The 1945–46 Rugby Football League season was the 51st season of rugby league football.
Season summary
Wigan won their fifth Championship when they defeated Huddersfield 13-4 in the play-off final. They had also finished the regular season as the league leaders.
The Challenge Cup Winners were Wakefield Trinity who defeated Wigan 13-12 in the final.
Bramley, Broughton Rangers, Hull Kingston Rovers, Liverpool Stanley, Rochdale Hornets, Salford, Swinton, Warrington and Widnes returned following the Second World War. Workington Town also entered a team for the first time.
Jim Sullivan of Wigan ended his career this season as the all-time record scorer of goals with 2,867.
Wigan won the Lancashire League, and Wakefield Trinity won the Yorkshire League.
Championship
TeamPldWDLPts1Wigan362925582Huddersfield362718553Wakefield Trinity3626010524Bradford Northern362439515Barrow3622410486Dewsbury3623013467Hunslet3621411468Salford3623013469Batley36214114610Warrington36213124511Castleford36220144412Widnes36193144113Featherstone Rovers36191163914Halifax36190173815Oldham36180183616Broughton Rangers36163173517Hull36162183418Hull Kingston Rovers36153183319Workington Town36150213020St. Helens36131222721Swinton3695222322Keighley3692252023Leeds3691261924Rochdale Hornets3691261925Bramley3690271826Liverpool Stanley3652291227York3641319
Play-offs
Final The Championship Play-off Final was played at Manchester City Football Club on Saturday 18 May.
WiganNumberHuddersfield Teams Jack Cunliffe1William LeakeBrian Nordgren2John AndersonGordon Ratcliffe3Alex FiddesErnie Ashcroft4Bill DaviesStan Jolley5Jeff BawdenReg Lowrey6Tom GrahameTommy Bradshaw7Glyn MorganGeorge Banks8Ken MallinsonJack Blan9Harold WhiteheadFrank Barton10Joe BradburyEddie Watkins11John AspinallHarry Atkinson12Leslie BaxterBilly Blan13Robert RobsonJim SullivanCoach
Challenge Cup
The final returned to Wembley following the end of the Second World War. Wakefield Trinity beat Wigan 13-12 in front of a crowd of 54,730. This was Wakefield Trinity’s second Challenge Cup Final win in three final appearances. Their centre, Billy Stott was awarded the inaugural Lance Todd Trophy for man-of-the-match.
County cups
Widnes beat Wigan 7–3 to win the Lancashire Cup, and Bradford Northern beat Wakefield Trinity 5–2 to win the Yorkshire Cup.
European Championship
The tri-nation tournament was played between November 1945 and March 1946 as single round robin games between England, France and Wales. This was the fifth Rugby League European Championship, and was won by England on points average.
Match Details
Date Venue Home team Score Away team 24 November 1945 Swansea Wales 11 - 3 England 23 February 1946 Swinton England 16 - 6 France 24 March 1946 Bordeaux France 19 - 7 Wales
References
Sources
1945–46 Rugby Football League season at wigan.rlfans.com The Challenge Cup at The Rugby Football League website