1917 Auckland Rugby League season

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.[1] 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 (Grafton Athletic), Charles Savory, T McWhirter, G Cook, N Vause, V McCollum, Alf Gault, T Lambert, E Tiernan, F Stubbs, W. G. Handle (Ponsonby United), B Hart, F Gladding, A Powley, Chas Mann (North Shore Albions), William Moeki, G Jones, W Harris, S Magee, S Greer (City Rovers), A Miller, C Sinton, and L 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 (W Shaughnessey) 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 member join the war effort.[2]

Preceded by 1916

9th Auckland Rugby League season 1917

Succeeded by 1918

Thirty three teams entered the six grades. This was down on previous seasons due to the number of men who had gone to fight. In the senior grade there were still six teams entered, with five second grade teams, five third grade teams, nine fourth grade teams, six fifth grade teams, and four sixth grade teams. The season was notable for the fact that Otahuhu was forced to drop out of the first grade competition after round 4 as it struggled to field senior players. Grafton Athletic also fell by the way-side soon after for the same reason.

Ponsonby United won the first grade championship for the first time in their history. They also won the Roope Rooster trophy for the first time with a 12–6 win over City Rovers in the final. By winning both competitions they became the second Auckland senior club to win multiple trophies in the same season following on the footsteps of City Rovers who had won both titles the year prior.

Representative Season

At the season end rather than a strong representative program which had been a feature of earlier years several charity and exhibition matches were played instead. These included a match versus the victorious Auckland Rugby Union club champions Railway. The team in its entirety switched to the rugby league code. They played matches with Ponsonby United and City Rovers at the end of the season. The team would go on to struggle for numbers itself in 1918 before eventually amalgamating with Grafton Athletic.

Victoria Park

In 1916 the fence around Victoria Park had been removed by the council which made it very difficult to collect gate revenue. The league had however secured land which would be developed as Carlaw Park with the aim being to secure the ground and gain revenue from ticket sales in the future.

First Grade Championship

Twenty three first grade season matches were played which was less than previous seasons but owing to the fact that both Otahuhu and Grafton Athletic were forced to drop out of the competition due to a lack of players as a result of so many leaving to join the war effort. After their Round 4 default to North Shore where only two Otahuhu players turned up they decided to amalgamate senior teams with Grafton.[3] This was short lived however as Grafton themselves only lasted until Round 7 when they themselves defaulted a week later. Ponsonby United were crowned champions for the first time in their existence.

Final Standings and Fixtures

Team	Pld	W	D	L	F	A	Pts
Ponsonby United	8	7	0	1	109	51	14
Newton Rangers	9	6	0	3	153	77	12
City Rovers	9	6	0	3	110	71	12
North Shore Albions	9	4	0	5	84	91	8
Grafton Athletic	7	0	0	7	21	144	0
Otahuhu	4	0	0	4	12	55	0

Round 1

	19 May	Ponsonby	12–8	Newton	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: S Jones, D McCarthy Con: A Cross 2 Pen: A Cross	[4]	Try: R Lovett, Wally Somers Con: C Potier	Referee: A Ferguson

	19 May	North Shore	14–4	Grafton	Devonport Domain
	3:00	Try: Pullen, Stewart, Stan Walters, L Boon Pen: Neighbour	[4]	Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2	Referee: Murray

	19 May	Otahuhu	2–14	City	Otahuhu 1
	3:00	Pen: Martin	[4]	Try: McAubrey 1, Tom Sheehan Con: Bill Davidson	Referee: Fielding

Round 2

	26 May	City	18–16	North Shore	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: Tom Sheehan, Bill Davidson, H Lunn, George Paki Con: Ernie Asher 3	[5]	Try: L Boon, Nicholson, Stan Walters, George Seagar Pen: Neighbour, Jim Griffen	Referee: Benson

	26 May	Newton	43–0	Grafton	Victoria Park 2
	3:00	Try: Bill Williams 2, Len Farrant 3, George Iles 3, McSweeney 2, C Potier Con: Phil Castles, Len Farrant, C Potier 2, Wally Somers	[6]		Referee: Stan Weston

