The 1930 season of Auckland Rugby League was its 22nd. It was generally regarded that the season was very disappointing in terms of the quality of the football played and much of the blame was put down to the fact that too many teams were in the Senior A Grade and there was too much talent spread through the Senior B teams which in turn diluted the top division. There had been a noticeable drop in the attendances at matches at Carlaw Park which had seen 8 to 10 thousand regularly attending club matches. A review of the season was published in The New Zealand Herald on 22 October discussing the issue.^[1]

The Senior A championship was won by Ponsonby United for the second consecutive year which was their fifth title overall. They were awarded the Monteith Shield. This was the last year that the Monteith Shield was played for as the man this trophy was named after suggested that the main championship trophy should be one named in honour of Mr. Edwin Vincent Fox who had died earlier that year. Ponsonby also won the Roope Rooster trophy for the sixth time after defeating Richmond Rovers by 15 points to 7 in the final. Ponsonby were however beaten by Devonport United in the final of the Stormont Shield 17–5. This was the first time Devonport had won the Stormont Shield. A week later on 11 October Ponsonby played the champions of the South Auckland competition who were Ngaruawahia in the first match of its kind. Ponsonby won 32 to 29.

The Senior B championship was won by Otahuhu who beat the 1929 champions Point Chevalier in the final by 3 points to 0. The Stallard Cup knockout competition for Senior B teams was won by Richmond who defeated Point Chevalier 21–11 in the final. Richmond were the first club to enter a B team (effectively a reserve grade team) in this grade, and for the Stallard Cup they were joined by a B team from Devonport.

Season News

Club teams by grade participation

Team	1st	Senior B	2nd	3rd Open	3rd Int.	4th	5th	6th	7th	Schools	Total
Richmond Rovers	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	2	0	10
Devonport United	1	0	1	1	1	1	0	1	1	0	7
Marist Old Boys	1	0	1	1	0	0	1	2	1	0	7
Kingsland Athletic	1	0	0	1	1	1	0	1	0	0	5
Ponsonby United	1	0	1	1	0	1	1	0	0	0	5
City Rovers	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	4
Point Chevalier	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	4
Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers	0	1	0	0	1	0	1	0	1	0	4
Ellerslie United	1	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	1	0	4
Glen Lynn	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	1	1	0	4
Otahuhu Rovers	0	1	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	3
Mount Albert United	0	1	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	3
Newmarket	0	0	0	0	1	0	1	1	0	0	3
Avondale	0	0	0	1	0	1	0	0	1	0	3
Parnell	0	1	0	0	.5	.5	.5	0	0	0	2.5
Newton Rangers	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2
Māngere United	0	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2
Papatoetoe	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	0	0	0	2
Akarana	0	0	0	0	.5	.5	.5	0	0	0	1.5
Mount Wellington	0	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Avondale Public School	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Avondale Convent School	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
City Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Devonport Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Māngere Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Mount Albert Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Northcote Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Ōtāhuhu Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2
Onehunga Convent (St Joseph's School)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Papatoetoe Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Ponsonby Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Richmond Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	2
Newmarket Primary School	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Newton Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Parnell/Akarana Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Ellerslie Schools	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1
Total	8	7	7	8	7	11	8	11	10	18	95

Preseason training at Carlaw Park involving City Rovers players.

Preseason training on Carlaw Park #2 with the terraces in the background.

In a major scandal following the Stormont Shield match between Ponsonby United and Devonport, Frank Delgrosso, the Auckland and New Zealand representative who was captain of the Ponsonby team was suspended for three seasons. Delgrosso was charged with misconduct along with another Ponsonby player V. Goodwin. They were also barred from attending Carlaw Park in the future.^[2] He failed to make a teammate who had been ordered off to leave the field, threw mud at the referee, and abused him.

Mt Albert was a new addition to the B Grade competition by entering a team there for the first time. This was their first senior grade team. They had won the Second Grade competition the previous year and were essentially ‘promoting’ the team.

