1960-1969 | Balmain Tigers 1908

1960 - 1969

1960

Balmain are among teams finish equal second on the competition ladder on 22 points, some six points behind minor premiers St George. The final round loss to Saints, 13-9 at the SCG, cost the Tigers outright second place on the ladder.
After an exhaustive series of play-offs to determine the top four teams, Balmain miss out altogether with successive losses to Wests, 28-10, and Canterbury, 18-7.
Both of the club’s lower grade teams make their respective grand finals, with Reserve Grade beaten by Manly, 17-6, while Third Grade won their sixth premiership in 12 years when they defeated Manly 14-7.
Balmain captain Keith Barnes leads NSW and Australia against the visiting Frenchmen. At the end of the season, Barnes captains Australia in the World Cup competition in England.

Finish: 5th of ten teams
Most Games: Ron Mack (20 games)
Most points: Keith Barnes (122 points – 61 goals)
Most tries: Bob Mara (15 tries)
Representative players:
Australia: Keith Barnes
NSW: Keith Barnes

1961

Harry Bath returns to the club that had given him his start in Sydney in the 1940s when he signs on as manager-coach of the Tigers after a successful career with St George and in England. Bath is sole selector of the Tigers’ first grade squad.
Balmain’s opening match of the season, the 21-19 win over Norths at North Sydney Oval, is the first to be televised live into Sydney households.
After conceding more than 160 points in six consecutive losses, the Tigers strike form to finish third on the competition ladder.
Balmain defeat Manly in the minor semi-final, 10-5, but are edged out by grand final-bound Wests in the final, 7-5.
In a tragic postscript to the season, promising young forward Don Amos dies after playing for his club during a tour to Brisbane.

Finish: 3rd of ten teams.
Most Games: Laurie Fagan, Harry Raven (20 games)
Most points: Keith Barnes (106 points – 53 goals)
Most tries: Ron Mack (12 tries)
Representative players:
NSW: Bill Bischoff

1962

The pre-season competition begins with Balmain winning one, drawing one and losing two of its four matches.
Balmain start the season with a rousing 25-17 win over premiers St George at the SCG but its all downhill from there. At one stage it looks as though the wooden spoon may return to the club for the first time in fifty years but late-season wins over Norths and Parramatta leaves the club finish in eighth place.
The Tigers are captained by halfback Bill Bischoff, the son of the great 1930s clubman of the same name, in the absence of the injured Keith Barnes.
Considering the club’s poor season, halfback Laurie Fagan plays for NSW against Queensland and the vising Great Britain team. He is later awarded a new car as the Sun Herald Player of the Year.
Keith Barnes captains Australia in the Second Test of the Ashes series in Brisbane.

Finish: 8th of ten teams.
Most Games: Bob Boland (18 games)
Most points: Keith Barnes (72 points – 36 goals)
Most tries: Bob Mara (9 tries)
Representative players:
Australia: Keith Barnes
NSW: Laurie Fagan

1963

Balmain are undefeated in four rounds of the pre-season competition before defeating Manly, 4-2, in the semi-final. Their run ends in the final against St George, however, 17-6, at the Sydney Sports Ground.
The Tigers return to finals football when the club’s finishes third behind St George and Wests. In the minor semi-final against Parramatta, a freak try scored by Ron Lynch off a rebounding ball from a failed penalty goal attempt, sunk the Tigers’ season, 9-7.
Peter Provan, the younger brother of St George captain-coach Norm Provan, makes his Test debut against the visiting Kiwis team.
Although Balmain captain Keith Barnes captains NSW and wins several ‘player of the year’ awards, the veteran fullback is overlooked for Test duty that year.

Finish: 4th of ten teams.
Most Games: Bill Bischoff, Bob Boland, Dick Wilson (19 games)
Most points: Keith Barnes (122 points – 4 tries, 55 goals)
Most tries: Dick Quinn (9 tries)
Representative players:
Australia: Peter Provan
NSW: Keith Barnes, Dick Wilson.

1964

Queenslander Ron Clothier, in his first season at the club, is Balmain’s sole rep that year when he debuts for NSW.
Clubmen Harry Raven, Bob Boland, Laurie Fagan and Bob Mara all surpass 100 grade games that season. Conversely, 18-year-old lock Dennis Tutty makes his debut in the club’s quarter-final win over Newtown in the State Cup competition.
After a strong first round of matches and a five-match winning streak later in the season, Balmain finish third on the ladder behind St George and Parramatta.
The Tigers prevail against Norths, 11-9, in the minor semi-final and then avenge the previous year’s loss to Parramatta, winning 16-7 in the final.
In a tense grand final, St George win their ninth consecutive premiership with an 11-6 win over a gallant Balmain. All of Balmain’s points come from the boot of ‘Golden Boots’ Keith Barnes.

