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1973–74 Northern Rugby Football League season

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The 1973–74 Rugby Football League season was the 79th season of rugby league football.

1973–74 Rugby Football League season
LeagueChampionship
First Division
Champions Salford
Runners-up St Helens
Club Championship Warrington
Top point-scorer(s) David Watkins 438
Top try-scorer(s) Keith Fielding 49
Promotion and relegation
Relegated to Second Division
Second Division
Champions Bradford Northern
Promoted to First Division

Season summary

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1973-1974 saw two division rugby re-introduced. The Championship playoffs were discontinued and the league leaders were declared the champions. A "Club Championship" was played in place of the playoffs but this was a one-off precursor to what became the end of season Premiership. It was a complicated format that involved sides from both divisions.

On 25 April, David Watkins of Salford scored the last of 929 points (41 tries, 403 goals) in a record run of scoring in 92 consecutive games for one club.[1]

Keith Mumby made his début for Bradford Northern this season as the club's youngest ever player, aged 16. In a match against Doncaster this season he scored 12 goals and a try. He went on to become the club's record appearance holder, playing 576 games.[2]

Salford won their fifth Championship. Oldham, Hull Kingston Rovers, Leigh and Whitehaven were demoted to the Second Division.

The Challenge Cup winners were Warrington who beat Featherstone Rovers 24-9 in the final.

The Club Championship was won by Warrington who beat St. Helens 13-12 in the final.

2nd Division Champions were: Bradford Northern, and they York, Keighley and Halifax were promoted to the First Division.[3]

League Tables

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Cups

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Challenge Cup

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Main article: 1973–74 Challenge Cup

Warrington defeated Huddersfield, Huyton, Wigan and Dewsbury to reach the final against Featherstone Rovers.[4] Captained by Alex Murphy, Warrington beat Featherstone Rovers 24-9 in the final played at Wembley in front of a crowd of 77,400.

This was Warrington’s fourth Cup Final win in ten Final appearances.[1] Derek Whitehead, Warrington's full-back won the Lance Todd Trophy for man-of-the-match.

League Cup

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Main article: 1973–74 League Cup (rugby league)

The Player's No.6 Trophy winners were Warrington who beat Rochdale Hornets 24-17 in the final.

County Cups

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Main article: 1973–74 Lancashire Cup
Main article: 1973–74 Yorkshire Cup

Wigan beat Salford 19–9 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Leeds beat Wakefield Trinity 7–2 to win the Yorkshire County Cup.

Captain Morgan Trophy

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Main article: Captain Morgan Trophy

BBC2 Floodlit Trophy

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Main article: 1973–74 BBC2 Floodlit Trophy

BBC2 Floodlit Trophy winners were Bramley who beat Widnes 15-7 in the final.

Club Championship

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Main article: Club Championship (rugby league)

Kangaroo Tour

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Main article: 1973 Kangaroo tour of Great Britain and France

From September until December also saw the appearance of the Australian team in England on their 1973 Kangaroo Tour. Other than the three test Ashes series against Great Britain (won 2–1 by Australia), The Kangaroos played matches against club and county representative sides

The 1978 Kangaroos were captain-coached by champion St George Dragons fullback Graeme Langlands who was making his third tour following from 1963–64 and 1967–68

game Date Result Venue Attendance
1 30 September   Australia def.   Salford 15–12 The Willows, Salford 11,064
2 3 October   Australia def.   Wakefield Trinity 13–9 Belle Vue, Wakefield 5,863
3 7 October   Australia def.   Dewsbury 17–3 Crown Flatt, Dewsbury 5,865
4 10 October   Australia def.   Castleford 18–10 Wheldon Road, Castleford 2,419
5 14 October   Australia def.   Widnes 25–10 Naughton Park, Widnes 5,185
6 19 October   Australia def.   Oldham 44–10 The Watersheddings, Oldham 2,895
7 24 October   Australia def.   Cumberland 28–2 Recreation Ground, Whitehaven 3,666
8 28 October   Australia def.   Bradford Northern 50–14 Odsal Stadium, Bradford 5,667
9 3 November   Great Britain def.   Australia 21–12 Wembley Stadium, London 9,874
10 7 November   Australia def.   Hull Kingston Rovers 32–2 Craven Park, Hull 5,150
11 10 November   Australia def.   Huddersfield 25–9 Fartown Ground, Huddersfield 1,333
12 11 November   Australia def.   Leigh 31–4 Hilton Park, Leigh 2,607
13 13 November   St. Helens def.   Australia 11–7 Knowsley Road, St Helens 10,013
14 18 November   Australia def.   Featherstone Rovers 18–3 Post Office Road, Featherstone 5,659
15 24 November   Australia def.   Great Britain 14–6 Headingley, Leeds 16,674
16 1 December   Australia def.   Great Britain 15–5 Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington 10,019

References

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  1. ^ a b Raymond Fletcher; David Howes (1995). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1995-1996. London: Headline Book Publishing. p. 191. ISBN 0-7472-7817-2.
  2. ^ "Bradford Bulls History". Archived from the original on 2009-04-25. Retrieved 2009-08-07.
  3. ^ "1973-74 Season summary". Archived from the original on 2009-08-27. Retrieved 2009-08-08.
  4. ^ "Victory parade for Wolves players". BBC News. UK: BBC. 30 August 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2010.
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