of their own by the half-time break. Early in the second half University’s McCormack hit back with an intercept try to pull the deficit back to 11–5 however the Rabbitohs defence held for the remainder of the game and they claimed the premiership. Referee Webby Neill, himself a former premiership winning Rabbitoh, sent off Souths’ Edward Root during the match. South Sydney 11 (Tries: Brogan, Finch, Watson. Goal: Blair) University 5 (Tries: Paddy McCormack. Goal: Jim McIntyre) References External links Rugby League Tables - Notes AFL Tables Rugby League Tables - Season 1926 AFL Tables Premiership History and Statistics RL1908 History - Introduction North Sydney Bears History of the University Club Sean Fagan's RL1908 Results: 1921-30 at rabbitohs.com.au New South Wales Rugby League premiership NSWRFL season