	26 May	Otahuhu	5–13	Ponsonby	Otahuhu
	3:00	Try: P Higgins Con: G Martin	[7]	Try: Bill Walsh, A Cross, A Rae Con: A Cross 2	Referee: T Hill

Round 3

	2 June	Ponsonby	15–6	North Shore	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: S Jones, Thomas McClymont 2 Con: A Cross Pen: A Cross (and 1 mark)	[8]	Try: L Boon, Nicholson	Referee: Fielding

	2 June	City	20–3	Grafton	Victoria Park 2
	3:00	Try: Tom Sheehan, R Clarke, Bill Davidson 2, Ernie Asher, R Clark Pen: Ernie Asher	[8]	Try: Les Bull	Referee: A Ball

	2 June	Newton	28–5	Otahuhu	Victoria Park 3
	3:00	Try: unknown x 1, George Iles, Bill Williams 2, Phil Castles, Len Farrant Con: C Potier 3, Phil Castles Pen: Phil Castles	[8]	Try: King Pen: G Martin	Referee: Vause

Round 4

	9 June	Newton	15–13	City	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: George Iles, Tobin 2 Con: C Potier 1 Pen: C Potier	[9]	Try: Hastedt, R Clarke 2 Con: Ernie Asher 2	Referee: Stan Weston

	9 June	Ponsonby	37–3	Grafton	Victoria Park 2
	3:00	Try: W Henderson 2, S Jones 2, A Rae 2, A Cross, Jim Clark, L Martin Con: A Rae, A Cross 2, J Winters Pen: A Cross	[9]	Try: unknown x 1	Referee: Tyson

	9 June	North Shore	WBD-LBD	Otahuhu	Devonport Domain
	2:00		[9]		Referee: T Thompson

Round 5

	16 June	Ponsonby	15–11	City	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: S Jones, A Rae 2 Con: A Cross Pen: A Cross 2	[10]	Try: J Sutton, R Clarke, Bill Davidson Con: Bill Davidson	Referee: Murray

	16 June	North Shore	13–20	Newton	Devonport Domain 1
	3:00	Try: Nicholson, Neighbour, Ernie Bailey Con: W Matthews Pen: W Matthews	[10]	Try: George Iles, Phil Castles, Bill Cloke, Bill Williams Con: C Potier 2 Pen: C Potier 2	Referee: A Ferguson

Round 6

	30 June	Ponsonby	10–7	Newton	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: S Jones, Jim Clark Con: A Cross 2	[11]	Try: Lang Con: Potier Pen: Potier	Referee: Stan Weston

	30 June	North Shore	11–8	Grafton	Victoria Park 2
	3:00	Try: Matthews, Stan Walters, Kirk Pen: Stan Walters	[11]	Try: Parks, Marshbank Pen: Martin	Referee: Hill

Round 7

Grafton continued to struggle to put out a competitive team and played 3 men short against Newton.

	7 July	North Shore	15–11	City	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: Nicholson, George Seagar, Jim Griffen Con: Nicholson 3	[12]	Try: Bill Davidson, unknown x 1, T Sheehan Con: Ernie Asher	Referee: F Thompson

	7 July	Newton	19–3	Grafton	Victoria Park 2
	3:00	Try: George Iles 3, James, Clarke Con: George Iles 2	[12]	Try: Phil Castles	Referee: Aughton

Round 8

The unknown try for Ponsonby in their win over North Shore was described in the New Zealand Herald match report as “a fierce combined rally resulted in the pack taking the ball over for a try”. Grafton defaulted their match with City and this ended their season as they were unable to field a side for any further competitive matches.

