# Richmond Rovers

The Richmond Rovers Rugby League Club is a rugby league club based in Grey Lynn, New Zealand. The premier team is called the Richmond Bulldogs/Richmond Rovers and compete in Auckland Rugby League's first grade Fox Memorial competition. They have won the first grade championship on 12 occasions.

## Early history

The club was formed in 1913 by employees at Mr. B. W. Davis' Boot Factory and Elliott's, following a scratch game in 1912. They didn't in fact play an official game until 1914 when they affiliated with the Grafton Athletic club and entered a team in the 4th grade and played in the Grafton Athletic colours.
In 1883 the land surrounding Grey Lynn Park was subdivided and the houses were built. The area that is now Grey Lynn Park was too steep to build houses on and so, in 1914, the area was drained and flattened so sport could be played. Flood lights were installed at the park in the 1950s.
Richmond's first ever first grade game was against Athletic (Maritime) on April 22, 1922. They lost 14-2 with Henderson scoring their first ever points in the grade with a penalty.
Richmond enjoyed considerable success in the middle decades of the 1900s. They were the first club ever to win the Fox Memorial, Roope Rooster, and Stormont Shield in a single season (1934). They went on to win these trophies several more times in the following years. They also defeated 4 Australian club teams from 1934 to 1939 (including the Sydney champions - Western Suburbs 18–16, and 10–3 in 1934). This saw them win the Rangatira Shield, played for between Sydney and Auckland clubs. They won the Fox Memorial in 1934, 1935, 1937, 1940, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1955 and 1956.

## Bartercard Cup

The Richmond club were involved in the Bartercard Cup as a joint venture with the Marist Saints between 2000 and 2005. This team was called the Marist Richmond Brothers.

## Notable players

48 Richmond Juniors have played for the New Zealand national rugby league team including Nigel Vagana, Fred Ah Kuoi, Steve Matai, David Solomona and Evarn Tuimavave. In addition 19 women have represented the New Zealand Women's team.
Other Warriors such as Tevita Latu, Steve Matai, Sam Lousi, Sione Lousi, John Palavi, Wayne McDade, Daniel Vasau, Evarn Tuimavave, Faavae Kalolo, & Malo Solomona were also Richmond juniors.
American actor Geno Segers had a stint with the club.
A team of the century was named in 2013, and consisted of: 1. Bert Cooke, 2. Nigel Vagana, 3. Tom Baxter, 4. Maurie Robertson, 5. Vern Bakalich, 6. Fred Ah Kuoi, 7. Shane Varley, 8. Joe Vagana, 9. John Lasher, 10. Cliff Johnson (c), 11. Jim Riddell, 12. Se'e Solomona and 13. Raymond Williams.

