Despite the country being in the throes of World War II, Brisbane Rugby League grew stronger during the 1940s, with all six clubs winning at least one title during the decade.

At the beginning of the decade it was the Norths Devils who were strongest, winning two titles and being runners up twice between 1938 and 1941. They were overtaken by Brothers, with the Irish winning back to back titles in 1942 and 1943, over Souths and Valleys.

These defeats stood the vanquished clubs in good stead with the Valleys Diehards and Souths Magpies (although still called the Lions at this point) taking out the next three titles between then.

The end of the decade saw the rise of the Easts Tigers. As in prior decades, this strong side had no trouble making grand finals – they made it to the final match of the season seven times in eight years between 1946 and 1953 – their issue was winning them. Of those seven appearances they won only twice, and lost to Souths three time in five years.

In 1940 Wests were boosted by the return of ‘The Toowoomba Ghost’ Eric Harris after ten years in England. He scored four tries in his first game back but Wests did not kick on and just scraped into the semi-finals. They were better off than Easts though, who were really struggling, including being smashed 87 points to eight by glamour side Norths. The requirement that players represent their district had been scrapped during the war years and Easts struggled to retain their top players.

Norths and Valleys were the stand out sides during the season, but defending premiers Brothers came through to challenge Norths in the grand final. However Norths proved too strong winning 17 to 11. Gun forward Eddie ‘Babe’ Collins had led the side through a great year, scoring 39 tries in his last 12 club games, which was double the next best for the entire season. His Australian winger Len Dawson scored two tries in the minor semi-final and another two in the 1940 grand final.

Generic vintage rugby league or rugby union ball. (Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images)

QLD rugby league in general was strong, with the state side captain-coached by Babe Collins winning their first match over NSW in eight years by a whopping 45 to 8, along the way to an interstate series victory. Len Dawson also starred, scoring two tries in the decider as QLD completed their first series win in nine years. Collins also led Brisbane to victory in the Bulimba Cup in one of the all-time great individual seasons.

There was a sensation before the 1941 season when Norths internationals Jack Reardon and Babe Collins defected to Brothers. 1940 would be Norths’ last premiership success for nearly 20 years. Collins had knocked back a 500 pounds offer from Balmain to move to the Brethren. Brothers’ gains were offset by the loss of champion forwards Neville Smith and Bill Tyquin to St George. With Smith captain-coaching the Dragons in NSW they won their first ever premiership in 1941.

It was Valleys who emerged victorious in 1941, despite at one point having a player banned for life (later reduced to 12 months) for punching a referee in the change rooms after a game. They advanced to the grand final in a struggle over Wests with the game featuring 69 scrums and 37 penalties!

Valleys were tactically too good for Norths in the grand final in a rough game that also spilled over into the stand, with a spectator (who it turned out was a Brothers first grade player) assaulting a touch judge and receiving a twelve month ban.

The standout player was three-quarter Jack Bates, who scored three tries in ten minutes in the first half. Valleys’ defensive effort in the second half in the face of a mountain of possession for Norths, was described as the best of the season.

The 1942 premiership was played in the midst of WWII, with clubs struggling for players. Games were played on outer suburban grounds as the main ovals were commandeered for the military. Wests were forced to play one round with only ten men. Valleys took out the minor premiership but were outpointed by Brothers and surprise packets, Souths in the finals.

Injuries cruelled the Diehards who finished their major semi-final against the Fighting Irish with only ten men on the field. In their final against Souths, Valleys were missing eight players on war duties. Even so they looked to have scored the winning try on the bell only for the ball to be knocked on over the line.

In the grand final Brothers’ brutal forward pack led by Les Heidke and Eddie Brosnan monstered their Souths rivals for a convincing win. They were hailed as the best group of forwards since Wests in 1922.

The Brethren went back to back in 1943. With Easts and Wests still struggling to field competitive teams, it was a race in four. Valleys again took the minor premiership but Brothers’ pack won them the big games. Valleys were boosted that year by three players up from Sydney, Canterbury premiership forwards Henry Porter and Bob Farrar, and a fullback from St George by the name of Ray Lindwall who could reportedly also bowl a bit.

All were in Brisbane on military service. Valleys thrashed Brothers 34 to 7 in the preliminary final, but the grand final was a turnaround with Eddie Brosnan leading his forward pack to a 13 to 7 victory after trailing 7 to 5 at halftime.

Valleys returned to the winners list in 1944 with their club legend Firpo Neumann as non-playing coach. There were some notable debuts that year, not the least being a young Harry Bath playing for Souths before starring for many years for Balmain, in England and then for St George.