Finish: Runner-up of ten teams.
Most Games: Bill Bischoff, George Piper (21 games).
Most points: Keith Barnes (72 points – 48 goals)
Most tries: Bob Mara (8 tries)
Representative players:
NSW: Ron Clothier

1965

The Tigers sign Great Britain international Dave Bolton.
Balmain finish the season in fifth place, one point out of the final four. Not even a last-round, 13-7 win over Souths could force the Tigers’ way into the finals.
A worrying aspect for the club was Balmain’s to score points that year – only 27 tries are scored with winger Dick Quinn top-scoring with just four tries. In comparison, premiers St George score 89 tries, including eleven in the 41-0 romp against the Tigers.
The club’s Reserve Grade team, coach by Leo Nosworthy and captained by Jack Danzey, defeat St George 9-7 in the grand final.
At the end of the season, Balmain undertakes a successful tour of New Zealand and enjoy good wins against the Otahuhu, Marist Brothers and Auckland clubs.

Finish: 5th of ten teams.
Most Games: Bob Boland, Hal Browne (18 games).
Most points: Keith Barnes (90 points – 45 goals)
Most tries: Dick Quinn (4 tries)
Representative players:
NSW: Peter Jones

1966

Balmain take up the running for much of the competition with a club record eleven straight wins at the start of the season.
Fullback Keith Barnes kicks Australia to victory against Great Britain in the Second Test in Brisbane.
In the deciding Test of the Ashes series in Sydney, Balmain’s Arthur Beetson produces a brilliant first half performance as Australia goes on to win the Ashes.
On 19 June, Balmain defeated St George 10-3 in the first Sunday ‘match of the day’ played at the SCG.
The following month, Balmain become the first club team to beat a touring Great Britain team when they win 9-8 midweek at the SCG.
St George win a tense major semi-final, 10-2, but Balmain qualify for the grand final with an 8-5 win over Manly.
Saints win their eleventh consecutive grand final when they beat Balmain 23-4.

Finish: Runner-Up of ten teams.
Most Games: Peter Provan (21 games).
Most points: Keith Barnes (134 points – 67 goals)
Most tries: Hal Browne (7 tries)
Representative players:
Australia: Keith Barnes, Arthur Beetson
NSW: Arthur Beetson.

1967

The ‘four tackle rule’ is adopted, ending the ‘bash and barge’ era of unlimited tackle football.
Two new clubs join the League with Penrith and Cronulla-Sutherland pushing the NSWRL competition to 22 rounds.
The Tigers are undefeated in the pre-season competition and beat Manly, 11-10, in the final.
Dennis Tutty makes his Test debut in the First Test against the Kiwis.
Captain-coached by Keith Barnes, Balmain finish fifth in the expanded 1967 competition and just miss the finals. This season also marks the end of St George’s phenomenal run of grand final wins when they lose to Canterbury in the final.
Bob Boland celebrates 200 grade games when he leads Reserve Grade to a 11-7 win over Souths in the grand final. Boland then signs on as captain-coach of Penrith.

Finish: 5th of twelve teams.
Most Games: Sid Williams (22 games).
Most points: Len Killeen (93 points – 5 tries, 38 goals and a field goal)
Most tries: Jack Spencer, Kevin Yow Yeh (7 tries)
Representative players:
Australia: Dennis Tutty
NSW: Garry Leo.

1968

Keith Barnes retires at the end of 1967 but after a slow start to the 1968 season, the veteran fullback returns to the field for the Round 5 win against Newtown.
Former Queensland forward Arthur Beetson stars in Australia’s World Cup victory at home.
The Tigers take part in five Saturday ‘match of the day’ fixtures that year – two against Souths and St George, and a 28-13 win over eventual grand finalists Manly late in the season.
The 18-17 loss to Penrith in August sees a resurgent Balmain team miss the finals by a single competition point. To add salt into the wounds, former Tigers winger Bob Mara kicks the winning field goal for Penrith.
On 25 August, veteran captain-coach Keith Barnes is chaired from Leichhardt Oval after leading the Tigers to a 23-8 win against Norths in his final match.

Finish: 5th of twelve teams.
Most Games: Peter Provan (22 games).
Most points: Len Killeen (152 points – 8 tries, 64 goals)
Most tries: George Ruebner (11 tries)
Representative players:
Australia: Arthur Beetson
NSW: Arthur Beetson, George Ruebner, Allan Fitzgibbon

1969

Coached by Leo Nosworthy, the Tigers open the season with a shock 16-7 win over defending premiers Souths.
Balmain finish the season just two points behind Souths on the competition table. In the major semi-final, Arthur Beetson is sent off before a late penalty goal by Eric Simms gives Souths a 14-13 win.
In the preliminary final against Manly the following week, a late try to winger George Ruebner sees Balmain snatch a 15-14 win to qualify for the grand final.
Captained by Peter Provan in his final match, Balmain defeat Souths 11-2 in the grand final. While the Tigers ‘stop-start’ tactics come in for some criticism, replacement winger Syd Williams scores the only try of the match to seal the win. Dave Bolton’s two field goals also help.
Len Killeen sets a new club point-scoring record with 207 points for the season.

Finish: FIRST of twelve teams.
Most Games: Garry Leo (25 games).
Most points: Len Killeen (207 points – 9 tries, 84 goals and 6 field goals)
Most tries: Paul Cross (10 tries)
Representative players:
NSW: John Spencer

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