The 1914 season was the sixth season of Auckland Rugby League since its formation in 1909. It followed the 1913 Auckland Rugby League season where North Shore Albions were crowned senior champions for the first time. The senior grade saw the addition of Otahuhu Rovers, who had previously competed in the lower grades only, and Grafton Athletic. The Manukau Rovers and Eden Ramblers no longer contributed teams. The first grade was won once again by North Shore Albions.
At a meeting of Auckland Rugby League on 9 May it was decided that the proceeds of ticket sales at club games would be split 50–50 between the teams and Auckland Rugby League. [1] Interest in the competition continued to grow with 5,000 attending the 3 senior matches played at Victoria Park on 20 June. [2] There were 3,000 in attendance at the North Shore Albions game versus City Rovers in the Round 8 clash at the Devonport Domain. [3] While 4,000 attended the Round 9 match between City Rovers and Ponsonby United at Victoria Park. [4] There were 7,000 spectators for the final between North Shore Albions and Ponsonby United. [5]
Whilst attendances were spectacular at times there were still signs that the competition was in its infancy with teams often playing one or more men short. The worst case being in the Round 9 match where Newton Rangers could only field eight players, with two spectators from the crowd later joining them as they were defeated by 43 points to 2 by North Shore Albions. [4]
Near the conclusion of the season a match was played at Victoria Park between a team of veterans and Auckland colts on 29 August. It raised £27 and 10 shillings for the Patriotic Fund. Also a "Patriotic Carnival" was held on 5 September. A fancy dress carnival paraded around town with Highland pipers and a brass band. It proceeded to the Auckland Domain where a 3rd grade match was being played between Remuera and Ponsonby United 3rd Grade teams, and a ‘Burlesque’ football game was then played. Finally a match was played between the North Island Jockeys and Newton 3rd grade team which the jockey's won 11–6. £49 was raised for the Patriotic Fund. [6]
Team | 1st Grade | 2nd Grade | 3rd Grade | 4th Grade | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Otahuhu Rovers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
North Shore Albions | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Ponsonby United | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
City Rovers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Newton Rangers | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Grafton Athletic | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
Manukau | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
Sunnyside | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
Remuera United | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Total | 6 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 35 |
Teams which fielded sides in lower grades were the Northcote Ramblers, Hobsonville Pirates, Sunnyside (based in Devonport), Remuera United and Manukau. The Sunnyside and Remuera United clubs were both new. [7] The Sunnyside club would later amalgamate with North Shore Albions and form the Devonport United club, which later reverted back to the North Shore Albions name. While Remuera fielded sides in 1914 and 1915 before the war wrecked their playing ranks. They reformed again in 1927 but only lasted until the end of the 1929 season.
The Auckland representative campaign got underway with a match versus the touring England team where the home side lost. However the Auckland Rugby League made over £500 from the 13,000 in attendance. They also received £200 in gate takings from the match with Wellington at Victoria Park. [8]
After three weeks of practice in inclement weather the competition commenced on 16 May.
The standings include the final between North Shore and Ponsonby won by North Shore by 13 points to 2.
Team | Pld | W | D | L | F | A | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Shore Albions | 10 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 135 | 38 | 17 |
Ponsonby United | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 102 | 58 | 15 |
City Rovers | 9 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 108 | 65 | 10 |
Grafton Athletic | 9 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 75 | 115 | 6 |
Newton Rangers | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 55 | 148 | 5 |
Otahuhu | 9 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 64 | 115 | 3 |
Otahuhu's beginning to senior rugby league got off to an inauspicious start when they began their match with just nine players. At halftime they were brought up to a full thirteen when substitutes arrived. Percy Williams who had previously represented Auckland at rugby union before being signed by Wigan where he played from 1910 to 1913 had returned to Auckland. He had played for New Zealand on their tour of Australia as a late addition mid tour. He turned out for the City Rovers and played his debut match against Otahuhu. Bill Walsh debuted for Ponsonby but broke a bone in his foot. For Grafton, Alan Douglas Gibbs Dawson debuted for them at fullback. He had been a successful athlete at Auckland Grammar School and a member of the College Rifles rugby club before switching to rugby league. He played 4 matches for Grafton during the year and in 1915 enlisted in the war. He was killed on April 25 (ANZAC DAY), 1915 at Gallipoli.
