New South Wales Rugby Football League season 1948
| 1948 New South Wales Rugby Football League | |
|---|---|
| Teams | 10 |
| Premiers |
 Western Suburbs (3rd title) |
| Minor premiers |
Western Suburbs (2nd title) |
| Matches played | 94 |
| Points scored | 2829 |
| Top points scorer(s) |
 Jack Lindwall (101) |
| Top try-scorer(s) |
 Norm Jacobson (27) |
The 1948 NSWRFL season was the forty-first New South Wales Rugby Football League premiership season, Sydney’s top-level rugby league football competition, and Australia’s first. The teams remained unchanged from the previous season, with ten clubs from across the city contesting the premiership during the season which culminated in Western Suburbs’ victory over Balmain in the grand final.
When Balmain’s young stars of 1946 and 1947 Pat Devery and Harry Bath left for big money offers in England it seemed doubtful that the Tigers would be able to continue their run of success. However Balmain gave themselves every chance to achieve their third title in a row and made it through to the Grand Final match up against Wests.
In Balmain’s preliminary final match up with St George, Balmain winger Arthur Patton refused to leave the field whilst injured as the Tigers held on to win 13–12. At game’s end it was found that he had a broken leg.
After rainy conditions the Grand Final was played on a soft Sydney Sports Ground surface. The Tigers led the game until the final quarter when a 40-metre run by Wests’ second rower Kevin Hansen saw him tackled right on the tryline. The referee awarded the try and Wests held an 8–5 break until full-time to record their third premiership win.
Western Suburbs Magpies 8 (Tries: Hudson, Hansen. Goals: Keato)
defeated
Balmain Tigers 5 (Tries: Bourke. Goals: Bourke)
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