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, 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. Interest in the competition continued to grow with 5,000 attending the 3 senior matches played at Victoria Park on 20 June. There were 3,000 in attendance at the North Shore Albions game versus City Rovers in the Round 8 clash at the Devonport Domain. While 4,000 attended the Round 9 match between City Rovers and Ponsonby United at Victoria Park. There were 7,000 spectators for the final between North Shore Albions and Ponsonby United.
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.
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.

Lower Grade Clubs

Teams which fielded sides in lower grades were the Northcote Ramblers, Hobsonville Pirates, Sunnyside, 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.

First Grade Championship

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

Final Standings

The standings include the final between North Shore and Ponsonby won by North Shore by 13 points to 2.
TeamPldWDLFAPts
North Shore Albions108111353817
Ponsonby United107111025815
City Rovers9504986510
Grafton Athletic9306751156
Newton Rangers9216551485
Otahuhu9117641153

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.

Round 2

Round 3

Round 4

Round 5

In the match between Grafton and City both Albert Asher and Bob Mitchell were ordered off.

Round 6

Round 7

was granted a transfer from the Newton Rangers 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.

Round 8

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.

Final

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.
RankPlayerTeamTries
1Karl IfwersenGrafton Athletic8
2George CookOtahuhu United7
3RogersCity Rovers6
4Charles SavoryPonsonby United5
5Stan WaltersNorth Shore Albions4
6PullenNorth Shore Albions3
6H WynyardNorth Shore Albions3
6George SeagarNorth Shore Albions3
6Harold DenizeCity Rovers3
6CorbyPonsonby United3

RankPlayerTeamTriesConPenMarkDGPoints
1Karl IfwersenGrafton Athletic8714--66
2Ernie AsherCity Rovers-683-34
3George CookOtahuhu United722--29
4Charles WebbPonsonby United2171-24
5Charles SavoryPonsonby United513--23
6Jack PaulNorth Shore Albions-54-120
7Arthur HardgraveOtahuhu United2-6--18
7RogersCity Rovers6----18
9George SeagarNorth Shore Albions34---17
10Stan WaltersNorth Shore Albions41---14

Representative Fixtures

began the representative season with a massive clash with the touring England side who were on their first ever tour of New Zealand. 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

Auckland v Waikato (Northern Union Cup)

Auckland B v Rotorua

Auckland v Taranaki (Northern Union Cup)

Auckland v Wellington (Northern Union Cup)

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.
NoNameClub TeamPlayTriesConPenPoints
1Charles SavoryPonsonby United439231
2Karl IfwersenGrafton21129
2Jim ClarkPonsonby United43009
4Jim BennettNewton Rangers42006
4Stan WestonNorth Shore Albions22006
6Ernie AsherCity Rovers10204
7Charles WoolleyCity Rovers41003
7Edward FoxNorth Shore Albions31003
7Stan WaltersNorth Shore Albions41003
7George SeagarNorth Shore Albions31003
7RogersGrafton21003
7Harry FrickerPonsonby United11003
7WynyardNorth Shore Albions11003
14Arthur HardgraveOtahuhu40000
14Thomas McClymontPonsonby United30000
14J McDonaldGrafton30000
14Tom CrossPonsonby United20000
14Bob MitchellGrafton20000
14Harold HaywardThames20000
14CorbyPonsonby United20000
14Charles WebbPonsonby United10000
14G WarnerCity Rovers10000
14Harold DenizeCity Rovers10000