	14 July	Ponsonby	7–6	North Shore	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: Unknown x 1 Con: Bill Walsh Pen: Bill Walsh	[13]	Try: Stan Walters, George Seagar	Attendance: 3,500 Referee: W Murray

	14 July	City	WBD-LBD	Grafton	Victoria Park 2
	3:00		[13]		Referee: Clow

Round 9

	21 July	City	18–5	Newton	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: Ernie Asher, Bill Davidson, Hogan 2 Con: Ernie Asher 2, Bill Davidson	[14]	Try: Browne Pen: Potier	Referee: T Fielding

Round 10

	28 July	City	5–0	Ponsonby	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: C Mitchell Con: Bill Davidson	[15]		Referee: A Ferguson

	28 July	Newton	8–3	North Shore	Victoria Park 1
	1:45	Try: A Ivil, George Iles Con: George Iles	[15]	Try: L Boon	Referee: A Ball

On 21 July Ponsonby played a match versus the Waterside Workers after both Otahuhu and Grafton had left the competition. Ponsonby won the match by 14 points to 3.

Roope Rooster Knockout Competition

After both Otahuhu and Grafton Athletic had dropped out of the senior grade there were only 4 senior teams left. However the Waterside Workers formed a team and played a match versus Ponsonby during the season, and they also played in the first round of the Roope Rooster.

Following the conclusion of the Roope Rooster competition on 25 August a benefit match was played between City Rovers and Newton Rangers at Victoria Park. It was won by City 31 points to 11.[16] On 1 September City defeated Ponsonby in another exhibition match, described as “one of the fastest and most exciting matches this season” by 13 points to 12 at Victoria Park.[17]

Round 1

	4 August	Newton	24–6	North Shore	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: George Iles 2, Tobin, Bill Williams, Bill Cloke, Thomas Con: C Potier Pen: C Potier Drop: C Potier	[18]	Try: Nicholson, Neighbour	Referee: Stan Weston

	4 August	City	13–7	Waterside Workers	Victoria Park 2
	3:00	Try: A Eustace, McAubrey, Bill Davison Con: Ernie Asher 2	[18]	Try: Tierney Con: Len Farrant Pen: Curtis	Referee: Vause

Semi Final

	11 August	Ponsonby	15–6	Newton	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: A Rae, Bill Walsh, Sam Lowrie Con: Bill Walsh, A Cross Pen: A Cross	[19]	Pen: C Potier 2 (+ 1 mark)	Referee: T Fielding

Final

	18 August	Ponsonby	12–6	City	Victoria Park
	3:00	Try: Thomas McClymont, Maddison Con: A Cross Pen: A Cross 2	[20]	Pen: Ernie Asher 3	Referee: Murray

Top Try Scorers and Point Scorers

The following point scoring lists include both Senior Championship matches and the Roope Rooster competition.

Rank Player Team Tries 1 George Iles Newton Rangers 12 2 Bill Davidson City Rovers 7 3 S Jones Ponsonby United 6 3 Bill Williams Newton Rangers 6 5 Nicholson North Shore 5 6 Stan Walters North Shore 4 6 L Boon North Shore 4 6 Len Farrant Newton Rangers 4 6 R Clarke City Rovers 4 6 A Rae Ponsonby United 4

Rank Player Team Tries Con Pen Mark DG Points 1 A Cross Ponsonby United 2 12 8 1 0 48 2 C Potier Newton Rangers 1 12 8 1 1 47 3 George Iles Newton Rangers 12 3 0 0 0 42 4 Ernie Asher City Rovers 2 10 4 0 0 34 5 Bill Davidson City Rovers 7 4 0 0 0 29 6 Nicholson North Shore 5 3 0 0 0 21 7 S Jones North Shore 6 0 0 0 0 18 7 Bill Williams Newton Rangers 6 0 0 0 0 18

Senior Exhibition and Charity Matches

Mackrell Memorial

On 8 September a combined match was played between Ponsonby-Shore and Newton-City with the proceeds devoted to a memorial to the late William Mackrell. This was a premonition of the future with City and Newton several decades later actually combining clubs.