## Richmond Senior Team Records (1915-1945, 1993-2004 + 2022-24)

The season record for the most senior men's team in the club.
| Season | Grade | Name | Played | W | D | L | PF | PA | PD | Pts | Position (Teams) |
| 1915 | 3rd Grade | Richmond | 6 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 17 | 66 | -49 | 2 | 10 teams, full results unknown |
| 1916 | 3rd Grade | Richmond | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 21 | 13 | 6 | 8 teams, full results unknown |
| 1917 | 4th Grade | Richmond | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 25 | 45 | -20 | 8 | 8 teams, full results unknown |
| 1918 | 4th Grade | Richmond | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 34 | 25 | 9 | 10 | 9 teams, full results unknown |
| 1919 | 4th Grade | Richmond | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 77 | 6 | 71 | 13 | 4th of 10 |
| 1920 | 4th Grade | Richmond | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 92 | 26 | 66 | 8 | Approx 3rd of 10 |
| 1921 | 4th Grade | Richmond | 6 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 51 | 13 | 38 | 10 | Approx 3rd of 8 |
| 1922 | 1st Grade (Monteith) | Richmond | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 141 | 295 | -154 | 6 | 7th of 8 |
| 1923 | 1st Grade (Monteith) | Richmond | 12 | 1 | 0 | 11 | 93 | 239 | -146 | 2 | 7th of 7 |
| 1924 | 1st Grade (Monteith) | Richmond | 16 | 5 | 0 | 11 | 97 | 194 | -97 | 10 | 7th of 9 |
| 1925 | 1st Grade (Monteith) | Richmond | 11 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 155 | 184 | -29 | 8 | 5th of 7 |
| 1926 | 1st Grade (Monteith) | Richmond | 11 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 142 | 176 | -34 | 6 | 5th of 7 |
| 1927 | 1st Grade (Monteith) | Richmond | 12 | 4 | 1 | 7 | 134 | 182 | -48 | 9 | 5th of 7 |
| 1928 | 1st Grade (Monteith) | Richmond | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 143 | 132 | 11 | 15 | 2nd of 7 |
| 1929 | 1st Grade (Monteith) | Richmond | 14 | 3 | 0 | 11 | 105 | 161 | -56 | 6 | 7th of 8 |
| 1930 | 1st Grade (Monteith) | Richmond | 13 | 4 | 0 | 9 | 118 | 156 | -38 | 8 | 8th of 8 |
| 1931 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 12 | 7 | 1 | 4 | 143 | 93 | 50 | 15 | 3rd of 7 |
| 1932 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 10 | 3 | 0 | 7 | 117 | 134 | -17 | 6 | 5th of 6 |
| 1933 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 10 | 3 | 1 | 6 | 147 | 131 | 16 | 7 | 5th of 6 |
| 1934 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 13 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 257 | 108 | 149 | 22 | 1st of 6 |
| 1935 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 13 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 217 | 95 | 122 | 21 | 1st of 7 |
| 1936 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 199 | 136 | 63 | 18 | 2nd of 8 |
| 1937 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 14 | 10 | 1 | 3 | 266 | 156 | 110 | 21 | 1st of 8 |
| 1938 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 15 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 205 | 180 | 25 | 17 | 5th of 9 |
| 1939 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 15 | 7 | 0 | 8 | 171 | 174 | -3 | 14 | 6th of 9 |
| 1940 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 16 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 303 | 143 | 160 | 25 | 1st of 9 |
| 1941 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 15 | 9 | 0 | 6 | 235 | 149 | 86 | 18 | 3rd of 9 |
| 1942 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 15 | 5 | 0 | 10 | 148 | 186 | -38 | 10 | 5th of 6 |
| 1943 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 16 | 11 | 0 | 5 | 247 | 123 | 124 | 22 | 3rd of 9 |
| 1944 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 242 | 153 | 89 | 20 | 6th of 10 |
| 1945 | 1st Grade (Fox) | Richmond | 14 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 266 | 100 | 166 | 22 | 2nd of 10 |
| 1993 | Lion Red Rukutai | Richmond | 18 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 352 | 353 | 99.7% | 23 | 2nd of 10, SF 10-7 v Mt Albert, PF 7-3 v Ponsonby, GF 5-11 v Otahuhu. Roope Rooster GF 12-22 v North Shore |
| 1994 | Lion Red Rukutai | Richmond | 22 | 10 | 0 | 12 | 596 | 618 | 96.4% | 20 | 7th of 12 |
| 1995 | Lion Red Rukutai | Richmond | 24 | 14 | 0 | 10 | 715 | 605 | 118.2% | 32 | 5th of 13 |
| 1996 | Lion Red Prelim | Richmond | 13 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 318 | 301 | 105.6% | 11 | 9th of 14 |
| 1998 | Super 10 | Central Sharks | 18 | 3 | 1 | 14 | 327 | 601 | 54.41% | 7 | 9th of 10 |
| 1999 | Rukutai Shield Super 12 | Central Sharks | 22 | 3 | 1 | 18 | 401 | 740 | 54.19% | 7 | 12th of 12 |
| 2000 | Mad Butcher Fox Top 8 | Richmond | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 517 | 254 | 203.5% | 25 | 1st of 8 |
| | Playoffs | Richmond | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 44 | 63 | - | - | L 10-26 v Ōtāhuhu in minor SF, W 20-16 v Te Atatū in major SF, L 14-21 v Ōtāhuhu in Fox final |
| 2001 | Mad Butcher Fox Top 8 | Richmond | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 460 | 385 | 119.5% | 20 | |
| | Playoffs | Richmond | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 51 | 48 | 106.3% | - | W 22-18 v Northcote in Major SF, L 29-30 v Northcote in Fox Final |
| 2002 | Fox Memorial Top 8 | Richmond | 14 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 276 | 428 | 64.5% | 7 | 7th of 8 |
| 2003 | Playoffs | Richmond | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 79 | 77 | - | - | L v Hib Coast 28-41 in PF, W v Marist 32-28 in Minor Final, L v Mangere East 19-24 in Major final |
| 2004 | Mad Butcher Fox | Richmond | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 438 | 322 | 136% | 18 | 4th of 8 |
| | Playoffs | Richmond | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 42 | 29 | - | - | W 30-10 v Papakura in Prel final, L 12-19 v Manurewa in Minor final |
| 2022 | Fox Premiership Section 2 | Richmond | 9 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 326 | 134 | 192 | 12 | 4th of 10 in section 2, W v Marist 34-0 in PF, L v Otahuhu 20-12 in QF |
| | Playoffs | Richmond | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 46 | 20 | - | - | W 34-0 v Marist in Prel SF, L v Otahuhu 20-12 in QF |
| 2023 | Fox Grading | Richmond | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 98 | 48 | 204.2% | 4 | 2nd of 4 in Pool B |
| | Fox (Rukutai Shield) | Richmond | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 316 | 116 | 272.4% | 19 | 1st of 12 (Rukutai winner) |
| | Playoffs | Richmond | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 24 | 30 | - | - | W v Papakura 8-6 in Major SF, L v Pt Chevalier in Grand Final |
| 2024 | Fox Grading | Richmond | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 122 | 30 | +92 | 4 | 2nd of 4 in Pool A |
| | Fox (Rukutai Shield) | Richmond | 11 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 383 | 147 | +236 | 20 | 1st of 12 (Rukutai winner) |
| | Playoffs | Richmond | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 26 | - | - | W v Pt Chevalier 23-12 in PF, W v Papakura in GF 15-14 (after ET) |
| 1922-45, 1993–96, 2000-2002, 2004, 2022-2024 | TOTAL | | 594 | 303 | 20 | 272 | 10590 | 9359 | - | 614 | |