Later in the season Souths also managed to pick up Newtown and Australian champion Herb Narvo for a game or two. Valleys took out the grand final 16 to 12 over Norths, scoring two tries to nil in front of 8,000 fans. Rival fullbacks Danny O’Connor and Ron Bateman kicked 11 goals between them, but the game was won by two great Valleys tries, including a 60 metre solo effort by man of the match, Captain and Australian representative Roy Westaway.

Souths fulfilled their promise of recent seasons by taking out the 1945 premiership and in fact became the first club to win all three grades, a feat not repeated until Redcliffe managed it in 1994. Led by their star centre Len Pegg, who toured with the Kangaroos after the war, Bill Tyquin who captained Australia on that tour, and also a young Harry Bath, the Lions were too strong for Norths in the grand final.

Len Pegg’s brother Reg “Bubbles” Pegg scored three tries and Bath dominated the forward battle as Souths ran away with the game in the second half to win 21 to 11. Harry Bath was named man of the match and would go on to become perhaps the greatest Australian forward never to play for his country.

Another player briefly appeared in the BRL that year due to war service. Pat Devery, Balmain and Australian five eighth, announced his presence with seven tries in one match. By 1946 Devery was lost to Australian Rugby League, becoming a legend in England with Huddersfield where he scored over 1,000 points and led the club to premiership and Challenge Cup glory. The drain to England was becoming an issue for the local league, with Valleys’ prolific winger Len Kenny and Souths young star half Ted Verrenkamp both heading overseas.

rugby league was rising in popularity after the war. 45,000 fans turned out in 1946 for a Test match against England and club crowds over 10,000 were recorded. Easts went on a spending spree that netted them six consecutive grand finals appearances but on this occasion the perennial achievers Valleys were too strong.

This was despite the Tigers toweling them up in the semi-finals. In the grand final the underdog Valleys team put on a defensive masterclass to suffocate Easts out of the game 5 points to 2.

1947 saw the return to district football and also a breakthrough for Eastern Suburbs, so often the bridesmaids. They lost only one game during the regular season to win their first title since 1923, back when they were called Coorparoo. 20 year old grand final man of the match, half Terry Callinan was lost to the game, joining the merchant marine after the grand final.

Rugby league looks different in Brisbane these days. (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)

1947 also saw the NSWRL runners up Canterbury Bankstown come to town for an end of season fixture. They lost 60 to 2 to a combined Brisbane side and it was discovered that four Canterbury players had taken the field drunk!

Another controversy broke out in 1948 as the BRL did their best to give back the gains in popularity achieved over the past decade or two. The league was in dispute with Brisbane radio stations, essential to the game’s popularity in the pre-television era, and shut all five stations out of competition games for the year.

The stations had refused to pay a new 60 pound fee to broadcast for the year. It was estimated that the league’s gate takings went down over 3,500 pounds (around a third) as a result. Clever work.

Wests stormed from the 1947 wooden spoon to become premiers in 1948. They were helped by Souths fading late as their Australian players, Len Pegg and Bill Tyquin left on the Kangaroo Tour. Eventually it was the Easts Tigers who once again were runners up, losing 14 to 7 in a grand final considered one of the roughest in memory.

Easts defeated Souths in the preliminary final with a notable performance by hooker Cliff Green, who won the scrums 43 to 7 to starve Souths of possession. But in the grand final the Tigers had no answer to Wests’ “Gibraltar-like defence”, despite Green again winning the hooking duel by 35 scrums to 15.

A notable debutant during 1948 was young Valleys forward Duncan Hall. Hall would go on to become one of Queensland’s greatest ever forwards.

In 1949 the BRL attempted to stem falling attendances by letting the radio stations back in and also proposed amalgamating with the QRL and adding regional sides to the competition. However the country leagues weren’t keen and the local six teams continued their metropolitan competition.

Country football was still as much of a drain on Brisbane playing stocks as the Sydney competition who were still in their pre-poker machines era.

Wests could not repeat their 1948 performance and the 1949 title was fought between Souths and Easts. The grand final took an amazing turn when Easts’ International star Ron McLennan (who had scored two tries in their preliminary final victory and one in the grand final to that point) was sent off in the shadows of halftime for throwing a punch at Reg Pegg.

The crowd were so incensed that the referee was struck on the way to the sheds at halftime and needed a police escort after the match. Souths went on to win comfortably and McLennan went bush, vowing to never play in Brisbane again.

