1916 Auckland Rugby League season

The 1916 Auckland Rugby League season was the 8th year of the organisation. All grades were dramatically affected by players enlisting in the war efforts. Prior to the commencement of the season it was stated in the management committee meeting that 487 players in the Auckland district alone had committed to the war effort.[1] Teams were filled with older players and juniors. The Otahuhu senior team as was noted at their committee meeting featured “only three men eligible for military service..., and these were all registered and waiting to be called up. Of the remainder, six were married men with families, two were permanent force men, and four were under military age”.[2]

Despite this attendances were still good, with the mid season match between City Rovers and Grafton Athletic at Victoria Park attracting 3,000 spectators. While the Round 7 fixtures at Victoria Park drew the same number of spectators and 4,000 attending the round 8 matches. All the gate takings were donated to the Children's Hospital Ward Equipment Fund.[3] The final round saw over 4,000 attend Victoria Park where City Rovers won the title with a 14 points to 10 win over Grafton Athletic.[4] City also went on to win the end of season knockout Roope Rooster competition.

Owing to the effects of the war on playing strength and out of respect for the tremendous war effort there were no representative matches played in 1916, though City Rovers did play the Lower Waikato in two exhibition fixtures (home and away), and Richmond Rovers and Thames Old Boys (based in Auckland) traveled to Thames to play a match at the season end.

Season news

End of season report

At the end of the 1916 season a report was made on the season and it was presented to the Auckland Rugby League annual meeting in May 1917. It stated that the playing ranks had been severely depleted over the past season as over 600 players had joined the ranks of the military to fight in the first world war. There were 42 teams in total to compete across six grades (7 in the senior grade, 5 in second grade, 9 in third grade, 7 in the fourth grade, 8 in the fifth grade, and 6 in the sixth grade). Fourteen clubs were affiliated to the Auckland Rugby League with over 800 players in total. The Mangere, Remuera, and Northcote clubs withdrew from the competition due to so many of their players going to war.

Significantly they secured the option of the Chinamen's gardens just off Stanley Street and this was to later be turned into Carlaw Park.[5]

It was suggested that the newly-formed Garrison Artillery Club enter a first grade team however as there were already 6 teams competing there was a fear that it would weaken the existing teams. Otahuhu asked for Auckland Rugby League to request a special Saturday afternoon “train to be run to bring players, spectators and the general public to Otahuhu or Saturday afternoons” during the season.[6]

Death of Graham Cook and Frank McWhirter in WW1

Graham Cook and Frank McWhirter, who had played first grade football for Ponsonby United (Cook 1915, McWhirter 1914-15) were both killed while fighting in World War I in France. McWhirter had played representative football for Auckland against Thames and Waikato in 1915. The two had been childhood friends, both attending Ponsonby school, and then going on to work for the Auckland Gas Company. They also enlisted on the same day. Frank McWhirter was killed on July 9, 1916 at the Somme in northern France and is buried at Cite Bonjean Military Cemetery, Armentieres, France.[7] Graham Cook was also killed at the Somme on July 11, 1916 in France. He is buried at the Bailleul Communal Cemetery And Extension in Bailleul, France.[8][9]

First grade championship

Thirty matches were played during the season with the 20 being played at Victoria Park. The Devonport Domain hosted the 5 North Shore Albions home matches, while Otahuhu hosted 5 matches.

