1944–45 Yorkshire Cup

The 1944–45 Yorkshire Cup was the 37th occasion on which the Yorkshire Cup competition had been held.

The Second World War was continuing and the Yorkshire Cup remained in the early part of the 1944–45 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season calendar

Halifax won the trophy by beating Hunslet in a two-legged final by an aggregate score of 14-3.

Hunslet played the first leg match at home (at Parkside, Hunslet, Leeds, now in West Yorkshire) and lost 3-12. The attendance was 11,213 and receipts were £744. Halifax were at home (at Thrum Hall) for the second leg match and duly won 2-0. The attendance at the second leg match was 9,800 and receipts £745.

Change in Club participation
Hull Kingston Rovers – The club dropped out of the wartime Lancashire league after the ‘first (1939–40) season. They did not return to league competition until 1945–46 peacetime season.

Bramley – withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not rejoin until the 1945–46 season.

Castleford – withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not participate for two seasons, re-joining for this 1944–45 season.

Hunslet – withdrew after the third wartime season (1941–42) had finished and did not participate for one season, and re-joined in time for the 1943–44 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season

Wigan - This club entered the Yorkshire Cup competition for the fifth successive season

Oldham - The club, as Wigan, also entered the  Yorkshire Cup competition and for the fifth successive season

St. Helens - The club, as Wigan and Oldham, also entered the Yorkshire Cup competition and for their third successive season

Barrow – withdrew after the end of the first (1939–40) season finished and did not rejoin the league, including the  Yorkshire Cup until the  1943–44 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season.

Dewsbury - had a relatively successful time during the war years. Managed by Eddie Waring, and with the side boosted by the inclusion of a number of big-name guest players, the club won the Wartime Emergency League in 1941–42 and again the following season 1942–43 (though that championship was declared null and void when it was discovered they had played an ineligible player). They were also runners-up in the Championship in 1943–44, Challenge Cup winners in 1943 and Yorkshire Cup final appearances in this season 1940–41 and winners in 1942–43.

Background
This season there were no junior/amateur clubs taking part, Castleford rejoined after two seasons' absence, and with the Lancashire presence with the quartet of Wigan, Oldham, St. Helens and Barrow, this increased the entries by one, bringing the total up to seventeen.

This in turn resulted in no byes in the first round, and also the addition of one fixture in a preliminary round.

For the third successive year all the ties (this season including the actual final) were played on a two-legged home and away basis.

Preliminary round – first leg
Involved 1 match and 2 clubs

The preliminary round tie was played on a two-legged home and away basis

Preliminary round – second leg
Involved 1 match and 2 clubs

All first round ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Round 1 – first leg
Involved 8 matches (with no byes) and 16 clubs

All first round ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Round 1 – second leg
Involved 8 matches (with no byes) and 16 clubs

All first round ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Round 2 – quarterfinals – first leg
Involved 4 matches and 8 clubs

All second round ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Round 2 – second leg
Involved 4 matches and 8 clubs

All second round ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Round 3 – semifinals – first leg
Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs

Both semi-final ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

Semifinal – second leg
Involved 2 matches and 4 clubs

Both semi-final ties are played on a two-legged home and away basis

First leg
The final was played on a two-legged home and away basis this season. Receipts for the first leg were £744.

Second leg
Halifax won the Yorkshire Cup with an aggregate score of 14–3. Receipts for the second leg were £745.