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1914 Auckland Rugby League season

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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.

Preceded by 6th Auckland Rugby League season
1914 		Succeeded by

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]

Season news

Lower grade clubs

Teams which fielded sides in lower grades were the Northcote Ramblers, Hobsonville Pirates, Sunnyside (on the North Shore), Remuera and Manukau.

Representative 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.[7]

Myers Cup championship

After three weeks of practice in inclement weather the competition commenced on 16 May.

Myers Cup standings

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 98 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

Myers Cup fixtures

Round 1

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.

16 May North Shore 3–3 Ponsonby North Shore  
3:00 Try: Stan Walters [8] Try: Thomas McClymont Referee: Archie Ferguson
16 May Newton 12–9 Grafton Victoria Park  
3:00 Try: Joe Bennett, Cross
Con: C Clark
Pen: Len Farrant, Ike Healey 		[8] 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 		[8] Try: Rogers 3, Albert Asher, G Warner, unknown x 2
Con: Ernie Asher, G Warner 		Referee: Tom Fielding

Round 2

23 May North Shore 14–4 Grafton North Shore  
3:00 Try: H Wynyard, Stan Weston, Ernie Bailey, Stan Walters
Con: George Seagar 		[9] Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 Referee: Dick Benson
23 May City 16–0 Newton Victoria Park  
3:00 Try: Rogers, Harold Denize
Con: Len Farrant 2
Pen: Ernie Asher, Len Farrant, Don Kenealy 		[9] Referee: Archie Ferguson
23 May Otahuhu 4–13 Ponsonby Otahuhu  
3:00 Pen: Arthur Hardgrave 2 [9] Try: Charles Webb, Pipseale, unknown x 1
Pen: Charles Webb, Charles Savory 		Referee: John Eddowes

Round 3

30 May City 6–8 North Shore Auckland Domain  
3:00 Pen: Ernie Asher 2
Drop: Ernie Asher 		[10] Try: Jim Griffin, Edward Fox
Con: Jack Paul 		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 		[10] Try: Karl Ifwersen
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 		[10] Try: Charles Brockliss, Dick Tobin
Con: Dick Tobin 2 		Referee: F Tyson

Round 4

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) 		[11] Try: Charles Savory
Con: Charles Savory
Pen: Charles Savory 2, Charles Webb 2 		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 		[12] Referee: Tom Fielding
6 June Grafton 12–10 Otahuhu Auckland Domain  
3:00 Try: Karl Ifwersen 2
Con: Karl Ifwersen 2
Pen: Karl Ifwersen 		[13] Try: Charles Hally, George Cook
Con: Stockman
Pen: unknown x 1 		Referee: Archie Ferguson

Round 5

In the match between Grafton and City both Albert Asher (City) and Bob Mitchell (Grafton) were ordered off. Fincham, a former Taranaki league representative scored a try for Grafton.

13 June Grafton 14–10 City Victoria Park  
3:00 Try: Karl Ifwersen, E Fincham
Con: Karl Ifwersen
Pen: Karl Ifwersen 3 		[14] Try: Charles Woolley, G Warner
Con: Ernie Asher 		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 		[15] Try: Bob Biggs Referee: F Tyson
13 June Otahuhu 5–15 North Shore Otahuhu  
3:00 Try: George Cook
Pen: Arthur Hardgrave 		[16] Try: Percy Pullen 2, Donald
Con: George Seagar 3 		Referee: John Eddowes

Round 6

20 June Ponsonby 2–0 North Shore Victoria Park 1  
3:00 Pen: A Cross [17] Attendance: 5000
Referee: Archie Ferguson
20 June City 5–3 Otahuhu Victoria 3  
3:00 Try: Rogers
Pen: G Warner 		[18] Try: George Cook Attendance: 5,000
Referee: Leonard Nield
20 June Newton 15–4 Grafton Victoria Park 2  
3:00 Try: Roope 2, Allen, Joe Bennett, Cross [18] Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 Attendance: 5000
Referee: Tom Fielding

Round 7

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.