Final standings and fixtures

Team Pld W D L F A Pts City Rovers 10 8 1 1 112 57 17 North Shore Albions 10 7 1 2 134 57 15 Grafton Athletic 10 5 0 5 101 85 10 Ponsonby United 10 4 1 5 101 86 9 Otahuhu 10 2 1 6 45 95 5 Newton Rangers 10 2 0 8 62 175 4 Round 1 13 May Grafton 33–7 Newton Victoria Park 2   3:00 Try: Karl Ifwersen 2, Tait, Dougie McGregor 2, Marks, Devine Con: Karl Ifwersen 2, Dougie McGregor, Collins Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 [10] Try: Joe Bennett Pen: Joe Bennett, + 1 unknown Attendance: 2,000 Referee: A Ferguson 13 May City 12–5 Ponsonby Victoria Park 1   3:00 Try: Bill Davidson, Wilson Con: Ernie Asher 2 Pen: Ernie Asher [11] Try: H Manning Con: Thomas McClymont Attendance: 2,000 Referee: Stan Weston 13 May Otahuhu 9–13 North Shore Otahuhu   3:00 Try: Eustace 2, Sharpe [12] Try: Jack Paul, L Lowe, Cosgrove Con: Jack Paul Pen: Jack Paul Referee: T Fielding Round 2 20 May North Shore 13–6 Ponsonby Devonport Domain   3:00 Try: T Paul, Nicholson, Stan Walters [13] Try: L Martin Con: Charles Webb Referee: Murray 20 May City 9–8 Newton Victoria Park   3:00 Try: Bill Davidson Con: Ernie Asher Pen: Ernie Asher and 1 mark [14] Try: R Clark, Bill Williams Con: R Clark Referee: J J Herrick 20 May Otahuhu 9–8 Grafton Otahuhu   3:00 Try: Spence, Stanaway, J Browne [15] Try: Dougie McGregor, Wallace Con: unknown Referee: Wheatley Round 3 27 May Otahuhu 15–2 Newton Victoria Park 1   3:00 Try: Fisher 2, Simmonds Con: B Farrelly 2 Pen: B Farrelly (1 mark) [16] Pen: R Clark Referee: A Ferguson 27 May Grafton 10–6 Ponsonby Victoria Park 2   3:00 Try: Devine, Collins Con: Karl Ifwersen Pen: Karl Ifwersen [17] Pen: A Cross 3 Referee: Calthorpe 27 May North Shore 3–3 City Devonport Domain   3:00 Try: Nicholson [18] Try: Jim Rukutai Referee: T Fielding Round 4 Newton had trouble fielding a full team for their match with Ponsonby and ultimately played with 11, with the 28 to 3 defeat being unsurprising. 10 June North Shore 7–8 Grafton Devonport Domain   3:00 Try: Stan Walters Con: Jack Paul Pen: Jack Paul [19] Try: Karl Ifwersen 2 Con: Karl Ifwersen Referee: J Herrick 10 June City 10–3 Otahuhu Victoria Park 1   3:00 Try: J Sutton, Jim Rukutai Con: Ernie Asher 2 [19] Try: Eustace Attendance: 2500 Referee: T Hill 10 June Ponsonby 38–5 Newton Victoria Park 2   3:00 Try: A Cadman 3, Thomas McClymont 2, D Norgrove, Bill Walsh, L Martin, S Jones, Sam Lowrie Con: Thomas McClymont 2, J Winters 2 [19] Try: Thomas Con: unknown Attendance: 2,500 Referee: Stan Weston Round 5 17 June Grafton 14–10 City Victoria Park 1   3:00 Try: Dougie McGregor, Karl Ifwersen 2, Tait Con: Karl Ifwersen [20] Try: J Sutton, Vic Barchard Pen: Ernie Asher 2 Attendance: 3,000 Referee: T Fielding 17 June North Shore 35–6 Newton Victoria Park 2   3:00 Try: Perrett 2, Stan Walters, Nicholson, Colson, T Paul 2 Con: Jack Paul 7 [21] Try: George Iles, Tunamako Attendance: 3000 Referee: F Tyson 17 June Otahuhu 5–5 Ponsonby Otahuhu   3:00 Try: Fisher Pen: B Farrelly [22] Try: D Norgrove Pen: Charles Webb (one mark) Referee: A Ferguson Round 6 The point scoring phenomenon Karl Ifwersen was missing for Grafton and possibly as a result Newton pulled off a massive upset when they defeated Grafton by 8 points to 3. Newton had conceded 73 points and scored just 11 over their previous two matches. 24 June Newton 8–3 Grafton Victoria Park 3   3:00 Try: George Iles, Bill Williams Con: R Clark [23] Try: Ballantyne Referee: F Thompson 24 June North Shore 30–0 Otahuhu Devonport Domain   3:00 Try: Bovaird 3, Nicholson 3, Stan Walters 2 Con: Jack Paul 2 Pen: Jack Paul [24] Referee: G Whitley 24 June City 15–8 Ponsonby Victoria Park 1   3:00 Try: J Duggan, C Mitchell, Sheehan Con: Bill Davidson Pen: Bill Davidson (one mark) [25] Try: Innes, D Norgrove Con: Charles Webb Referee: W Murray Round 7 1 July North Shore 12–2 Ponsonby Victoria Park 1   3:00 Try: Nicholson, T Paul Con: Jack Paul 2 Pen: Jack Paul [26] Pen: Thomas McClymont (one mark) Attendance: 4000 Referee: Stan Walters 1 July Grafton 8–0 Otahuhu Victoria Park 2   3:00 Try: Karl Ifwersen 2 Pen: Karl Ifwersen [27] Attendance: 4000 Referee: J Herrick 1 July City 19–3 Newton Victoria Park 3   3:00 Try: Albert Asher, J Duggan 2, C Mitchell, Jim Rukutai Con: Ernie Asher, Fitzgerald [28] Try: Potier