1914 Auckland Rugby League season
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]
Season news
Club teams by grade participation
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 |
Lower grade clubs
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.
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.[8]
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 |
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 | [9] | 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 |
[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: 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: 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: 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 | ||
3:00 | Pen: Arthur Hardgrave 2 | [10] | 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 |
[11] | 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 |
[11] | 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 |
[11] | 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) |
[12] | 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 |
[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: 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 |
[15] | 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 |
[16] | Try: Bob Biggs | Referee: F Tyson |
13 June | Otahuhu | 5–15 | North Shore | Otahuhu | ||
3:00 | Try: George Cook Pen: Arthur Hardgrave |
[17] | 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 | [18] | Attendance: 5000 Referee: Archie Ferguson |
20 June | City | 5–3 | Otahuhu | Victoria 3 | ||
3:00 | Try: Rogers Pen: G Warner |
[19] | 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 | [19] | 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 |
[20] | 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) |
[21] | 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 |
[22] | 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 |
[23] | 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 |
[24] | 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 | [25] | 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) |
[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: M 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 |
Final
A sum of 300 pounds was taken at the gates for the final which was a record for club games in Auckland.
18 July | Ponsonby | 2–13 | North Shore | Victoria Park | ||
3:00 | Pen: Charles Webb | [29] | 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.
Rank | Player | Team | Tries |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Karl Ifwersen | Grafton Athletic | 8 |
2 | George Cook | Otahuhu United | 7 |
3 | Rogers | City Rovers | 6 |
4 | Charles Savory | Ponsonby United | 5 |
5 | Stan Walters | North Shore Albions | 4 |
6 | Percy Pullen | North Shore Albions | 3 |
6 | Leslie Henry (Hec) Wynyard | North Shore Albions | 3 |
6 | George Seagar | North Shore Albions | 3 |
6 | Harold Denize | City Rovers | 3 |
6 | D Corby | Ponsonby United | 3 |
Rank | Player | Team | Tries | Con | Pen | Mark | DG | Points |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Karl Ifwersen | Grafton Athletic | 8 | 7 | 14 | - | - | 66 |
2 | Ernie Asher | City Rovers | - | 6 | 9 | 3 | - | 36 |
3 | George Cook | Otahuhu United | 7 | 2 | 2 | - | - | 29 |
4 | Charles Webb | Ponsonby United | 2 | 1 | 7 | 1 | - | 24 |
5 | Charles Savory | Ponsonby United | 5 | 1 | 3 | - | - | 23 |
6 | Jack Paul | North Shore Albions | - | 5 | 4 | - | 1 | 20 |
7 | Arthur Hardgrave | Otahuhu United | 2 | - | 6 | - | - | 18 |
7 | Rogers | City Rovers | 6 | - | - | - | - | 18 |
9 | George Seagar | North Shore Albions | 3 | 4 | - | - | - | 17 |
10 | Stan Walters | North Shore Albions | 4 | 1 | - | - | - | 14 |
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. On June 20 the Auckland Star gave the standings in all grades ot 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.
- 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
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.
Third grade standings
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