The Auckland Rugby League placed a tender for its “Auckland Rugby League Programme and Gazette” for the 1930 season.^[3]

Prior to the season opening games the Auckland Star ran a piece on the prospects of each A Grade team and the players it had acquired.^[4]

As the season progressed much talk was made about the standard of the Senior A Grade and its inability to field enough sides of quality. The decision was eventually made to reduce the number of A Grade sides to 6 and to do away with the Senior B competition altogether for the following season. Instead the league would encourage good quality players to move from those sides to clubs with A Grade teams.^[5] A special committee was formed to suggest a way forward. They decided to recommend that the six teams to make up the A Grade for the 1931 season should be Ponsonby, Marist, Devonport, Metropolitan (to include City and Newton), Western Suburbs or Richmond, and Eastern Suburbs (to include Ellerslie).^[6] There was much discussion of the matter by members of various clubs over which clubs should merge or who disagreed that their club should disappear.^[7] The matter was further discussed in a Management Committee meeting on 15 October but a decision was deferred for a week.^[8]

On 29 October it was decided by the Auckland Rugby League to officially reduce the number of teams in the Senior A Grade to 6. The clubs would be known as Ponsonby United, Devonport, Marist Old Boys, Western Suburbs (Richmond Rovers and Kingsland), Metropolitan (City and Newton), and Eastern Suburbs (Ellerslie and the surrounding district). This was not to be the only time that Auckland Rugby League went down the path of making teams, who were often unwilling, into mergers. It happened again decades later before reverting to the norm, and then again in the 1990s before once again reverting to the norm with standalone clubs. Clubs who were particularly against the proposal were City Rovers, Newton Rangers, Kingsland Athletic, and Richmond.^[9]

Papakura hosted its first ever rugby league match when Richmond 2nd Grade and Newmarket 2nd Grade played there at the end of the season. Richmond won 20–10.

Obituaries

Fox in the back row, 3rd from left in the North Shore 2nd grade side of 1912.

Edward Vincent Fox

On 24 February Mr. Edward Vincent Fox died. He was a member of the Devonport team before World War I and played inside five-eighths for Auckland against England. In 1913 he enlisted in the war efforts and fought in the front lines. He was shot in the leg and when he returned to Auckland was unable to play again. He was appointed to the executive of Auckland Rugby League and was a selector for the Auckland and New Zealand teams.^[10] He was buried at O’Neill's Point Cemetery on the North Shore, New Zealand.

Monteith Shield (first grade championship)

Monteith Shield fixtures

Round 1

Ponsonby v Richmond.

Marist Old Boys victory over Kingsland Athletic was contested by Kingsland over an unregistered player (Munro) playing in the match. The protest was upheld and Kingsland were awarded the match. Marist Old Boys appealed to the New Zealand League Council but the decision was upheld by that body also.^[11] In the Round 1 match Craddock Dufty was ordered from the field for allegedly disputing a referees decision on a possible forward pass which led to the tying City Rovers try near the end of the match.

	26 April	Ponsonby	15-14	Richmond	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: L Winters, Cyril Thompson, A Schofield Con: Frank Delgrosso 2 Pen: Frank Delgrosso	[12]	Try: J Potter, Tim Peckham Con: L Taylor Pen: L Taylor 3	Referee: Percy Rogers

	26 April	City	12-12	Ellerslie	Carlaw Park 1
	1:30	Try: Laurie Barchard, William McLaughlin, George Perry, Ben Davidson	[12]	Try: C Capner, Wally Somers Con: J Hemingway 2 Pen: J Hemingway	Referee: Bertie Emirali

	26 April	Kingsland	13-16*	Marist	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: Carter 2, R D Revell Con: Ralph Longville 2	[12]	Try: Phil Brady 2, B Sweeney, George Batchelor Con: Charles Gregory Pen: Charles Gregory	Referee: William Mincham

	26 April	Devonport	16-8	Newton	Devonport Domain
	3:00	Try: Horace Dixon, Les O’Leary, H A Tate 2 Con: Les O’Leary 2	[12]	Try: Ferguson, A McLeod Con: Cyril Brimble	Referee: Vic Simpson