	8 September	Ponsonby-North Shore	22–3	City-Newton	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: Bill Walsh 2, Thomas McClymont 2, Nicholson, Stewart Con: A Cross 2	[21] [22]	Try: Bill Davidson	Attendance: 4000 Referee: Murray

Gala Match in the Auckland Domain

On 15 September a gala day was held with Rugby League and Football (“Association”) played to raise money for the RSA. It was declared a success and 200 pounds was raised. The match was played between Ponsonby United who had won the league championship and a combined team from the remainder of the clubs in the senior grade (City Rovers, Newton Rangers, and North Shore Albions). The combined team won by 26 to 21. The day also featured a sprint race between 6 players from the senior teams. It was won by Nicholson of the North Shore Albions. A ‘house match’ was also played between Hobson Hotel and Thompson and Hill's which Hobson Hotel won by 23 points to 3[23] .[24]

	15 September	Combined Team	26–21	Ponsonby	Auckland Domain
	3:00	Try: Thomas 2, Nicholson, Phil Castles, George Seagar, Ernie Bailey Con: Bill Davidson 4	[25] .[26]	Try: D McCarthy 2, Sam Lowrie, Iles, A Rae Con: A Cross 3	Attendance: 5000

Exhibition Matches

City and Ponsonby United played an exhibition match on 24 September at Victoria Park.[27] On 29 September a very controversial cross code match was played between Railway (a combination of Marist Brothers Old Boys and City) who were the winners of the Auckland Rugby Union competition, and Ponsonby, the Auckland Rugby League club champions. The match was not sanctioned by the Auckland Rugby Union as Railway was also scheduled to play an annual charity rugby union match versus University on the same day. The Railway team playing the league code had “gone over to the Northern Union game”.[28] They played a further match against City Rovers which they lost by 18 points to 6 before moving to the Auckland Rugby League full-time in 1918. They would eventually amalgamate with Grafton Athletic and in 1919 they would reform as the Marist Rugby League Old Boys club”.[29]

	22 September	City	16–6	Ponsonby	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: Bill Davidson, Harry Francis 2, Hogan Con: Bill Davidson	[30]	Try: A Rae 2	Attendance: 4000

	29 September	Railway	12–3	Ponsonby	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: Dacre, Simpson, J Hing, Courtnenay	[31]	Try: W Henderson	Attendance: 2000

	6 October	City	18–6	Railway	Victoria Park 1
	3:00	Try: I Hogan, Stanaway, Bill Davidson, Jim Rukutai, A Eustace, C Mitchell	[32]	Try: Barclay, J Hing	Attendance: 3500

Other Club Matches and Lower Grades

Lower Grade Clubs

Manukau, Remuera and Riverhead did not field teams in any grades in 1917. Richmond were being named as Richmond Rovers in the newspaper reports for the first time.

• Northcote Ramblers
• Post and Telegraph (affiliated with the Ponsonby United club)
• Pupuke
• Richmond Rovers
• Sunnyside
• Thames Old Boys

Representative Fixture

Auckland played a match against a Military Representative side representing the Trentham, Featherston, and Tauherenikau camps at the Auckland Domain on 13 October. A large crowd attended and the total proceeds of the game were devoted to the Red Cross.

Auckland v Military Reps

	13 October	Auckland	23–20	Military Camps	Auckland Domain
	3:00	Try: Bill Davidson 2, Thomas McClymont, Thomas, Mitchell, Sam Lowrie, Maurice Wetherill Con: A Cross	[33]	Try: Clark 2, Guiney, Hickey Con: Clark 2, McPhee Pen: Clark	Attendance: 1500 Referee: L Nield

Auckland Matches Played and Scorers

No	Name	Club Team	Play	Tries	Con	Pen	Points
1	Bill Davidson	City Rovers	1	2	0	0	6
2	Thomas McClymont	Ponsonby United	1	1	0	0	3
2	Thomas	Newton Rangers	1	1	0	0	3
2	C Mitchell	City Rovers	1	1	0	0	3
2	Sam Lowrie	Ponsonby United	1	1	0	0	3
2	Maurice Wetherill	City Rovers	1	1	0	0	3
7	A Cross	Ponsonby United	1	0	1	0	2
8	Stewart	North Shore Albions	1	0	0	0	0
8	J Hogan	City Rovers	1	0	0	0	0
8	Jim Rukutai	City Rovers	1	0	0	0	0
8	R Clarke	City Rovers	1	0	0	0	0
8	George Seagar	North Shore Albions	1	0	0	0	0
8	George Paki	City Rovers	1	0	0	0	0