27 June Ponsonby 13–9 Otahuhu Victoria Park  
3:00 Try: unknown x 1, Charles Savory, R Longbottom
Con: A Cross
Pen: A Cross 		[19] Try: Charles Hally
Pen: Arthur Hardgrave 3 		Referee: Archie Ferguson
27 June City 21–8 Newton Victoria Park  
3:00 Try: Albert Asher, Rogers, Frederick Mansell, Charles Woolley, Harold Denize
Con: Ernie Asher 2
Pen: Ernie Asher (mark) 		[20] Try: Allen, Bob Biggs
Pen: Joe Bennett 		Referee: F Tyson
27 June North Shore 12–7 Grafton Devonport Domain  
3:00 Try: George Seagar, Wynyard
Con: Jack Paul
Pen: Jack Paul 2 		[21] Try: Karl Ifwersen
Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 		Referee: E. Dempsey

Round 8

4 July North Shore 9–7 City Devonport Domain  
3:00 Try: Stan Walters
Con: Jack Paul
Pen: Jack Paul 2 		[22] Try: Burns
Pen: Ernie Asher 2 		Attendance: 3000
Referee: Dick Benson
4 July Newton 5–10 Otahuhu Victoria Park  
3:00 Try: Ike Healey
Drop: Nia Hira 		[23] Try: M Stanaway, George Cook
Con: George Cook
Pen: M Stanaway 		Referee: G Whitley
4 July Ponsonby 15–3 Grafton Auckland Domain  
3:00 Try: R Longbottom, Charles Savory, Thomas McClymont, Corby, Beecham [24] Try: Owen Referee: Tom Fielding

Round 9

In the match between Otahuhu and Grafton, M Stanaway, the Otahuhu captain was ordered off the field by referee Tyson. 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) 		[25] Pen: Ernie Asher Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Archie Ferguson
11 July Otahuhu 8–17 Grafton Otahuhu  
3:00 Try: George Cook, Arthur Hardgrave
Pen: M Stanaway 		[26] 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 ? 		[27] Pen: unknown x 1 Referee: Dick Benson

Final

18 July Ponsonby 2–13 North Shore Victoria Park  
3:00 Pen: Charles Webb [28] Try: Wynyard, Edward Fox, Stan Weston
Con: Jack Paul 2 		Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Dick Benson

Top try scorers and point scorers

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 66 points. Indeed, Grafton only scored 75 points in total.

Lower grades

Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers were awarded the second grade championship after August 8 as they were so far ahead of the trailing teams. The fourth grade competition was terminated early owing to so many of its players enlisting in the military forces. 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. As such the standings below are incomplete. Grades were made of the following teams with the winning team in bold.

  • Second Grade: City Rovers, Grafton, Newton Rangers, North Shore Albions, Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers, Otahuhu Rovers, Ponsonby United
  • Third Grade: City Rovers, Hobsonville Pirates, Manukau, Sunnyside A, Sunnyside B, Newton Rangers, North Shore Albions, Grafton Athletic, Otahuhu Rovers, City Rovers, Ponsonby United, Remuera United
  • Fourth Grade: City Rovers, Otahuhu Rovers A, Otahuhu Rovers B, North Shore Albions, Sunnyside, Ponsonby United, Manukau A, Manukau B, Grafton Athletic A, Grafton Athletic B, Remuera United, Newton Rangers

Second grade standings

Team Pld W D L B F A Pts
Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers 10 9 0 1 1 108 29 18
North Shore Albions 8 6 0 2 1 87 19 12
Newton Rangers 8 6 0 2 0 60 43 12
Ponsonby United 4 1 0 3 0 14 23 2
City Rovers 5 1 0 4 2 13 41 2
Grafton Athletic 4 1 0 3 1 18 48 2
Otahuhu Rovers 8 0 0 8 1 20 99 0