Round 2

	3 May	Marist	20-12	Richmond	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: George Batchelor, Charles Gregory, Hec Brisbane, Norm Campbell Con: Charles Gregory 3 Pen: Charles Gregory	[13]	Try: Ted Mincham, Tim Peckham Con: L Taylor Pen: L Taylor 2	Referee: Les Bull

	3 May	City	27-20	Newton	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: William McLaughlin 2, Puti Tipene Watene, Ben Davidson 2, Laurie Barchard, Len Barchard Con: Puti Tipene Watene 2	[13]	Try: Stanley Francis, Charles Allen, J Beattie, Murray Con: Cyril Brimble 3 Pen: Cyril Brimble	Referee: Arthur Rae

	3 May	Devonport	11-5	Kingsland	Carlaw Park 1
	1:30	Try: Les O’Leary 2, S Casey Pen: Allan Seagar	[13]	Try: Revell Con: Ralph Longville	Referee: E McCall

	3 May	Ponsonby	16-4	Ellerslie	Auckland Domain
	3:00	Try: Leonard Riley, Pat Skelton, L Winters, Cyril Thompson Con: Pat Skelton 2	[13]	Pen: Craddock Dufty 2	Attendance: 2,000 Referee: A McKubrey

Round 3

Governor General Lord Bledisloe attended the Carlaw Park matches and was photographed with Ben Davidson of City rovers before the kickoff. Frank Delgrosso left the field early in the match for Ponsonby with an injured knee. In the second half Goodwin, Riley and Cyril Thompson all left the field injured and were not able to be replaced owing to the non-replacement rule which applied to the second half of matches. Goodwin was treated in hospital for concussion.

	10 May	City	24-8	Ponsonby	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Mita Watene, George Perry 3, William McLaughlin, Stan Clark Con: Maurice Wetherill 2 Pen: Maurice Wetherill	[14]	Try: Cyril Thompson, Leonard Riley Drop: Pat Skelton	Attendance: 10,000 Referee: Vic Simpson

	10 May	Devonport	22-3	Richmond	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: Les O’Leary 2, Ernest Ruby 2, Trevor O’Leary 2 Con: Ernest Ruby, Allan Seagar	[14]	Try: Patterson	Attendance: 10,000 Referee: H Carroll

	10 May	Ellerslie	5-13	Marist	Ellerslie Reserve
	3:00	Try: C Capner Con: Craddock Dufty	[14]	Try: Wilf Hassan, George Batchelor, Jock Johnson Con: Charles Gregory 2	Referee: Percy Rogers

	10 May	Newton	14-8	Kingsland	Auckland Domain
	3:00	Try: Cyril Brimble, A McLeod, Ed St George, Carter Con: Cyril Brimble	[14]	Try: Carter, H Carter Con: Ralph Longville	Referee: A McKubrey

Round 4

In the match between Marist and City, Sweeney was ordered off for Marist and Mita Watene was ordered off for City. Frank Delgrosso against left the field after injuring his knee while playing for Ponsonby.

	24 May	Marist	13-12	City	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: George Batchelor 2, B Sweeney Con: Charles Gregory Pen: Charles Gregory	[15]	Try: Puti Tipene Watene, Len Barchard Pen: Puti Tipene Watene 2, George Perry	Referee: Percy Rogers

	24 May	Ponsonby	14-10	Newton	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: John Angelo, Kenneth Peckham, A Schofield, Pat Skelton Con: Kenneth Peckham	[15]	Try: Cyril Brimble, Hill Con: Cyril Brimble Pen: Cyril Brimble	Referee: Wilfred Simpson

	24 May	Devonport	5-13	Ellerslie	Devonport Domain
	3:00	Try: Horace Dixon Con: Les O’Leary	[15]	Try: L Grogan, J Hemingway, F Chapman Con: Craddock Dufty 2	Referee: Vic Simpson

	24 May	Richmond	10-3	Kingsland	Auckland Domain 2
	3:00	Try: Ted Mincham, W Jones Con: Ted Mincham Pen: Ted Mincham	[15]	Try: R Lucas	Referee: Les Bull

Round 5

Charles Gregory (rugby) punting the ball in Marist's match v Ponsonby.