A notable performance for the year was Brothers, with their new young forward star, Brian Davies. In the minor semi-final against Valleys, scores were locked 7 all at the end of regulation. Brothers then turned on the afterburners and in “a riot of scoring” put on 28 unanswered points in extra time! Davies would be lost to Ipswich, but his return in the mid 1950’s would bring about a golden era for The Brethren.

A Team of the Era (1940 to 1949) (finals appearances, grand finals, premierships)
Fullback:
– Danny O’Connor (Valleys) (QLD – 19 games) – 21,5,3. 39 goals in finals including 5 goals in the 1944 grand final. Captain in 1940.

Three quarters:
– Len Dawson (Brothers) (5 Tests, QLD – 6 games, and 1 for NSW) – 9,3,2. 6 tries in finals, including 2 tries in the 1939 major semi-final, 1 in the preliminary final and 1 in the grand final. 2 tries in the 1940 minor semi-final and another two in the grand final. Scored 2 tries in QLD’s 1940 decider victory over NSW, their first series win in 9 years.
– Hugh Melrose (Norths) (QLD – 8 games) – 21,7,3. 3 tries in finals. Captain from 1942-1945 and 1948. Captained QLD in 1947. Described as “a very delightful and heady player when at his best – tackles grandly”.
– Jack Reardon (Norths, Brothers) (4 Tests, QLD – 18 games, and 1 for NSW) – 16,4,3. 2 tries in finals. Captain 1938-1939, 1943 and 1946. Reardon was vice captain on the 1937-38 Kangaroo Tour. As a long time journalist, Reardon is sometimes credited with being the first to suggest a State of Origin interstate contest, back in 1964.
– Reg “Bubbles” Pegg (Souths) (QLD – 6 games) – 13,3,2. 8 tries in finals. 3 tries in the 1945 grand final. Described as “rangy and versatile”.

Halves:
– Bob Williamson (Valleys) – 15,4,3. 15 goals in finals.
– Bernie Johnson (Souths, Easts) (Brisbane – 1 game) – 15,4,1. 27 goals in finals. Later moved bush and played for Central Queensland against the touring French in 1951.

Forwards:
– Bill Law (Brothers) (QLD – 3 games) – 18,5,4. 1 try in finals. Captain 1942-1943.
– Charlie Martin (Souths, Norths, Easts) (Brisbane rep) – Hooker. 21,6,2. 1 try in finals. Captain 1952. Played for Brisbane against the touring American all stars in 1953.
– Harry Bath (Souths) (ARL Hall of Fame, QLD – 2 games, NSW 3 games) – 9,2,1. 2 tries and 3 goals in finals. man of the match in the 1945 grand final.
– Eddie Brosnan (Brothers) (1 test, QLD – 8 games) – 10,2,2. 3 tries in finals. Captain in 1949. 1948/49 Kangaroo Tourist and uncle of Wayne Bennett. Described in one report as “a caveman on the field”.
– Jack “Gunboat” Ryrie (Easts, Brothers) (QLD – 16 games) – 17,5,2. 5 tries in finals, including 2 in the 1939 preliminary final. Captain from 1946-1947.
– Bill Tyquin (Brothers, Souths) (6 Tests, QLD – 9 games, NSW – 1 game) – 12,4,2. 4 tries in finals. Captain 1944, 1947, 1949. Kangaroos vice-captain in 1948/49, leading the side in three Tests. Won a premiership with St George in Sydney in 1941, where he was stationed with the AIF.

Reserves:
– Tom Drysdale (Easts). 13,5,2. 4 tries in finals. man of the match 1950 grand final. The only Tiger to appear in all five consecutive grand finals the club played during the era. Became a long time administrator, including co-managing the 1982 Invincibles Kangaroos team.
– Roy Westaway (Wests, Valleys) (2 Tests, QLD – 6 games) – Forward. 12,2,2. 1 try in finals. Captain from 1944-1946. man of the match 1944 grand final.
– Len Pegg (Souths) (2 Tests, QLD 13 games) – Centre. 9,3,2. 2 tries in finals. Captain 1945. 1948/49 Kangaroo tourist.
– Len Kenny (Valleys, Souths) – Wing. 9,2,2. 9 tries in finals. 2 tries in 1946 preliminary final and one in the grand final, 42 for the season. 1949 – 2 tries each in major semi-final and grand final. Described as a “brilliant opportunist”. Played in England for Leeds and St Helens.

Other notables: Eddie “Babe” Collins, Duncan Hall, Pat Devery, Henry “Tarzan” Porter, Herb Narvo, Ray Lindwall, Ted Verrenkamp, Eric Harris “The Toowoomba Ghost”.