Third grade standings

Team Pld W D L B F A Pts
Ponsonby United 3 3 0 0 0 73 4 6
Remuera United 12 9 0 3 0 162 43 18
City Rovers 8 5 0 3 1 45 38 10
Hobsonville Pirates 3 2 0 1 0 30 3 4
Sunnyside A 6 2 0 4 0 42 34 4
Newton Rangers 5 2 0 3 1 26 78 4
North Shore Albions 5 1 0 4 0 15 24 2
Manukau 2 0 0 2 0 3 35 0
Sunnyside B 5 0 0 5 1 5 114 0
Otahuhu Rovers 3 0 0 3 1 0 29 0

Fourth grade standings

Team Pld W D L B F A Pts
City Rovers 11 11 0 0 0 199 20 22
Newton Rangers 6 5 0 1 1 66 41 10
Ponsonby United 6 3 1 2 0 57 42 7
North Shore Albions 5 3 0 2 0 37 30 6
Manukau B 4 2 1 1 0 51 58 5
Otahuhu Rovers A 3 2 0 1 0 22 12 4
Remuera United 8 2 0 6 0 16 35 4
Grafton Athletic B 5 2 0 5 0 11 35 4
Sunnyside 6 1 0 5 0 33 81 2
Manukau A 3 0 0 3 0 8 38 0
Otahuhu Rovers B 3 0 0 3 0 3 47 0
Grafton Athletic A 4 0 0 4 0 8 72 0

Representative fixtures

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.[29] 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.

Auckland v England

25 July Auckland 12–34 England Auckland Domain  
3:00 Try: Charles Savory, Jim Clark
Con: Karl Ifwersen
Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 		[30] Try: Stan Moorhouse 2, Billy Hall, Bert Jenkins, Johnny Rogers, Dick Ramsdale
Con: Alf Wood 5 		Attendance: 13,000
Referee: Dick Benson

Auckland v Waikato (Northern Union Cup)

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 		[31] Try: Cook, Smith
Pen: Henderson, unknown x 1 		Referee: Richard Calthorpe

Auckland B v Rotorua

8 August Auckland B 29–11 Rotorua Auckland Domain  
3:00 Try: Corby 3, Albert Asher, Harold Denize, G Warner, Rogers
Con: Albert Asher 2, M Stanaway, Warner 		[31] Try: B Harp, Johnson 2
Con: Rukingi Reke 		Referee: Billy Murray

Auckland v Taranaki (Northern Union Cup)

15 August Auckland 35–4 Taranaki Victoria Park  
3:00 Try: Joe Bennett, Charles Savory, Jim Clark, George Seagar, Stan Walters, Harry Fricker, Rogers
Con: Charles Savory 6
Pen: Charles Savory 		[32] Pen: Gordon Hooker 2 Attendance: 4,000
Referee: William Wynyard

Auckland v Wellington (Northern Union Cup)

22 August Auckland 10–6 Wellington Victoria Park  
3:00 Try: Wynyard, Stan Weston
Con: Charles Savory
Pen: Charles Savory 		[33] Pen: George Bradley 2, Les Campbell Attendance: 4000
Referee: Leonard Nield

Auckland representative matches played and scorers

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 United 4 3 9 2 31
2 Karl Ifwersen Grafton 2 1 1 2 9
2 Jim Clark Ponsonby United 4 3 0 0 9
4 Joe Bennett Newton Rangers 4 2 0 0 6
4 Stan Weston North Shore Albions 2 2 0 0 6
6 Ernie Asher City Rovers 1 0 2 0 4
7 Charles Woolley City Rovers 4 1 0 0 3
7 Edward Fox North Shore Albions 3 1 0 0 3
7 Stan Walters North Shore Albions 4 1 0 0 3
7 George Seagar North Shore Albions 3 1 0 0 3
7 Rogers Grafton 2 1 0 0 3
7 Harry Fricker Ponsonby United 1 1 0 0 3
7 Wynyard North Shore Albions 1 1 0 0 3
14 Arthur Hardgrave Otahuhu 4 0 0 0 0
14 Thomas McClymont Ponsonby United 3 0 0 0 0
14 J McDonald Grafton 3 0 0 0 0
14 Cross Ponsonby United 2 0 0 0 0
14 Bob Mitchell Grafton 2 0 0 0 0
14 Harold Hayward Thames 2 0 0 0 0
14 Corby Ponsonby United 2 0 0 0 0
14 Charles Webb Ponsonby United 1 0 0 0 0
14 G Warner City Rovers 1 0 0 0 0
14 Harold Denize City Rovers 1 0 0 0 0

