J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup

Location: Australia > New South Wales > First Grade
Competition:   J J Giltinan Shield and Winfield Cup

Also known as: Royal Agricultural Society of NSW Challenge Shield, Hugh D. McIntosh Shield, Truth and Sportsmanship Cup, Second Truth and Sportsmanship Cup, Labor Daily Cup, J J Giltinan Shield, J J Giltinan Shield and WD & HO Wills Cup

+ Submit additional information or a correction to this competition







The Sydney premiership kicked off in 1908, with 8 clubs competing (in order of formation): Glebe, South Sydney, Newtown, Balmain, Eastern Suburbs, Western Suburbs, North Sydney, and Newcastle. Cumberland joined in time for the second round of 1908, but after a rather dismal year they merged with Western Suburbs. Glebe were ejected after 1929, and Newtown after 1983.

Newcastle withdrew after 1909 to form their own competition. Annandale replaced Newcastle in 1910, but were ejected after 1920. Sydney University fielded a strictly amateur team from 1920 to 1937. St George joined in 1921; Canterbury Bankstown in 1935, Manly Warringah and Parramatta in 1947, Cronulla Sutherland and Penrith in 1967, Canberra and Illawarra in 1982, Brisbane and the Gold Coast in 1988, and Newcastle rejoined in the same year, and Auckland, North Queensland, South Queensland, Western Reds all joined in 1995, and in the same year Eastern Suburbs, Canterbury Bankstown and Balmain changed their names to Sydney City, Sydney Bulldogs, and Sydney Tigers respectively.

Canterbury Bankstown changed theirs back at the end of the year, and Balmain changed theirs back at the end of 1996.There have generally been three grades of competition: firsts, reserves, and third grade. On occasions third grade has been replaced with an under-23s or an under-21s competition. A number of other clubs competed in the second and third grades in the early years.

14 teams have won premierships: South Sydney (20), St George (15), Balmain (11), Eastern Suburbs (11), Canterbury Bankstown (7), Manly Warringah (6), Western Suburbs (4), Parramatta (4), Newtown (3), Canberra (3), North Sydney (2), Brisbane (2), Penrith (1), and Newcastle (1).Between 1956 and 1966 St George won 11 consecutive premierships, a feat that has never been equaled in any top level competition in any football code.There have only been four occasions on which one club has won all three grades: Balmain (1915 and 1916), South Sydney (1925), and St George (1963).Five clubs have gone through a season undefeated: Balmain (1915), North Sydney (1921), South Sydney (1925), Eastern Suburbs (1936 and 1937), and St George (1959).Four clubs have gone through a season without a win: Annandale (1918 and 1920), University (1921, 1935 and 1937), South Sydney (1946), and Eastern Suburbs (1966).Clubs that have held the wooden spoon include: Western Suburbs (15), Parramatta (11), University (10), North Sydney (9), Newtown (8), and others. Manly Warringah, Glebe, Newcastle, Brisbane, Auckland, and the Western Reds have never held the wooden spoon.

Info courtesy of James Smith

Advanced Search