16 May | North Shore | 3–3 | Ponsonby | North Shore | ||
3:00 | Try: Stan Walters | [9] | Try: Thomas McClymont | Referee: Archie Ferguson |
16 May | Newton | 12–9 | Grafton | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: Joe Bennett, Cross Con: R Clark Pen: Len Farrant, Ike Healey | [9] | Try: Karl Ifwersen Con: Karl Ifwersen Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 | Referee: Dick Benson |
16 May | Otahuhu | 5–25 | City | Otahuhu | ||
3:00 | Try: Arthur Hardgrave Pen: George Cook | [9] | Try: G Rogers 3, Albert Asher, G Warner, unknown x 2 Con: Ernie Asher, G Warner | Referee: Tom Fielding |
After the injury to Bill Walsh, the New Zealand international, Charles Webb, was called back in to service in his old position at halfback for Ponsonby. He had been a spectator in round 1. Bizarrely Len Farrant kicked 3 goals for City against his own Newton side that he played for in the week prior and would play for again later in the season. There was nothing around a transfer or transfer request in the newspapers.
23 May | North Shore | 14–4 | Grafton | North Shore | ||
3:00 | Try: Hec Wynyard, Stan Weston, Ernie Bailey, Stan Walters Con: George Seagar | [10] | Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 | Referee: Dick Benson |
23 May | City | 16–0 | Newton | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: G Rogers, Harold Denize Con: Len Farrant 2 Pen: Ernie Asher, Len Farrant, Don Kenealy | [10] | Referee: Archie Ferguson |
23 May | Otahuhu | 4–13 | Ponsonby | Otahuhu 1 | ||
3:00 | Pen: Arthur Hardgrave 2 | [10] | Try: Charles Webb, Pipseale, unknown x 1 Pen: Charles Webb, Charles Savory | Referee: John Eddowes |
Edward Fox scored a try on full time to win the game for North Shore over City 8-6 at the Auckland Domain. Sixteen years later the premier club trophy in Auckland would be named after him. Ernie Asher scored all of City's points through kicks at goal. It was noted in the Auckland Star that Asher had been jeered when he took shots for goal by sections of the crowd which numbered in the thousands and which also encroached on the field several times. Towards the end of the match after Fox's try the crowd were inciting the players and rough play resulted with two players sent off. The newspaper reports had brought up the lack of any fencing being an issue at these matches which were drawing large crowds at the Domain and Victoria Park each week. The two players ordered off and another from another senior match were not named and were let off with warnings.
30 May | North Shore | 8-6 | City | Auckland Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: Jim Griffin, Edward Fox Con: Jack Paul | [11] | Pen: Ernie Asher 2 Drop: Ernie Asher | Attendance: 2500 Referee: Archie Ferguson |
30 May | Ponsonby | 19–5 | Grafton | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: Charles Savory 2, A Cross, Frank McWhirter, D Corby Pen: Charles Webb, A Cross | [11] | Try: Austin Pen: Karl Ifwersen | Referee: Tom Fielding |
30 May | Otahuhu | 10–10 | Newton | Otahuhu | ||
3:00 | Try: George Cook 2 Con: George Cook Pen: George Cook | [11] | Try: Charles Brockliss, Adelbert Tobin Con: Adelbert Tobin 2 | Referee: F Tyson |
The City v Ponsonby game was notable for the constant penalties awarded by referee Dick Benson. The Auckland Star reported apologised in their piece for the "monotony" of their report. There were 8 penalty goals kicked and numerous other attempts missed along with several shots for goal from marks. In the end the two tries City scored were the difference over Ponsonby's one, winning 16-13. Grafton secured their first ever senior grade win, with Karl Ifwersen scoring all of their 12 points from 2 tries, 2 conversions and a penalty. The league was providing an official matchday program for sale at the games for three pence, however it was complained that the players were taking the field without numbers making the team lists near useless. Cecil Louis Walker debuted for Grafton, playing in the forwards. He played 6 matches for them through the season and enlisted in the war effort. He was killed in action at the Somme, France on 16 September, 1916 aged 28.