## Club Titles
### Richmond Rovers grade championships (1910-1944)

* 1921 Sixth Grade
* 1922 Fourth Grade
* 1923 Fifth Grade
* 1924 Second Grade B Section winners (lost final to Otahuhu 17-5, who won the A Section), Fourth Grade B Section winners (lost final to Ponsonby, who were A Section winners), Fifth Grade knockout (Section B)
* 1925 Second Grade, Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade A, & Sixth Grade B
* 1926 Third Grade Intermediate, & Fifth Grade
* 1927 Third Grade Intermediate and Third Grade knockout competition, Fourth Grade (Hospital Cup), & Sixth Grade B (Myers Cup)
* 1928 Third Grade Open, Third Grade Intermediate, & Fourth Grade
* 1929 Third Grade Open, Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade A, & Sixth Grade B
* 1930 Second Grade, Fourth Grade & Fourth Grade knockout, Seventh Grade & Seventh Grade knockout, & Schoolboys (Richmond Schools A)
* 1931 Third Grade Intermediate, & Seventh Grade
* 1932 Reserve Grade, & Sixth Grade
* 1933 Reserve Grade, Fifth Grade, & Seventh Grade
* 1934 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Reserve Grade, Third Grade Open, & Seventh Grade
* 1935 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Second Grade, Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade A, Seventh Grade, & Schoolboys (Senior)
* 1936 Sixth Grade A, & Schoolboys (Senior)
* 1937 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Reserve Grade, Fourth Grade, Schoolboys (Senior)
* 1938 Reserve Grade, Third Grade Open, Seventh Grade, Schoolboy (Senior), Schoolboy (Intermediate)
* 1939 Reserve Grade, Sixth Grade A, Seventh Grade
* 1940 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Reserve Grade, Fifth Grade, Seventh Grade, Schoolboys (Senior)
* 1941 Sixth Grade

