This was reported to be a particularly rough affair, Easts lost a player early in the match through injury, and two more players were severely concussed, Four were sent off for fighting, and a fifth, Easts captain Larry O'Malley was sent off for kicking.
Balmain15 (Walker 2, Edwards, Graves, Regent tries) defeated Eastern Suburbs8 (Lenton, Surridge tries; King goal) at the Wentworth Park Ground in front of around 3,000 spectators.
Balmain were never in any danger of defeat, both Easts tries came late in the match with Balmain already leading by 15 points.
Balmain: F. Wooley
• W. Smith
• A. Walker
• A. Latta
• A Fitzpatrick
• Arthur Halloway
• L. Edwards
• F. Woodward
• B. Graves
• J. Regent (c)
• F. Ward
• T. McFadyen
• J. Appoloney
Point analysis
Offence
The lowdown:Eastern Suburbs completed the following score options in the 1908 season:
Larry O'Malley became the second Australian captain to come from the Eastern Suburbs club.
Notes
Many of Eastern Suburbs leading players (particularly those who had gone away on the previous year's Kangaroo tour) had taken up contracts with English rugby league clubs . Missing much of the backend of the season. Excerpts from English rugby league club Warrington Wolves's 1909/10 yearbook show that Dan Frawley, Johno Stuntz and Larry O'Malley all played with that club in the 1909/10 English season. It also reveals that they had telegrammed Dally Messenger attempting to sign both he and Sid Pearce. Another Eastern Suburbs player, Albert Rosenfeld, signed with Huddlesfied where he became one of English rugby league greatest try scorers.
Dally Messenger took no part in 1909 Eastern Suburbs season.