6 June | City | 16–13 | Ponsonby | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: Harold Denize, Frederick Mansell Con: Ernie Asher Pen: Ernie Asher 3 (and 1 mark) | [12] | Try: Charles Savory Con: Charles Savory Pen: Charles Savory 2, Charles Webb 2 | Attendance: 2000 Referee: Dick Benson |
6 June | North Shore | 18–0 | Newton | Devonport Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: George Seagar 2, Stan Walters, Percy Pullen Con: Stan Walters, Percy Pullen Drop: Jack Paul | [13] | Referee: Tom Fielding |
6 June | Grafton | 12–10 | Otahuhu | Auckland Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: Karl Ifwersen 2 Con: Karl Ifwersen 2 Pen: Karl Ifwersen | [14] | Try: Charles Hally, George Cook Con: J Stockman Pen: unknown x 1 | Referee: Archie Ferguson |
In the match between Grafton and City both Albert Asher (City) and Bob Mitchell (Grafton) were ordered off midway through the second half. William Ernest Fincham, a former Taranaki league representative scored a try for Grafton. He had played for Taranaki against Auckland in 1911. It was after referee William Wynyard had awarded Fincham's try that he saw the two players (Albert Asher and Bob Mitchell) "strangling each other". Mitchell was a former City player. At the time the crowd was also said to be "completely out of control". Both players denied doing anything wrong though Mitchell had suggested that it was apparent throughout the match that his former team mates were out for him. Both players were severely cautioned during the following week. Sam Lowrie scored his first ever try for Ponsonby. He had been named in their squads for several weeks but it was the first confirmation that he had actually taken the field. He would go on to play for New Zealand and be one of New Zealand's outstanding hookers in its early decades. His grand nephew was Jason Lowrie who also represented New Zealand.
13 June | Grafton | 14–10 | City | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: Karl Ifwersen, William Fincham Con: Karl Ifwersen Pen: Karl Ifwersen 3 | [15] | Try: Charles Woolley, G Warner Con: Ernie Asher 2 | Referee: William Wynyard |
13 June | Ponsonby | 17–3 | Newton | Auckland Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: D Corby, Sam Lowrie, Charles Webb Con: Charles Webb Pen: A Cross, Charles Webb 2 | [16] | Try: Bob Biggs | Referee: Frank Tyson |
13 June | Otahuhu | 5–15 | North Shore | Otahuhu | ||
3:00 | Try: George Cook Pen: Arthur Hardgrave | [17] | Try: Percy Pullen 2, W McDonald Con: George Seagar 3 | Referee: John Eddowes |
Karl Ifwersen received an injury to his jaw the previous week but played in round 6 only to injure the area again. A trip to the doctor revealed that it had been dislocated. A crowd of 5,000 packed into Victoria Park to see the matches. It was a charge day for the Auckland rugby league and they made an estimated 100 pounds. The fields were also fenced which kept the spectators off the field for the first time in many weeks.
20 June | Ponsonby | 2–0 | North Shore | Victoria Park 1 | ||
3:00 | Pen: A Cross | [18] | Attendance: 5000 Referee: Archie Ferguson |
20 June | Newton | 15–4 | Grafton | Victoria Park 2 | ||
3:00 | Try: R Rope 2, J Allen, Joe Bennett, Cross | [19] | Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 | Attendance: 5000 Referee: Tom Fielding |
20 June | City | 5–3 | Otahuhu | Victoria Park 3 | ||
3:00 | Try: G Rogers Pen: G Warner | [19] | Try: George Cook | Attendance: 5,000 Referee: Leonard Nield |
George Gillett was granted a transfer from the Newton Rangers (where he was a life member) to the Ponsonby United club. The transfer needed the casting vote of the chairman before it was confirmed. He debuted for Ponsonby in their match with Otahuhu. Charles James Hally scored for Otahuhu in their 13-9 loss to Ponsonby. He enlisted in the war effort the following year and was killed at Gallipoli on July 26, 1915. Barnard Longbottom scored for Ponsonby. He would go on to become a prominent official for Ponsonby and Auckland Rugby League throughout the 1910s, 20s, and 30s.