#### Other titles

* 1926 Roope Rooster
* 1927 Roope Rooster
* 1933 Roope Rooster
* 1934 Roope Rooster, & Stormont Shield
* 1935 Stormont Shield
* 1936 Stormont Shield
* 1938 Roope Rooster, & Stormont Shield
* 1940 Roope Rooster
* 1942 Roope Rooster

### All time top point scorers (1922-1945)

The point scoring lists are compiled from first grade matches in the championship, Roope Rooster, Phelan Shield, Sharman Cup and official exhibition matches including organised preseason rounds.
| Top point scorers |
| No | Player | Start | End | Games | Tries | Con | Pen | DG | Pts |
| 1 | Ted Mincham | 1928 | 1942 | 120 | 52 | 55 | 36 | 0 | 338 |
| 2 | L 'Snowy' Taylor | 1926 | 1930 | 40 | 22 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 230 |
| 3 | Bernard Lowther (snr) | 1941 | 1945 | - | 43 | 23 | 8 | 0 | 191 |
| 4= | Frank Furnell | 1937 | 1945 | - | 8 | 50 | 22 | 0 | 168 |
| 4= | Cliff Satherley | 1933 | 1936 | 65 | 16 | 38 | 22 | 0 | 168 |
| 6 | Reece Marshall | 1932 | 1936 | - | 12 | 27 | 17 | 0 | 124 |
| 7= | George Tittleton | 1936 | 1938 | 50 | 25 | 21 | 3 | 0 | 123 |
| 7= | Wally Tittleton | 1936 | 1943 | 117 | 41 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 123 |
| 9 | Charles W Webb | 1939 | 1942 | - | 2 | 41 | 16 | 0 | 120 |
| 10= | Leo Davis | 1936 | 1945 | - | 33 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 111 |
| 10= | Stan Prentice | 1926 | 1935 | 141 | 37 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 111 |
| 12 | Trevor Hanlon | 1924 | 1933 | - | 15 | 19 | 9 | 0 | 101 |
| 13 | Bill Telford | 1927 | 1937 | - | 31 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 99 |
| 14 | J McDonald | 1942 | 1944 | - | 7 | 31 | 6 | 1 | 97 |
| 15 | Trevor Bramley | 1938 | 1940 | - | 5 | 26 | 14 | 0 | 95 |
| 16 | Jack Magill | 1942 | 1945 | - | 5 | 23 | 16 | 0 | 93 |
| 17 | Eric Hugh (Mick) Carroll | 1922 | 1928 | 44 | 4 | 27 | 8 | 0 | 82 |
| 18 | William Kinney | 1942 | 1945 | - | 27 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 81 |
| 19 | Alf Broadhead | 1934 | 1941 | - | 26 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 80 |
| 20 | Dave Solomon | 1937 | 1941 | - | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 79 |
| 21 | Laurie Mills | 1938 | 1940 | - | 26 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 78 |
| 22 | George Mitchell | 1937 | 1941 | - | 25 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 75 |
| 23 | Ralph Jenkinson | 1925 | 1934 | - | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 74 |
| 23 | Jack Satherley | 1934 | 1945 | 147 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 74 |
| 25 | Ron McGregor | 1942 | 1945 | - | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 72 |