References

  1. ^ "FOOTBALL. NEW ZEALAND HERALD". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Vol. LI, no. 15605, 11 MAY 1914. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  2. ^ "NEW ZEALAND HERALD". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Vol. LI, no. 15641, 22 JUNE 1914. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  3. ^ "NEW ZEALAND HERALD". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Vol. LI, no. 15653, 6 JULY 1914. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  4. ^ a b "NEW ZEALAND HERALD". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Vol. LI, no. 15659, 13 JULY 1914. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  5. ^ "NEW ZEALAND HERALD". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Vol. LI, no. 15665, 20 JULY 1914. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  6. ^ "Fancy Dress Carnival". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15707. 7 September 1914. p. 8. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  7. ^ "NEW ZEALAND HERALD". Paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Vol. 1, no. 15695, 24 AUGUST 1914. Retrieved 14 August 2019.
  8. ^ a b c "Close Results/Indicate Keen Season/Grafton's Debut". Auckland Star. Vol. XLV, no. 117. 18 May 1914. p. 8. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  9. ^ a b c "Three Easy Victories/City Defeats Newton/Wins for North Shore and Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15617. 25 May 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  10. ^ a b c "North Shore Defeats City/Newton and Otahuhu Draw/Grafton Beaten by Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15628. 1 July 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  11. ^ "City Defeats Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15629. 8 June 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  12. ^ "North Shore's Easy Win". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15629. 8 June 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  13. ^ "City Defeats Ponsonby/North Shore's Easy Win/Otahuhu Beaten by Grafton". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15629. 8 June 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  14. ^ "Grafton's Surprising Win". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15635. 15 June 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  15. ^ "Victory for Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15635. 15 June 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  16. ^ "Otahuhu Again Defeated". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15635. 15 June 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  17. ^ "Ponsonby Defeats North Shore". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15641. 22 June 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  18. ^ a b "Ponsonby Defeats North Shore/Wins for City and Newton". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15641. 22 June 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  19. ^ "Ponsonby V Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald, 29 June 1914. 29 June 1914. p. 8. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  20. ^ "Newton V City". The New Zealand Herald, 29 June 1914. 29 June 1914. p. 8. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  21. ^ "North Shore V Grafton". The New Zealand Herald, 29 June 1914. 29 June 1914. p. 8. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  22. ^ "North Shore Defeats City". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15653. 6 July 1914. p. 10. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  23. ^ "Otahuhu's First Win". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15653. 6 July 1914. p. 10. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  24. ^ "Ponsonby V Grafton". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15653. 6 July 1914. p. 10. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  25. ^ "Ponsonby Defeats City/Wins for North Shore and Grafton". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15659. 13 July 1914. p. 10. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  26. ^ "Grafton V Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15659. 13 July 1914. p. 10. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  27. ^ "North Shore V Newton". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15659. 13 July 1914. p. 10. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  28. ^ "The Championship Final/Won by North Shore/A Record Attendance". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15665. 20 July 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  29. ^ "Football - England V Auckland". Ngā Taonga. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
  30. ^ "English Team's Tour/First Match in Auckland/Weather Conditions Unfavourable". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15671. 27 July 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  31. ^ a b "Auckland's Double Victory/Waikato and Rotorua Beaten". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15683. 14 August 1914. p. 4. Retrieved 12 August 2019.
  32. ^ "Auckland Beats Taranaki". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. LI, no. 15689. 17 August 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
  33. ^ "Cup Remains in Auckland". The New Zealand Herald. Vol. 1, no. 15695. 24 August 1914. p. 3. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
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