27 June | Ponsonby | 13–9 | Otahuhu | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: unknown x 1, Charles Savory, Barnard Longbottom Con: A Cross Pen: A Cross | [20] | Try: Charles Hally Pen: Arthur Hardgrave 3 | Referee: Archie Ferguson |
27 June | City | 21–8 | Newton | Auckland Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: Albert Asher, G Rogers, Frederick Mansell, Charles Woolley, Harold Denize Con: Ernie Asher 2 Pen: Ernie Asher (mark) | [21] | Try: J Allen, Bob Biggs Pen: Joe Bennett | Referee: F Tyson |
27 June | North Shore | 12–7 | Grafton | Devonport Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: George Seagar, Hec Wynyard Con: Jack Paul Pen: Jack Paul 2 | [22] | Try: Karl Ifwersen Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 | Referee: E. Dempsey |
The match between North Shore and City was originally scheduled to take place at Victoria Park but was transferred to the Devonport Domain. The crowd of over 2 to 3,000 was said to have been the biggest crowd ever seen at the ground. The match was 'gated' and the league profited by around 25 pounds. The home team won 9 points to 7 thanks to a try to Stan Walters and 3 goals kicked by Jack Paul. Otahuhu won their first game of the season defeating Newton 10-5 at Victoria Park.
4 July | North Shore | 9–7 | City | Devonport Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: Stan Walters Con: Jack Paul Pen: Jack Paul 2 | [23] | Try: R Burns Pen: Ernie Asher 2 | Attendance: 3000 Referee: Dick Benson |
4 July | Otahuhu | 10-5 | Newton | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: Montrose Stanaway, George Cook Con: George Cook Pen: Montrose Stanaway | [24] | Try: Ike Healey Drop: Nia Hira | Referee: G Whitley |
4 July | Ponsonby | 15–3 | Grafton | Auckland Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: Bernard Longbottom, Charles Savory, Thomas McClymont, D Corby, Beecham | [25] | Try: P Owen | Referee: Tom Fielding |
In the match between Otahuhu and Grafton, Montrose (Monty) Stanaway, the Otahuhu captain was ordered off the field by referee Tyson for disputing a decision. He was the younger brother of Alex Stanaway and Jack Stanaway. The match between North Shore and Newton was a farce with Newton only mustering 8 players. Two of the spectators joined the Newton team who were being trounced and the match finished 43 to 2 in favour of North Shore. The newspapers did not bother recording the point scorers though they did mention that the Shore side gave everybody in the team a chance to kick for goal.
11 July | Ponsonby | 5–2 | City | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: Jim Clark Pen: Charles Webb (mark) | [26] | Pen: Ernie Asher | Attendance: 4,000 Referee: Archie Ferguson |
11 July | Otahuhu | 8–17 | Grafton | Otahuhu | ||
3:00 | Try: George Cook, Arthur Hardgrave Pen: Montrose Stanaway | [27] | Try: Bob Mitchell, Karl Ifwersen 2 Con: Karl Ifwersen 3 Pen: Karl Ifwersen | Referee: F Tyson |
11 July | North Shore | 43–2 | Newton | Auckland Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: unknown x ? Con: unknown x ? | [28] | Pen: unknown x 1 | Referee: Dick Benson |
A record crowd of 7,000 packed the Victoria Park sidelines with a sum of 300 pounds taken at the gates for the final which was a record for club games in Auckland. Ernie Bailey, one of the North Shore forwards dislocated his shoulder 15 minutes before full time but played on. Ponsonby played George Gillett at an extremely wide first five position which was criticised as they would indulge in long passing but make little progress, or else Gillett would kick too often. Beecham played out of position on the wing partly due to Ponsonby playing an extra back as they had the week prior.