	7 June	Marist	22-2	Ponsonby	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Charles Gregory 2, Jock Graham, Wilf Hassan, Horatio Drew, Hec Brisbane Con: Jim O'Brien 2	[16]	Drop: Pat Skelton	Referee: H McKubrey

	7 June	City	23-10	Devonport	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: C Reynolds, Lawrence Barchard, Maurice Wetherill, William McLaughlin, Len Barchard Con: Steve Watene 4	[16]	Try: Allan Seagar, Stanley Rule Con: Les O’Leary 2	Referee: William Mincham

	7 June	Newton	11-3	Richmond	Carlaw Park 1
	1:30	Try: Hill, Clark, McLeod Con: Cyril Brimble	[16]	Try: Ted Mincham	Referee: Vic Simpson

	7 June	Ellerslie	31-10	Kingsland	Ellerslie Reserve
	3:00	Try: Coster 3, Stan Webb, Hemingway 2, Grogan Con: Craddock Dufty 4, Hemingway	[17]	Try: Atkins, Claude List Con: Ralph Longville 2	Referee: S Billman

Round 6

Ted Brimble made his debut for Newton Rangers after switching from the Manukau rugby club and joining his brother Cyril who was in his second season for Newton. At the end of the season Cyril was granted a transfer to Canterbury where he would play rugby league representatively.

	21 June	Marist	31-10	Newton	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Charles Gregory, Wilf Hassan, Phil Brady, George Batchelor 2, Jim O'Brien, Norm Campbell Con: Charles Gregory 3, George Batchelor Pen: Charles Gregory	[18]	Try: McLeod, Ed St George Con: Cyril Brimble Pen: Hill	Referee: Bertie Victor Emirali

	21 June	City	17-13	Kingsland	Carlaw Park 1
	1:30	Try: W McLaughlin, Paton, Joe Hadley, George Perry, Ben Davidson Con: Laurie Barchard	[19]	Try: Carter 2, G Simms Con: Herring 2	Referee: Frank Thompson

	21 June	Ponsonby	8-6	Devonport	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: Schofield, Winters Con: Frank Delgrosso	[19]	Try: S Casey, Horace Dixon	Referee: Vic Simpson

	21 June	Richmond	8-0	Ellerslie	Grey Lynn Park
	3:00	Try: Patterson 2 Con: Ted Mincham	[20]		Referee: Les Bull

Round 7

The match between Ponsonby and Kingsland was played at the Mangere Domain.

	28 June	Devonport	24-12	Marist	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Smith, Les O’Leary, Ernest Ruby, Alf Scott Con: Les O’Leary 4 Pen: Les O’Leary, Smith	[21]	Try: Jock Graham, George Batchelor Con: Jim O'Brien 2 Pen: Jim O'Brien	Referee: Les Bull

	28 June	Newton	22-18	Ellerslie	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: Butler, Charles Allan 2, Cyril Brimble 2, Ted Brimble Con: Hill, Claude Dempsey	[22]	Try: Calder, Coster, Drew 2 Con: Hemingway 2, Stan Webb	Referee: E McCall

	28 June	Ponsonby	13-12	Kingsland	Mangere Domain
	3:00	Try: Schofield, John Angelo, Heck Lunn Con: Frank Delgrosso 2	[21]	Try: G Simms, McLaughlin Con: Ralph Longville, Herring Pen: Herring	Referee: Wilfred Simpson

	28 June	City	11-7	Richmond	Auckland Domain 2
	3:00	Try: McLaughlin 2, George Perry Con: Laurie Barchard	[21]	Try: Lennie Con: Jones Pen: G Davis	Referee: Vic Simpson

Round 8

The Marist v Kingsland match finished with an unusual scoreline of 0-0. Although the score was perhaps somewhat misleading as Marist Old Boys played two men short for most of the game with Batchelor and Norm Campbell going off injured in the first half. One of the only other times that this had happened since the first round of matches in 1910 when North Shore drew 0–0 with Newton.

