Ellerslie Eagles

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Ellerslie Eagles
Ellerslie Eagles.png
Club information
Full nameEllerslie Eagles Rugby League Football Club
ColoursRed / White / Navy Blue
Founded1912;112 years ago (1912)
Website www.facebook.com/EERLFC/timeline
Current details
Ground(s)
  • Ellerslie Domain
CoachTJ Atuahiva [1]
CaptainRobert Tamapeau
Competition Auckland Rugby League
Records
Premierships1957, 1974
Runners-up1972
Minor premierships 1957, 1972, 1974
Roope Rooster1955, 1956, 1959, 1968, 2004
Stormont Shield1955, 1959, 1968, 1974
Sharman Cup1949, 1981, 1986, 1991, 1992, 2002
Norton Cup 1925, 1927
Stallard Cup 1927

The Ellerslie Eagles are a rugby league club based in Ellerslie, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1912 and competes in Auckland Rugby League competitions. Its premier team competes in the Sharman cup. The club celebrated its centenary Queen's Birthday weekend, 2012.

Contents

History

1910s - 30s

The club was formed as the Ellerslie Wanderers at a meeting in April 1912 at the Ellerslie Hotel. However, with the outbreak of World War I in 1914 the club went into temporary recess for four years. [2]

The club was reestablished on 26 July 1919 as the Ellerslie United Rugby League Club. With its reestablishment, the club adopted the Red, Blue and White colours that it still currently uses. They didn't however field a team until August 28, 1920 in the fourth grade competition, which was nearing the end of the season at the time. They also fielded a third grade side in a friendly match with Kingsland Athletic on September 25.

In 1925 they won their first ever grade trophy by taking out the B Division.

The 1927 B Grade champion side. Ellerslie United rugby league 1927 champions of the Auckland rugby league B Grade.png
The 1927 B Grade champion side.

They won it again in 1927 and earned the right to play in the promotion relegation match with Grafton. They defeated them 11-3 and qualified to play in the A Grade (Monteith Shield - the forerunner to the Fox Memorial) for 1928. [3]

Ellerslie v Ponsonby on April 28, 1928. Ellerslie won 15 points to 8. Ellerslie v Ponsonby on April 28, 1928.png
Ellerslie v Ponsonby on April 28, 1928. Ellerslie won 15 points to 8.

In their first 1928 A grade match they upset Ponsonby 15-8 at Carlaw Park with tries by Davis, Allen, and Dance, and 3 conversions by Shand. They however finished in last place with a 3 win, 9 loss record. In 1929 they went win less but beat Point Chevalier 5-0 in the promotion-relegation match to remain in the top grade. [4] In 1930 they finished second to last with a 4-18 record. In 1931, at request of the Auckland Rugby League, an amalgamation of the Ellerslie, Otahuhu and Mangere clubs took place, but all plans of this merger were abandoned before the year ended. [2] Their short-lived merger with Otahuhu saw another last placed finish with a 1-1-10 record. The Auckland Rugby League decided at this point to reduce the number of first grade teams after concerns about the falling standard of play in recent seasons and Ellerslie were dropped from the top grade. They were not to regain a place in the Fox Memorial grade for several years.

1940s

In May, 1942 Mr. G. Chapman of the Ellerslie club was made a life member of the Auckland Rugby League due to his 30 years of service to the game in Auckland. [5]

1950s - 60s

The club had a golden period in the 1950s, claiming the 1955 Roope Rooster and Stormont Shield, the 1956 Roope Rooster, the 1957 Fox Memorial and Rukutai Shield and the 1959 Roope Rooster and Stormont Shield. The club also played against three clubs from the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, losing to the Balmain Tigers 35–7 in 1956, defeating the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 16–15 in 1958 and losing to the St. George Dragons 10–11 in 1959. [2]

During the 1960s the Auckland Rugby League instituted a districts programme and Ellerslie, City Newton and Eastern Suburbs combined to form Eastern Districts. The combination won almost every trophy between 1960 and 1963 before the clubs regained their separate identities. In 1968 the Pakuranga club was formed as a feeder club to Ellerslie. [2] Former New Zealand national rugby league team representative Maurie Robertson was appointed as coach in 1970.

1970s - present

The club officially adopted the Eagles name in 1971. [2] During the 1980s the club bounced between the first and second divisions, with Sharman Cup (second division) wins in 1981 and 1986. They again lifted the Sharman Cup in 1991 and 1992. The club was affiliated to the Auckland City Vulcans during the 1994 Lion Red Cup and joined the Eastern Tornadoes side with the advent of the Bartercard Cup in 2000. In 2004 the club left the Tornadoes to become part of the Otahuhu-Ellerslie Leopards side in the Bartercard Cup. [2]

The club celebrated its centenary on Queen's Birthday weekend 2012. [6]

Notable players

Ellerslie's best player ever is arguably Cyril Eastlake. [2] Other Kiwi representatives include Ivan Littlewood, Craddock Dufty (1930), Wally Somers, Brian Campbell, Bruce Castle, Gary Phillips, Graham Brown, Bruce Castle, Ken McCracken, Jim Patterson, Ray Sinel, Brian Clark, Rob Orchard, Ken Stirling, Chris Jordan, Doug Gailey, Lyndsay Proctor, Gary Kemble, Logan Swann, Murray Eade, Tame Tupou and Kieran Foran. [7] [8]

Both Sean Hoppe and Kevin Iro played for the Glen Innes Falcons, a feeder club to Ellerslie during the 1980s. [2]

Other notable players include Aaron and Stuart Lester, Doc Murray, Tongan internationals David Fisiiahi and Filimone Lolohea, Glen Fisiiahi and Liam Foran. [7]

Ellerslie Senior Team Records (1912-1943)

The season record for the most senior men’s team in the club.