18 July | North Shore | 13-2 | Ponsonby | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: Hec Wynyard, Edward Fox, Stan Weston Con: Jack Paul 2 | [29] | Pen: Charles Webb | Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Dick Benson |
None of the North Shore point scorers from their farcical Round 9 match with Newton Rangers were credited and therefore the following lists will be inaccurate as 43 points were scored by them. Of note in the point scoring lists is the prodigious scoring of Karl Ifwersen with 63 points. Indeed, Grafton only scored 75 points in total meaning he in all probability scored the highest percentage of team points in Auckland Rugby League history.
Rank | Player | Team | Games | Tries | Con | Pen | Mark | DG | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Karl Ifwersen | Grafton | 9 | 7 | 7 | 14 | - | - | 63 |
2 | George Cook | Otahuhu | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 29 |
3 | Ernie Asher | City | 9 | - | 6 | 8 | - | - | 28 |
4 | Charles Webb | Ponsonby | 9 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | - | 24 |
5 | Charles Savory | Ponsonby | 10 | 6 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 26 |
Rank | Player | Team | Games | Tries |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Karl Ifwersen | Grafton | 9 | 7 |
2 | George Cook | Otahuhu | 8 | 7 |
3 | G Rogers | City | 8 | 6 |
4 | Charles Savory | Ponsonby | 10 | 6 |
5 | Stan Walters | North Shore | 10 | 4 |
Whilst the draws were published in the New Zealand Herald and Auckland Star each Thursday, the results were only intermittently reported in the same newspapers on the Monday following games. On June 20 the Auckland Star gave the standings in all grades to that point so these tables have been pieced together from those standings and later reported results. As such the standings are incomplete though roughly accurate. Grades were made of the following teams with the winning team in bold.
Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers were awarded the second grade championship after August 8 as they were so far ahead of the trailing teams. Sunnyside defaulted their first match against Northcote and then withdrew from the competition. Northcote were given 2 competition points for the default but as no other side had the opportunity to play them those points were disallowed.
Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | F | A | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers | 10 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 102 | 53 | 18 |
North Shore Albions | 10 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 117 | 27 | 15 |
Newton Rangers | 9 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 64 | 43 | 14 |
Ponsonby United | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 26 | 5 |
City Rovers | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 26 | 51 | 4 |
Grafton Athletic | 8 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 29 | 90 | 2 |
Otahuhu Rovers | 9 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 36 | 106 | 2 |
Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | F | A | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ponsonby United | 13 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 82 | 15 | 24 |
Remuera United | 13 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 186 | 19 | 22 |
City Rovers | 10 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 82 | 41 | 14 |
Sunnyside A | 8 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 66 | 46 | 6 |
Manukau | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 45 | 53 | 6 |
Otahuhu Rovers | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 16 | 78 | 6 |
Newton Rangers | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 26 | 78 | 4 |
North Shore Albions | 6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 26 | 85 | 4 |
Hobsonville Pirates | 5 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 36 | 74 | 2 |
Sunnyside B | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 114 | 0 |
The fourth grade competition was terminated early owing to so many of its players enlisting in the military forces. City Rovers won the championship.
Team | Pld | W | D | L | B | F | A | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
City Rovers | 11 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 193 | 20 | 22 |
Otahuhu Rovers A | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 71 | 21 | 10 |
Newton Rangers | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 96 | 45 | 8 |
North Shore Albions | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 42 | 47 | 8 |
Remuera United | 9 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 31 | 43 | 8 |
Ponsonby United | 7 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 55 | 52 | 6 |
Sunnyside | 7 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 38 | 81 | 4 |
Manukau B | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 59 | 77 | 4 |
Grafton Athletic B | 5 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 58 | 4 |
Manukau A | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 23 | 41 | 2 |
Otahuhu Rovers B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6 | 57 | 1 |
Grafton Athletic A | 5 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 11 | 74 | 0 |
Auckland began the representative season with a match with the touring England side who were on their first ever tour of New Zealand. Film footage exists of the match and is archived on the New Zealand Archive of Film, television and Sound Ngā Taonga website. [30] Auckland was defeated 34–12 in front of 13,000 paying spectators at the Auckland Domain which allowed Auckland Rugby League to collect £519 and 2 shillings.