Attendance: 4000 Referee: T Hill Round 8 8 July City 15–4 North Shore Victoria Park # 1   3:00 Try: Bill Davidson, Jim Rukutai, Clark Con: Fitzgerald Pen: Bill Davidson 2 [29] Pen: Jack Paul 2 Attendance: 4,000 Referee: T Fielding 8 July Ponsonby 15–9 Grafton Victoria Park # 2   3:00 Try: Sam Lowrie, S Jones, Innes Con: Thomas McClymont, Charles Webb Pen: Charles Webb [29] Try: Claney Con: Karl Ifwersen Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 Attendance: 4,000 Referee: W Murray 8 July Otahuhu 4–8 Newton Otahuhu   3:00 Pen: Farrelly 2 [30] Try: George Iles 2 Con: George Iles Referee: F Tyson Round 9 Otahuhu despite playing at home were two men short for their match with Newton and went down 8 points to 4. 15 July North Shore 9–4 Grafton Victoria Park 1   3:00 Try: Perrett 2, Stan Walters [31] Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 Attendance: 2,000 Referee: W Murray 15 July Ponsonby 11–5 Newton Victoria Park 2   3:00 Try: G Wilson, Jim Clark, D McCarthy Con: J Winters [32] Try: George Iles Con: Potier Attendance: 2,000 Referee: A Ball 15 July Otahuhu 0–5 City Otahuhu   3:00 [33] Try: McAubrey Pen: Sutton Referee: A Ferguson Round 10 22 July City 14–4 Grafton Victoria Park # 1   3:00 Try: McAubrey 2, Bill Davidson, Tom Sheehan Pen: Bill Davidson (one mark) [34] Pen: Karl Ifwersen 2 Referee: A Ferguson 22 July North Shore 8–5 Newton Devonport Domain   3:00 Try: Perrett, Stan Walters Pen: Jack Paul (one mark) [35] Try: Stevens Pen: Joe Bennett Referee: Hill 22 July Ponsonby 6–0 Otahuhu Victoria Park   3:00 Try: S Jones, D Norgrove [36] Referee: Clow Roope Rooster knockout competition There were 3,000 spectators in attendance at the Round 1 matches at Victoria Park.[37] There were 3,000 in attendance again for the semi final between City Rovers and Ponsonby United, again played at Victoria Park in muddy conditions. As the result was a draw it meant that the teams and Auckland Rugby League had to decide on how to proceed with the competition. The eventual decision was for Ponsonby to advance to the final and City Rovers to play Newton in a second semi final. City defeated Newton and then in the final they defeated Ponsonby United in front of almost 5,000 spectators. Round 1 29 July Ponsonby 8–2 North Shore Victoria 1   3:00 Try: L Martin 2 Con: J Winters [38] Pen: Jack Paul (one mark) Attendance: 3000 Referee: Murray 29 July Newton 22–8 Otahuhu Victoria Park 2   3:00 Try: George Iles 2, Thomas 2, Joe Bennett, R Lovett Con: Coates, Potier [38] Try: Spinley, Stanaway Con: Stanaway Attendance: 3000 Referee: Whitley 29 July City WBD-LBD Grafton Victoria Park 3   3:00 [38] Referee: Fielding Semi finals 5 August City 5–5 Ponsonby Victoria Park   3:00 Try: J Sutton Pen: Bill Davidson [39] Try: Thomas McClymont Con: A Cross Attendance: 3000 Referee: Herrick 12 August City 16–3 Newton Victoria Park 1   3:00 Try: Bill Davidson, Jim Rukutai, Harry Francis, J Sutton Con: Bill Davidson Drop: Bill Davidson [40] Try: Arthur Isles Attendance: 3000 Referee: A Ferguson Final 19 August City 11–5 Ponsonby Victoria Park   3:00 Try: R Clarke, Bill Davidson, H Lunn Pen: Bill Davidson [41] Try: Thomas McClymont Con: A Cross Attendance: 5000 Referee: T Fielding Top point and try scorers The following point scoring lists include both Senior Championship matches and the Roope Rooster competition. Karl Ifwersen was the top point scorer for the third consecutive year with 58 points. He also topped the try scoring list with 8. Rank Player Team Tries 1 Karl Ifwersen Grafton Athletic 8 2 Nicholson North Shore 7 2 Stan Walters North Shore 7 2 George Iles Newton Rangers 7 5 Bill Davidson City Rovers 5 5 Perrett North Shore 5 7 T Paul North Shore 4 7 J Sutton City Rovers 4 7 Jim Rukutai City Rovers 4 7 Thomas McClymont Ponsonby United 4 7 L Martin Ponsonby United 4 7 D Norgrove Ponsonby United 4 7 Dougie McGregor Grafton Athletic 4 Rank Player Team Tries Con Pen Mark DG Points 1 Karl Ifwersen Grafton Athletic 8 6 10 0 0 56 2 Jack Paul North Shore 1 14 7 2 0 49 3 Bill Davidson City Rovers 6 2 4 2 1 36 4 George Iles Newton Rangers 7 1 0 0 0 23 5 Ernie Asher City Rovers 0 6 5 0 0 22 6 Nicholson North Shore 7 0 0 0 0 21 6 Stan Walters North Shore 7 0 0 0 0 21 Lower grade clubs The Telegraph Messengers Club nominated a team for the Sixth Grade. They were usually named Post and Telegraph in the media reports during the season. Manukau Northcote Ramblers Post and Telegraph Richmond Riverhead Sunnyside Thames Old Boys End of season exhibition matches The week after the final was played a City Rovers organised side consisting of players from City, Newton, Grafton, and North Shore travelled to Ngaruawahia to play Lower Waikato. City won by 13 points to 9. A week later Richmond and Thames Old Boys (based in Auckland) traveled to Thames to play a match. It was won by Thames Old Boys by 11 to 5.