SeasonGradeNamePlayedWDLPFPAPDPtsPosition (Teams)
1912 2nd GradeEllerslie United9207969-604Approximately 6th of 8, full results unknown
1913 2nd GradeEllerslie United100103-307 Teams, results unknown
1914-20 Did not field any teams in regular seasonEllerslie United---------
1921 2nd GradeEllerslie United31023513222Approximately 4th of 10, full results unknown
1922 2nd GradeEllerslie United00000000Last of 13 teams. Withdrew after 2 rounds with no results reported
1923 2nd GradeEllerslie United3102527-222Approximately 9th of 12, full results unknown
1924 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Ellerslie United14311087191-10479th of 9
1925 B Division (Norton Cup)Ellerslie United12822896227181st of 5
1926 B Division (Norton Cup)Ellerslie United14725103985163rd of 6
1927 B Division (Norton Cup)Ellerslie United1313001517576261st of 7 (winning score v Mangere is missing) Beat Grafton 11-3 in pro-rel game for promotion to 1st Grade. [3]
1928 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Ellerslie United12309102162-6067th of 7, Beat Grafton in pro-rel 15-13 to stay in 1st Grade. [9]
1929 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Ellerslie United14001486235-14908th of 8, Beat Point Chevalier in pro-rel game 5-0 to stay in 1st Grade. [4]
1930 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Ellerslie United13418141171-3097th of 8
1931 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)Ellerslie-Otahuhu 12111085237-15237th of 7 (combined team)
1932 2nd GradeEllerslie United166066277-1512Approximately 6th of 9
1933 2nd GradeEllerslie United1241747125-7896th of 7
1934 2nd GradeEllerslie United14011331141-11016th of 6
1935 3rd GradeEllerslie United154146643239Approximately 6th of 14
1936 3rd GradeEllerslie United18111222259163231st of 17, W v Ponsonby 11-10 in final
1937 3rd GradeEllerslie United11801932469162nd of 7 in section 1
1938 Senior B (Sharman Cup)Ellerslie United125251145955123rd of 6
1939 Senior B (Sharman Cup)Ellerslie United86021233687122nd of 6
1940 Senior B (Sharman Cup)Ellerslie United64024140183rd of 5 (incomplete record)
1941 Senior B (Sharman Cup)Ellerslie United10703884642142nd of 8 (incomplete record)
1912-43TOTAL243981311617882012-224209

All time top point scorers (1924, 1928-1931)

The point scoring lists are compiled from matches played in matches from the first grade championship, the Roope Rooster, Phelan Shield, and Sharman Cup only. One off matches and exhibition matches are not included. The statistics for the combined Ellerslie-Otahuhu team of 1931 are included. Matches in the B Division are not included due to a lack of records available at this stage.

Top point scorers
NoPlayerStartEndGamesTriesConPenDGPts
1Hemingway19281931-71313175
2 Craddock Dufty 19291931161137145
3 Ivan Littlewood 19281929211011034
4L 'Shorty' Oliff19291931-463030
5 Stan Webb 1930193127614028
6J Shand19241928-183127
7Hickey19301931-801026
8Drew19301931-710023
9Quirke19301931-500015
10Peebles1924--212114
11 Wally Somers 1930-11311013
12Bryan1924--400012
13Coster1930--400012
14Hobbs19291931-400012
15R Cook19281929-310011

Ellerslie grade championships (1912-41)

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References

  1. ↑ Ellerslie Eagles aucklandleague.co.nz
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 History Archived 8 February 2013 at the Wayback Machine ellerslieleague.co.nz
  3. 1 2 "Ellerslie's Good Exhibition". The New Zealand Herald . Vol. LXIV, no. 19745. 19 September 1927. p. 13. Retrieved 29 September 2019.
  4. 1 2 "Ellerslie At Last". Auckland Star . Vol. LX, no. 201. 26 August 1929. p. 15. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
  5. ↑ "Rugby League Still Adheres to Decision About Amalgamation". Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 106. 7 May 1942. p. 3. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  6. ↑ Eagles aim to soar in centenary year East & Bays Courier, 19 August 2011
  7. 1 2 Kiwi Representatives Archived 2013-02-08 at the Wayback Machine elleslieleague.co.nz
  8. ↑ Ellerslie Eagles Centenary Celebrations Soar NZ League, Issue 3 July/August 2012, p.p. 44-45
  9. ↑ "Roope Rooster Final". The New Zealand Herald . Vol. LXV, no. 20071. 8 October 1928. p. 14. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
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