25 July | Auckland | 12–34 | England | Auckland Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: Charles Savory, Jim Clark Con: Karl Ifwersen Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 | [31] | Try: Stan Moorhouse 2, Billy Hall, Bert Jenkins, Johnny Rogers, Dick Ramsdale Con: Alf Wood 5 | Attendance: 13,000 Referee: Dick Benson |
8 August | Auckland | 29–10 | Waikato | Auckland Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: Joe Bennett, Jim Clark, Karl Ifwersen, Edward Fox, Stan Weston, Charles Savory, Charles Woolley Con: Ernie Asher 2, Charles Savory 2 | [32] | Try: Cook, Smith Pen: Henderson 2 | Referee: Richard Calthorpe |
8 August | Auckland B | 29–11 | Rotorua | Auckland Domain | ||
3:00 | Try: D Corby 3, Albert Asher, Harold Denize, George Warner, F Rogers Con: Albert Asher 2, Monty Stanaway, George Warner | [32] | Try: B Harp, M Johnson 2 Con: Rukingi Reke | Referee: Billy Murray |
15 August | Auckland | 35–4 | Taranaki | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: Joe Bennett, Charles Savory, Jim Clark, George Seagar, Stan Walters, Harry Fricker, Rukingi Reke Con: Charles Savory 6 Pen: Charles Savory | [33] | Pen: Gordon Hooker 2 | Attendance: 4,000 Referee: William Wynyard |
22 August | Auckland | 10–6 | Wellington | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Try: Leslie (Hec) Wynyard, Stan Weston Con: Charles Savory Pen: Charles Savory | [34] | Pen: George Bradley 2, Les Campbell | Attendance: 4000 Referee: Leonard Nield |
The following list includes the 4 matches that the Auckland A team played and excludes the Auckland B team match.
No | Name | Club Team | Play | Tries | Con | Pen | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Charles Savory | Ponsonby | 4 | 3 | 9 | 2 | 31 |
2 | Karl Ifwersen | Grafton | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 9 |
2 | Jim Clark | Ponsonby | 4 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 |
4 | Joe Bennett | Newton | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
4 | Stan Weston | North Shore | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
6 | Ernie Asher | City | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
7 | Charles Woolley | City | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
7 | Edward Fox | North Shore | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
7 | Stan Walters | North Shore | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
7 | George Seagar | North Shore | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
7 | Rukingi Reke | Rotorua | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
7 | Harry Fricker | Ponsonby | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
7 | Leslie Henry (Hec) Wynyard | North Shore | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
14 | Arthur Hardgrave | Otahuhu | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
14 | Thomas McClymont | Ponsonby | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
14 | J McDonald | Grafton | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
14 | A Cross | Ponsonby | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
14 | Bob Mitchell | Grafton | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
14 | Harold Hayward | Thames | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
14 | D Corby | Ponsonby | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
14 | Charles Webb | Ponsonby | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
14 | George Warner | City | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
14 | Harold Denize | City | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The Auckland Rugby League (ARL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in the Auckland Region of New Zealand. Founded in 1909, the ARL has played a pivotal role in the development and promotion of rugby league in Auckland and beyond.
The Auckland Rugby League competition has been competed for since 1909 when the first organised match was played between North Shore and City Rovers. The following year an official champion was crowned for the first time, namely the City Rovers club who won the 1910 1st Grade title and were one of the 4 original teams at that time. Over the following 110 years many team and individual trophies have been awarded. The following is a list of the clubs and individuals that they have been awarded to at the premier-grade level.
The 1914 New Zealand rugby league season was the seventh season of rugby league that had been played in New Zealand.
The 1912 Auckland Rugby League season was the 4th official year of the Auckland Rugby League. The season commenced on 11 May, with the start of the First Grade competition.
The 1913 Auckland Rugby League season was the 5th season of the Auckland Rugby league.
The 1915 season, and 7th of Auckland Rugby League saw the First Grade competition begin on 8 May featuring the same 6 senior clubs who had competed in 1914.
The 1916 Auckland Rugby League season was the 8th year of the organisation.