	5 July	Devonport	5-0	Newton	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Les O’Leary Pen: Les O’Leary	[23]		Referee: Vic Simpson

	5 July	City	6-2	Ellerslie	Carlaw Park 1
	1:30	Try: Joe Hadley 2	[23]	Pen: Hemingway	Referee: H Carroll

	5 July	Ponsonby	10-9	Richmond	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: S Riley, D McLeay Con: Frank Delgrosso 2	[23]	Try: Joseph Ragg, Ted Mincham, Patterson	Referee: Percy Rogers

	5 July	Marist	0-0	Kingsland	Carlaw Park 2
	1:30		[23]		Referee: T Hill

Round 9

	12 July	Richmond	11-10	Marist	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Ted Mincham 2, Ritchie Con: Ted Mincham	[24]	Try: Phil Brady, Jock Graham Con: Jim O'Brien 2	Referee: A McKubrey

	12 July	City	21-8	Newton	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: George Perry 3, Willie Shortland, C Reynolds Con: Paton 3	[25]	Try: Ted Brimble, Ray Middleton Con: Hill	Referee: Bertie Victor Emirali

	12 July	Devonport	13-6	Kingsland	Devonport Domain
	3:00	Try: Ernest Ruby, Alf Scott, O’Donnell Con: Alf Scott Pen: Les O'Leary	[25]	Try: Claude List, Carter	Referee: Les Bull

	12 July	Ponsonby	10-5	Ellerslie	Auckland Domain 1
	3:00	Try: Schofield, S Riley Con: Frank Delgrosso Pen: Frank Delgrosso	[25]	Try: Drew Pen: Hemingway	Referee: Percy Rogers

Round 10

For Marist, Phil Brady was sent off for punching an Ellerslie player early in the second half. Bert Laing after an absence of 3 years turned out for Devonport.

	19 July	Ponsonby	29-12	City	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Heck Lunn, Pat Skelton, Schofield, Bill Skelton, S Riley Con: Frank Delgrosso 5 Pen: Frank Delgrosso 2	[26]	Try: Bill Hamilton, N Pascoe Pen: Paton 3	Referee: E McCall

	19 July	Marist	25-8	Ellerslie	Auckland Domain
	3:00	Try: George Batchelor 2, Horatio Drew 4, Len Schultz Con: Len Schultz Pen: Alan Clarke	[27]	Try: Quirke 2 Pen: 'Shorty' Oliff	Referee: S Billman

	19 July	Kingsland	13-5	Newton	Auckland Domain 6
	3:00	Try: Simms, Claude List 2 Con: Herring Pen: Herring	[26]	Try: Ray Middleton Con: Ted Brimble	Referee: Wilfred Simpson

	19 July	Richmond	14-13	Devonport	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: Ted Mincham, Edwards Con: Ted Mincham Pen: Ted Mincham 3	[26]	Try: Les O’Leary, O’Donnell, Neville St George Con: Les O’Leary 2	Referee: C Moore

Round 11

	2 August	City	28-28	Marist	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Bill Hadley, W Perry, George Perry, Joe Hadley 2, C Reynolds, Iverson, McLaughlin Con: Paton 2	[28]	Try: George Batchelor 3, Jock Johnson, Phil Brady 3, Alan Clarke Con: Jim O'Brien 2	Referee: Les Bull

	2 August	Ponsonby	18-7	Newton	Carlaw Park 2
	3:00	Try: Heck Lunn, S Riley 2, Schofield Con: Frank Delgrosso 3	[28]	Try: Allen St George Con: Claude Dempsey Pen: Claude Dempsey	Referee: A McKubrey

	2 August	Ellerslie	8-12	Devonport	Ellerslie Racecourse
	3:00	Try: Kennedy, Stan Webb Con: Wally Somers	[28]	Try: Les O’Leary, C Rhodes Con: Les O’Leary Pen: Les O’Leary	Referee: E McCall

	2 August	Kingsland	13-8	Richmond	Carlaw Park 1
	1:30	Try: Carter, H Carter, R Carter Con: Ralph Longville Pen: Ralph Longville	[28]	Try: Mills, Tim Peckham Con: Ted Mincham	Referee: Vic Simpson

Round 12

The Round 12 matches due to be played on 9 August were all postponed after rain fell on the Saturday. This added to the rain which had fallen throughout the week leading up to the Saturday.