References

1. "Prospects for the Season". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16529). 3 May 1917. p. 8. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
2. "At the Front/Footballers Distinguish Themselves". Auckland Star. XLVIII (107). 5 May 1917. p. 6. Retrieved 26 January 2020.
3. "Otahuhu V North Shore". Auckland Star. XLVIII (140). 13 June 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
4. "Opening of the Season/Newton V Ponsonby/North Shore V Grafton/City V Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16544). 21 May 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
5. "Competitions Continued/City V North Shore". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16550). 28 May 1917. p. 8. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
6. "Competitions Continued/Newton V Grafton". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16550). 28 May 1917. p. 8. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
7. "Competitions Continued/Ponsonby V Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16550). 28 May 1917. p. 8. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
8. "Ponsonby Beats North Shore/Ponsonby V North Shore". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16556). 4 June 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
9. "Newton Beats City/Ponsonby V Grafton". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16562). 11 June 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
10. "Ponsonby Beats City/Ponsonby V City/Newton V North Shore". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16568). 18 June 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
11. "Ponsonby Defeats Newton/Ponsonby V Newton/North Shore V Grafton". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16580). 2 July 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
12. "North Shore Beat City/North Shore V City". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16586). 9 July 1917. p. 8. Retrieved 10 August 2019.
13. "Ponsonby Beats North Shore/Ponsonby V North Shore". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16512). 16 July 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
14. "City Defeats Newton/City V Newton/Ponsonby V Waterside Workers". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16598). 23 July 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
15. "City Defeats Ponsonby/City V Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16604). 30 July 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
16. "City Defeats Newton". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16628). 27 August 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
17. "City Defeats Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16634). 3 September 1917. p. 2. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
18. ""Roope's Rooster" Tourney/Newton V North Shore/City V Waterside Workers". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16295). 6 August 1917. p. 8. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
19. "Ponsonby Beats Newton/Ponsonby V Newton". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16616). 13 August 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
20. "Roope Rooster Final/Ponsonby the Winners". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16622). 20 August 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 13 August 2019.
21. "Mackerell Memorial". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16640). 10 September 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
22. "The Mackerell Memorial". Auckland Star. XLVIII (216). 10 September 1917. p. 6. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
23. "Ponsonby V Combined Team/The Cup Winners Beaten". Auckland Star. XLVIII (222). 17 September 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
24. "League 'and Association, Gala in Domain". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16646). 17 September 1917. p. 2. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
25. "Ponsonby V Combined Team/The Cup Winners Beaten". Auckland Star. XLVIII (222). 17 September 1917. p. 7. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
26. "League 'and Association, Gala in Domain". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16646). 17 September 1917. p. 2. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
27. "City Defeats Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16652). 24 September 1917. p. 2. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
28. "A Test of Strength". Auckland Star. XLVIII (234). 24 September 1917. p. 6. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
29. John Coffey & Bernie Wood (2009). "Auckland 100 Years of Rugby League: 1909–2009". Huia Publishers. p. 53.
30. "Northern Union/City V Ponsonby". Auckland Star. XLVIII (228). 24 September 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
31. "Railway V Ponsonby/League Champions Defeated". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16658). 1 October 1917. p. 6. Retrieved 15 August 2019.
32. "Under League Rules/City V Railway/Union Champions Defeated". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16664). 8 October 1917. p. 6. Retrieved 16 August 2019.
33. "Auckland V Military Reps/Local Team Successful". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16670). 15 October 1917. p. 3. Retrieved 16 August 2019.

External links

• Auckland Rugby League Official Site