The 1917 Auckland Rugby League season was its 9th. Due to the large number of players now serving in the First World War it was agreed to relax transfer rules to allow players from stronger teams to join weaker teams to even the competition. It was noted how many men from various clubs had been killed in battle by the beginning of 1917. They were Cecil Walker, Doug Dawson, T Marshall, Charles Savory, Frank McWhirter, Graham Cook, N Vause, Victor McCollum, Alf Gault, T Lambert, E Tiernan, F Stubbs, W. G. Handle, B Hart, Frederick Gladding, A Powley, Chas Mann, William Moeki, G Jones, W Harris, Sam Magee, S Greer, Alan Miller, Charles Sinton, and Leslie O'Leary (Sunnyside). City Rovers had 'sent' ninety men to war by this time and twenty-one had been wounded and five killed. The Sunnyside club had only nine members left and one of those who had gone to the war said that in the trenches he had made a list of league players from various clubs which totaled 120. All three of the Sunnyside secretaries had enlisted and the executive was also gone. Ponsonby had also had over eighty of its members join the war effort.
The 1918 Auckland Rugby League season was its 10th since its inception in 1909. It was again severely affected by the ongoing war with several hundred players serving overseas and 44 killed who were named in the annual report. North Shore Albions withdrew from the competition early in the season and on other occasions teams played short-handed. There was also a truncated representative program with only a trial match and one full Auckland representative match versus Canterbury, which was played at the Auckland Domain in front of 10,000 spectators.
The 1919 season of the Auckland Rugby League was its 11th. It was the first season post World War I and unsurprisingly it saw a resurgence in playing numbers with 56 teams across the six grades. North Shore Albions who had previously dropped out of the senior competition again fielded a senior side. As did Otahuhu, who had dropped out during the 1917 season. Ponsonby United won their third consecutive first grade title, while Newton Rangers won the Roope Rooster trophy.
The Auckland Rugby League was in its 12th season.
The 1921 season of Auckland Rugby League was its 13th. Seventy two teams played across its six main grades.
The 1922 Auckland Rugby League was the 14th in its history. There were 68 teams playing across the various grades. City Rovers won the first grade championship for the 5th time, with Ponsonby winning the Roope Rooster for the 2nd time. City Rovers also defended the Challenge Shield, warding off efforts from Petone, Tongariro, and Huntly to lift it from them. The twenty two year old Bill Davidson set a record for points scored in an Auckland club rugby league season with 116 for City Rovers. He and his brothers Ben and their Olympic sprinting brother George between them scored 186 of City Rover's 339 points which was also a competition record for a team in a single season. City scored a further 19 points in the Roope Rooster competition and 85 points in their 3 Challenge Shield matches for 443 points in all official games.
The 1926 season of the Auckland Rugby League was its 17th.
The 1927 Auckland Rugby League season was its 18th. Newton defeated Ponsonby by 6 points to 3 in the championship final to win the Monteith Shield after both teams finished the season tied with identical 8 win, 1 draw, 3 loss records. This was the second time Newton had won the championship in 18 efforts, with the first being in 1912 and was to be their last after they merged decades later with City Rovers and the combined team ceased in the early 2000s. Richmond won the Roope Rooster knockout trophy for the second consecutive season. Newton Rangers defeated Richmond to win the Stormont Shield.
The 1928 Auckland Rugby League season was its 19th. Devonport United won the Senior A Championship for the first time under the Devonport United name, though they had won it twice before as North Shore Albions, before the North Shore merger with Sunnyside. Marist Old Boys won the Roope Rooster trophy for the first time. This was their second major trophy after winning the championship in 1924. They also went on to defeat Devonport to win the Stormont Shield.
The 1929 Auckland Rugby League season was its 20th. One of the key events of the season was the tour of the South Sydney side.
The 1931 Auckland Rugby League season was its 23rd.
The 1940 Auckland Rugby League season was its 32nd.
Edward Joseph Bennett was a New Zealand rugby league footballer. Bennett played in the second row position. He represented the New Zealand rugby league team in two test matches against England in 1920. In the process he became the 144th player to represent New Zealand. He also played for the Waiuku rugby club, and the Newton Rangers, and Grafton Athletic rugby league clubs. Bennett also represented the Auckland and North Island rugby league teams.