Souths wouldn't try to bankrupt the game to take it over....
Interesting when you look at at the facts....
By the start of the 1909 season, the NSWRL was in a dire financial crisis – its founding fathers, James Giltinan, Victor Trumper and 'Harry' Hoyle, all lost their positions.
Under the stewardship of North Sydney's Alexander Knox, the NSWRL convinced the clubs to forgo their gate receipts from matches, and hand it all over to the League.
It quickly became apparent to Knox that the only club attracting reasonable crowds was Balmain at Birchgrove Park. Consequently, Balmain were given a home game in almost every round.
As a result, they enjoyed great on-field success and climbed the premiership ladder. Balmain reached the Final against South Sydney.
However, as Souths had won the minor premiership by two points, the NSWRL play-offs system meant that Balmain had to beat them in the Final, and then beat them again in a second Final to claim the title. It seemed unlikely.
Balmain lobbied the NSWRL to schedule the Final at Wentworth Park, which was half-way between the two districts. The League refused, and put the match on at the Agricultural Ground – Souths home field.
Balmain's complaints were quickly overtaken by outside events when more than half of the 1908 Wallabies team suddenly defected to rugby league for a series of matches against the Kangaroos.
The Final was postponed indefinitely.
Knox publicly criticised the NSWRL officials who were involved in 'bringing-down' the NSWRU via paying huge sums to the Wallabies. Other officials did not see a problem with the League's actions, and Knox soon lost his position on the NSWRL.
Funded by entrepreneur James Joynton-Smith, the three 'Wallabies v Kangaroos' matches did not earn enough gate-money to fully cover his costs or those of the NSWRL. So a fourth game was arranged. To increase interest and gate-takings, the NSWRL scheduled the Final on the under-card.
Balmain were seemingly aggrieved at the demotion of importance of the Final, and asked the NSWRL to ensure it was played on a separate day. They also argued that their players' labour should not go towards paying money owed to Joynton-Smith and the NSWRL. The League refused and Balmain announced that they would not play.
On the day of the Final the Balmain players arrived outside the ground in the early afternoon, well before the scheduled kick-off time of 2 o’clock. They then picketed the entrance, endeavouring to convince patrons not to enter.
Despite very heavy rain and the protests of the Balmain footballers, enough of a crowd turned up to clear the debts of Joynton-Smith and the NSWRL. Balmain stuck to their word and did not appear on the field. Souths kicked off, picked up the ball and scored a try. The referee awarded them the match, and with it the 1909 premiership.
In the days that followed a public meeting was held at Balmain to decide what to do about challenging Souths being credited as premiers.
It then became apparent what Balmain had been trying to achieve. The first speaker at the meeting was North Sydney's Alexander Knox. He had convinced Balmain to forfeit the Final in the hope that the NSWRL would not earn enough money to pay off its debts or be able to reimburse Joynton-Smith.
With the NSWRL bankrupted, Balmain and Norths officials would lead the formation of a new rugby league body – one in which they, and not South Sydney and Easts, would be the dominant office-holders. With little hope of winning the premiership, Balmain felt they had more to gain by causing the NSWRL to collapse.
Further meetings were held, attempting to instigate legal proceedings and investigate forming a new League, but they eventually stalled.
In the opening round of the 1910 competition, the NSWRL scheduled a 're-match' between Souths and Balmain at Birchgrove Park to appease the local supporters.
'The Balmainiacs' responded by establishing a record crowd for a NSWRL club match of over 5,000. The home team though were beaten 13–5 in a very tough and physical encounter.
The Referee thought it necessary to praise the Birchgrove crowd for their behaviour, offering: "Naturally they like to see their favourites win, and what district does not? In the present instance, however, their team had to play second fiddle, but as sports they took the defeat in good spirit, and liberally applauded the visitors".
At the first NSWRL meeting of 1910, Norths' Alexander Knox was banned from rugby league for life.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1909_NSWRFL_season