	16 August	Ponsonby	19-10	Marist	Carlaw Park 1
	3:15	Try: A McIntyre, 'Spot' Riley 3, Pat Skelton Con: Frank Delgrosso Pen: Pat Skelton	[29]	Try: George Batchelor 2 Con: Jim O'Brien 2	Referee: Percy Rogers

	16 August	Ellerslie	18-16	Kingsland	Carlaw Park 2
	3:15	Try: Wally Somers, Hickey 2, Quirke Con: 'Shorty' Oliff 2 Pen: Wally Somers	[30]	Try: R Carter, Dix, Claude List, R Carter Con: Ralph Longville Pen: Ralph Longville	Referee: T Hill

	16 August	Devonport	11-0	City	Carlaw Park 1
	1:45	Try: Smith, Trevor O’Leary, J Harding Con: Les O’Leary	[30]		Referee: E McCall

	16 August	Newton	11-3	Richmond	Auckland Domain 3
	3:00	Try: Hill, Cyril Brimble, McLeod Con: Cyril Brimble	[30]	Try: Stan Prentice	Referee: Les Bull

Round 13

The Ponsonby United side which won the 1930 championship.

	30 August	Ponsonby	28-3	Devonport	Carlaw Park 1
	3:15	Try: Schofield 2, Winters, Goodwin, Victor Fagan, John Angelo Con: Frank Delgrosso 3, Moore, S Riley	[31]	Try: Smith	Referee: William Mincham

	30 August	Kingsland	14-13	City	Auckland Domain
	3:00	Try: Claude List 2, G Simms, Lucas Con: Herring	[32]	Try: Laurie Barchard 2, Paton Con: Laurie Barchard 2	Referee: A.E. Smith

	30 August	Marist	16-16	Newton	Carlaw Park 2
	3:15	Try: Owen Cronin 2, Fraser Webberley, P Young Con: Charles Gregory 2	[32]	Try: Cyril Brimble 2, Stanley Francis, Charles Allan Con: Claude Dempsey, Hill	Referee: A McKubrey

	30 August	Ellerslie	17-16	Richmond	Ellerslie Reserve
	3:00	Try: Kennedy, Drew, Hickey Con: Craddock Dufty 2 Pen: Craddock Dufty 2	[32]	Try: Ted Mincham, J Potter, Joseph Ragg, Thomas Con: Ted Mincham 2	Referee: S Billman

Senior B grade competition

Other club matches and lower grades

Representative season

Auckland players to tour Australia, with the exception of Brian Riley (rugby league) who was unable to travel.

It was a relatively quiet season for the Auckland representative side due to the fact that the New Zealand team toured Australia in the latter part of the year. They beat Northland, lost to South Auckland, and lost to the New Zealand touring team.

Representative fixtures

Auckland v Northland (Northern Union CC)

Children selling progams on the approach to Carlaw Park for the Auckland v Northland match.

Willie Shortland with the ball and Stanley Francis and Ernest Ruby looming in support for Auckland.

Claude List dribbling the ball through the Northland defence

Maurice Wetherill being tackled with Allan Seagar on his inside.

	17 May	Auckland	21-16	Northland	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Phil Brady, R Carter, Maurice Wetherill, Stan Clark, Stanley Francis Con: Norm Campbell, Allan Seagar Pen: Allan Seagar	[70]	Try: Rod Hamilton, Ted Meyer, Alan Wells, N Dunn Con: Ted Meyer 2	Attendance: 8,000 Referee: William Mincham

Auckland v South Auckland (Northern Union CC)

Auckland halfback William Shortland being tackled.

