1956–57 Northern Rugby Football League season


The 1956–57 Rugby Football League season was the 62nd season of rugby league football.

Season summary

finished the regular season as the league leaders and then won their fourth Rugby Football League Championship when they beat Hull F.C. 15-14 in the play-off final.
The Challenge Cup winners were Leeds who beat Barrow 9-7 in the final.
Oldham won the Lancashire League, and Leeds won the Yorkshire League. Oldham beat St. Helens 10–3 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Wakefield Trinity beat Hunslet 23–5 to win the Yorkshire County Cup.

Championship

Play-offs

Challenge Cup

beat Barrow 9-7 in the Challenge Cup Final played at Wembley Stadium before a crowd of 76,318.
This was Leeds’ eighth Challenge Cup Final win in ten Final appearances. Jeff Stevenson, their scrum half back, was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for his man-of-the-match performance.

Kangaroo Tour

October until December also saw the appearance of the Australian team in England on their 1956–57 Kangaroo Tour. Other than the three test Ashes series against Great Britain, The Kangaroos played 16 matches against club and county representative sides.
The Kangaroos were captain-coached by St George Dragons hooker Ken Kearney.
gameDateResultVenueAttendance
110 October Australia def. Liverpool City 40–12Knotty Ash Stadium, Liverpool4,712
213 October Leeds def. Australia 18–13Headingley, Leeds24,459
315 October Australia def. Hull F.C. / Hull KR XIII 37–14The Boulevard, Hull17,172
418 October Australia def. Barrow 25–11Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness9,988
520 October Whitehaven def. Australia 14–11Recreation Ground, Whitehaven10,840
624 October Australia def. Bradford Northern 23–11Odsal Stadium, Bradford2,743
727 October Warrington def. Australia 21–17Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington15,613
829 October Australia def. English League XIII 19–15Hilton Park, Leigh7,811
93 November Australia def. York 20–18Clarence Street, York6,842
107 November Oldham def. Australia 15–2The Watersheddings, Oldham8,458
1110 November Australia def. Huddersfield 20–10Fartown Ground, Huddersfield12,127
1217 November def. 21–10Central Park, Wigan22,473
1321 November Australia def. Hunslet 27–11Parkside, Hunslet4,451
1424 November St Helens def. Australia 44–2Knowsley Road, St Helens15,579
151 December def. 22–9Odsal Stadium, Bradford23,634
165 December Halifax def. Australia 6–3Thrum Hall, Halifax2,254
178 December Australia def. Wigan 32–4Central Park, Wigan15,854
1810 December Wakefield Trinity def. Australia 17–12Belle Vue, Wakefield3,381
1915 December def. 19–0Station Road, Swinton17,542