[42] The last match of the season was played on 9 September when City Rovers played against Lower Waikato at Victoria Park. City Rovers won by 19 points to 8. This brought the Auckland Rugby League season to a close. The curtain-raiser was a match between the Referees Association and Auckland rugby league players and was won by the referees by 10 points to 5.[43] 26 August Lower Waikato 9-13 City Combined Ngaruawahia   3:00 Try: Callaghan 2, Kay [44] Try: Stan Walters 2, Potier Con: Jack Paul Pen: Jack Paul (mark) Referee: T Fielding 2 September Thames Old Boys 11-5 Richmond Dodd's Paddock, Thames   3:00 Try: Davidson 2, Schofield Con: Davidson [45] Try: McGregor Pen: Cloke Referee: Thompson 9 September City 19-8 Lower Waikato Victoria Park   3:00 Try: Clarke, McKubrey, Jim Rukutai 2, Maurice Wetherill Con: Fitzgerald Drop: Bill Davidson [46] Try: Callaghan, Aubrey Pen: Littlewood Representative fixtures There were no representative fixtures played in 1916 owing to the effects of the war on senior playing numbers. References "Big Entry of Teams". Auckland Star. XLVII (107). 4 May 1916. p. 7. Retrieved 9 December 2019. "Otahuhu Club". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16225). 10 May 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "City Defeats North Shore". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16277). 10 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Senior Championship/Won by City Rovers/City Defeats Grafton/North Shore V Newton/Ponsonby V Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16289). 24 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Auckland Rugby League/Past Season Reviewed". The New Zealand Herald. LIV (16526). 30 April 1917. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Arrangements for Saturday". The New Zealand Herald. LIII. 10 May 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Frank McWhirter". Auckland Museum. Retrieved 12 January 2021. "Graham Walker Cook". Auckland Museum. 14 January 2020. p. 1. Retrieved 14 January 2020. "Private Graham W. Cook". Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 204. 26 August 1916. p. 6. Retrieved 14 January 2020. "Grafton's Easy Win". The New Zealand Herald. LIII. 15 May 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 13 August 2019. "Opening of Season/City Defeats Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. LIII. 15 May 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 13 August 2019. "North Shore v Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. LIII. 15 May 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 13 August 2019. "North Shore v Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16235). 22 May 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 10 August 2019. "City's Close Call". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16235). 22 May 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 10 August 2019. "Otahuhu Beats Grafton". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16235). 22 May 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 10 August 2019. "Otahuhu Beats Newton". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16241). 29 May 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 13 August 2019. "City and North Shore Leading". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16241). 29 May 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 13 August 2019. "City and North Shore Draw". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16241). 29 May 1916. p. 4. Retrieved 13 August 2019. "Grafton Beats North Shore". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16253). 12 June 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 13 August 2019. "Grafton Beats City". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16259). 19 June 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "North Shore V Newton". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16259). 19 June 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Otahuhu V Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16259). 19 June 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Newton Defeats Grafton". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16265). 26 June 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 10 August 2019. "North Shore's Easy Win". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16265). 26 June 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 10 August 2019. "City V Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16265). 26 June 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 10 August 2019. "North Shore Beats "Ponies"/Old Rivals Display Bad Spirit". Auckland Star. XLVII (157). 3 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Strong Challenge to Grafton". Auckland Star. XLVII (157). 3 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "City Vanquish Newton Comfortably". Auckland Star. XLVII (157). 3 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "City Defeats North Shore/City Rovers V North Shore/Grafton V Ponsonby/Newton V Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16277). 10 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 10 August 2019. "Newton V Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16277). 10 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 10 August 2019. "Grafton V North Shore". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16283). 17 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Club Competitions/Grafton V North Shore/City Rovers V Otahuhu/Ponsonby V Newton". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16283). 17 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "City Rovers V Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16283). 17 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Won by City Rovers/City Defeats Grafton". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16289). 24 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "North Shore V Newton". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16289). 24 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Ponsonby V Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16289). 24 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Fight for the Silver Cock/Ponsonby Takes Revenge/Merited Win From Shore/Newton Win and Grafton Default". Auckland Star. XLVII (181). 30 September 1916. p. 6. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Roope's Rooster/Ponsonby V North Shore/Newton Defeats Otahuhu". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16295). 31 July 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 12 August 2019. "Roope's Rooster/City V Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16301). 7 August 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Roope Rooster Match/City Defeats Newton". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16037). 14 August 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "Roope Rooster Competition/Won by City Rovers/City Defeats Ponsonby". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16313). 21 September 1916. p. 3. Retrieved 13 August 2019. "Excursion to Thames/Richmond V Old Boys". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16325). 4 September 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 13 August 2019. "Waikato v City Rovers/The Season Closed". The New Zealand Herald. LIII (16331). 11 September 1916. p. 10. Retrieved 14 August 2019. "City V Lower Waikato". New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16319. 28 August 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 19 September 2020. "The League Game/Excursion to Thames/Richmond V Old Boys". New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16325. 4 September 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 19 September 2020. "Lower Waikato in Auckland". Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 217. 11 September 1916. p. 8. Retrieved 19 September 2020. External links Auckland Rugby League Official Site