	31 May	Auckland	12-13	South Auckland	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Pat Skelton, Len Barchard Con: Craddock Dufty, Allan Seagar Pen: Craddock Dufty	[71]	Try: George Tittleton, Huatahi Paki, Quinn Con: George Tittleton 2	Referee: Percy Rogers

New Zealand trial match

	14 June	Probables	28-3	Possibles	Carlaw Park 1
	1:30	Try: Jack Jones 2, S Riley, Neil Hirtzel, Charles Gregory, Davis Con: Jack Jones, Puti Tipene Watene, Charles Gregory 3	[72]	Try: Stanley Francis	Referee: H McKubrey

Inter-Island match

For the North Island v South Island trial the Devonport and Ponsonby clubs gave permission for their jerseys to be worn by the respective sides.^[73] Mick O’Brien of the South Island team broke his tibia late in the match.

	14 June	North Island	22-22	South Island	Carlaw Park 1
	2:45	Try: Hec Brisbane 2, Alan Clarke, Tom Timms Con: Craddock Dufty 4 Pen: Craddock Dufty	[74]	Try: Herbert Pearce, T McKenzie, Mick O'Brien, Jim Calder Con: Herbert Pearce 2, Bert Eckhoff Pen: Herbert Pearce, Bert Eckhoff	Referee: Les Bull

Auckland v New Zealand

The crowd on the Carlaw Park terraces for the Auckland v New Zealand match.

James Jones came on as a replacement for an injured Puti Tipene Watene. Wilf Hassan came on as a replacement for Auckland.

	23 August	Auckland	27-34	New Zealand	Carlaw Park 1
	3:00	Try: Phil Brady 2, Bob Carter, Ernest Ruby, Wilf Hassan Con: Jim O'Brien 4 Pen: Jim O'Brien 2	[75]	Try: Allan Seagar 2, Edwin Abbott 4, Stan Clark, James Jones Con: George Tittleton, Jim Amos, Bert Eckhoff 3	Referee: Les Bull

Annual general meetings and club news

• Auckland Rugby League was held at the Chamber of Commerce on Swanson Street on Monday 7 April. The meeting showed that there was a profit of £1742 10/. Maintenance of Carlaw Park cost £419 6/, rates £78 0/8, office rent £235 4/ and entertaining visitors £67 18/2.^[76] Much of the discussion at the meeting was centred around the appointment of referees for matches.^[77]

• Auckland Rugby League Junior Management Committee held at Grey's Buildings on Tuesday 25 March.^[78]

• Primary School Management Committee met on 15 May. There were twenty delegates. It was reported that 15 school teams would enter with four new clubs (Avondale, Northcote, City, and Papatoetoe).^[79]

• Auckland Rugby League Referees Association held in the League Rooms on Monday, 31 March.
• Akarana League Club held at Carlaw Park on Tuesday 1 April.^[80]

• Avondale League Football Club held at Hick's Tearooms, Fearon's Corner, Avondale, Auckland on 10 March. This meeting was held to see if there was interest in forming a club.^[81] About 75 people attended and it was decided that the club should be called Avondale League Football Club. They also decided to enter teams in the 3rd Open, 4th, 5th, and 6th grades, and that the Avondale Convent were also prepared to find a team. The club colours would be green with a red band.^[82] Their first annual general meeting was held at Watson's Fruit Shop, Avondale on Monday 17 March. They were to hold their first ever practice on the Avondale Racecourse on the following Saturday. At the end of the season on Monday, 6 October the club held a general meeting at Lesser Town Hall.^[83]

• City Rovers held at Carlaw Park on Sunday, 23 March.^[84] There was a “record attendance of sixty players” at the meeting. The accounts were in credit by £43. It was noted that Ben Davidson (rugby league) had arrived back in Auckland from England and was expected to play for the club.^[85]
• Devonport United Football Club held at the Committee Rooms, corner of Clarence Street and Victoria Road, Devonport on Thursday 20 March.^[86] At the 12th annual meeting the committee's report showed that the balance sheet showed a credit balance of £99. They had started the previous season with 100 players and the juniors won the third grade intermediate grade and fourth grade. The ladies’ social committee had held dances which had generated £90 profit.^[87] One of the men who formed the Devonport Club, Mr. D.W. McLean resigned from the New Zealand Council owing to his health. He had formed the North Shore Albions at Devonport, and took a prominent part in forming Newton Rangers, Ponsonby, and the Northcote and Birkenhead Rambers. He was also involved strongly in other aspects of the foundation of the Rugby League game in Auckland and New Zealand.^[88]
• Ellerslie United League Football Club held their annual meeting at their training shed on Monday, 10 March. The club gained the services of Wally Somers from Newton who was a New Zealand representative while Craddock Dufty would again turn out for the team.^[89]
• Glen Lynn League Football Club held at New Lynn billiard saloon on Wednesday 19 March.^[86]
• Kingsland Athletic held at the Buffalo Lodge Rooms, St Benedicts Street on Thursday 27 March.^[90] The annual meeting showed a credit balance of £12.

