1956–57 Northern Rugby Football League season

1956–57 Rugby Football League season
League	Northern Rugby Football League
Champions	Oldham
League Leaders	Oldham
Top point-scorer(s)	Lewis Jones 496
Top try-scorer(s)	Billy Boston 60
← 1955–56 1957–58 →

The 1956–57 Rugby Football League season was the 62nd season of rugby league football.

Oldham finished the regular season as the league leaders and then won their fourth Rugby Football League Championship when they beat Hull F.C. 15-14 in the play-off final.

The Challenge Cup winners were Leeds who beat Barrow 9-7 in the final.^[1]

Oldham won the Lancashire League, and Leeds won the Yorkshire League. Oldham beat St. Helens 10–3 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Wakefield Trinity beat Hunslet 23–5 to win the Yorkshire County Cup.

Lewis Jones' record total of 496 points was only bettered in 2024 by Max Jowitt, who scored 500 in Wakefield Trinity's successful Championship campaign.

Leeds beat Barrow 9-7 in the Challenge Cup Final played at Wembley Stadium before a crowd of 76,318.

This was Leeds’ eighth Challenge Cup Final win in ten Final appearances.^[2][3] Jeff Stevenson, their scrum half back, was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for his man-of-the-match performance.

October until December also saw the appearance of the Australian team in England on their 1956–57 Kangaroo Tour. Other than the three test Ashes series against Great Britain (won 2–1 by Australia), The Kangaroos played 16 matches against club and county representative sides.^[4]

The Kangaroos were captain-coached by St George Dragons hooker Ken Kearney.

game	Date	Result	Venue	Attendance
1	10 October	Australia def. Liverpool City 40–12	Knotty Ash Stadium, Liverpool	4,712
2	13 October	Leeds def. Australia 18–13	Headingley, Leeds	24,459
3	15 October	Australia def. Hull F.C. / Hull KR XIII 37–14	The Boulevard, Hull	17,172
4	18 October	Australia def. Barrow 25–11	Craven Park, Barrow-in-Furness	9,988
5	20 October	Whitehaven def. Australia 14–11	Recreation Ground, Whitehaven	10,840
6	24 October	Australia def. Bradford Northern 23–11	Odsal Stadium, Bradford	2,743
7	27 October	Warrington def. Australia 21–17	Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington	15,613
8	29 October	Australia def. English League XIII 19–15	Hilton Park, Leigh	7,811
9	3 November	Australia def. York 20–18	Clarence Street, York	6,842
10	7 November	Oldham def. Australia 15–2	The Watersheddings, Oldham	8,458
11	10 November	Australia def. Huddersfield 20–10	Fartown Ground, Huddersfield	12,127
12	17 November	Great Britain def.  Australia 21–10	Central Park, Wigan	22,473
13	21 November	Australia def. Hunslet 27–11	Parkside, Hunslet	4,451
14	24 November	St Helens def. Australia 44–2	Knowsley Road, St Helens	15,579
15	1 December	Australia def.  Great Britain 22–9	Odsal Stadium, Bradford	23,634
16	5 December	Halifax def. Australia 6–3	Thrum Hall, Halifax	2,254
17	8 December	Australia def. Wigan 32–4	Central Park, Wigan	15,854
18	10 December	Wakefield Trinity def. Australia 17–12	Belle Vue, Wakefield	3,381
19	15 December	Great Britain def.  Australia 19–0	Station Road, Swinton	17,542

• 1956-57 Rugby Football League season at Wigan.rlfans.com
• The Challenge Cup at The Rugby Football League website