• Marist Brothers Old Boys League Football Club held at Donovan's Gym in Parnell, New Zealand on Tuesday 25 March.^[78]
• Mangere Rugby League Football Club held in Jones’ Confectionary Hall, Onehunga on Thursday 20 March. This meeting was held with a view to forming a club which would be a combination of Mangere and Manukau.^[91]
• Mt. Albert United Rugby League Football Club held at King George Hall, Mt Albert on Thursday 6 March.^[92] The club advertised for practices to be held for Senior B and all other grades to be held on Saturday, 12 April on its own ground at the foot of Springleigh Avenue, Mt Albert which would most likely be the present day Phyllis Street Reserve area.^[93]
• Mt Wellington Rugby League Football Club were holding practices at their club's ground at Westfield.^[94]
• Newmarket Rugby League Football Club held at the Club Room, 265, Khyber Pass Road on Thursday 27 February.^[95] The meeting was adjourned and continued at the Orient Tea Rooms, Broadway on Thursday, 10 April.
• Newton Rangers Football Club held at the Y.M.C.A. Buildings, Wellesley Street East on Monday, 3 March.^[96]
• Northcote and Birkenhead Ramblers Football Club held at Foresters’ Hall, Birkenhead on Thursday 20 March.^[97] The 20th annual meeting of the club was overseen by Mr. A.E. Greenslade with a large attendance. The membership was totalled at 99. The finishing positions of all its team was noted. H. Simpson was awarded a medal for consistency in the senior team.^[98] The Northcote Borough Council was informed by Auckland Rugby League that it was not in a position to spend any money on forming a football ground at the eastern end of the Kauri Gully scenic reserve.
• Otahuhu Rugby League Football Club^[99] It was decided to enter teams in the Senior B, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth A, Sixth B, and Schoolboy competitions.
• Papatoetoe Rugby League Club During the season with Auckland Rugby League struggling to gain access to enough playing fields, the president of the Papatoetoe Welfare League, Mr. S.J.E. Closey wrote to Auckland Rugby League suggesting the use of some of the flat land in the area. Some of which was in Mulcock's reserve which was in a natural amphitheatre. His land was at the site of present-day Peverill Crescent adjacent to Kohuora Park where the Papatoetoe Panthers club is located.^[100]
• Parnell League Football Club held at Donovan's Gymnasium, First Section, Parnell on 10 March.^[81]
• Point Chevalier League Football Club held at the Sailing Club Hall on Wednesday 26 March.^[78] The meeting showed that the club hoped to field six teams and were £30 in profit.^[101]
• Ponsonby United Football Club held at Leys Institute, on Monday 10 March.^[92]
  

  Ponsonby celebrated their 21st anniversary with a social on October 13.
  It was reported that the club had accumulated funds of £20 for the year and had total assets exceeding liabilities by £430. Medals were presented to A. Payne for being the most consistent forward, L. Riley the most consistent back, and to C. Moore as the most versatile player. J. Norman received a trophy as the most consistent fourth grade player.^[102]
• Richmond Rovers Football Club held at the Gaiety Hall, Surrey Crescent on Monday 24 March.^[103] Mr. Milicich presented the club with a cup to be awarded to the team with the fewest points scored against it. It was noted that the following teams won their respective grades in 1929: Third Grade Open, Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade A, Sixth Grade B.^[104]

References

External links

• Auckland Rugby League Official Site