1935 Auckland Rugby League season
The 1935 Auckland Rugby League season was its 27th. The senior championship was again won by the Richmond Rovers who had won their first ever Fox Memorial title the previous season. They were level with Mount Albert after 12 matches and the two teams played off for the championship with Richmond winning 14–9. Despite their loss this was a significant achievement by Mount Albert who were in their first ever season in the senior first grade. Newton Rangers who were in the middle of a revival after several poor seasons won the Roope Rooster trophy  for the third time in their history with a 10-8 win over Richmond. They had previously won it in 1919 and 1920. This qualified them to play against Richmond in the Stormont Shield match. They lost 26-15 to hand Richmond their second straight Stormont Shield title. Ponsonby United won the Phelan Shield for teams who had been eliminated after the first round of the Roope Rooster with an 11-8 win over Mount Albert. Marist Old Boys won the reserve grade competition (Norton Cup) after defeating Richmond Rovers in the final by 3 points to 0. They also  won the Stallard Cup when they won the knockout competition which also involved some of the Senior B teams. Mount Albert won the Thistle Cup by scoring the most competition points in the second round of the Fox Memorial competition. Robert Morrissey of Mount Albert won the champion goal kicker award after he kicked 37 goals in the Fox Memorial and Roope Rooster competitions. The reinstated Senior B competition (Sharman Cup) was won by Otahuhu with an 8 win, 1 loss record with Papakura second with 7 wins and 2 losses. Left trailing well behind was Point Chevalier, and Waiuku  with a single win and 7 losses each. At the end of the season the newly formed Green Lane senior side joined these 4 sides in the Senior B knockout competition. They performed well losing narrowly to Papakura and Point Chevalier, and defeating Waiuku to finish 4th of the 5 sides. The knockout competition was won by Papakura. This competition was followed by the Walmsley Shield matches which Papakura won 6-2 over Green Lane in the final. The representative season was marked by the clash between Auckland and Australia who were touring New Zealand for the first time in  16 years. Auckland went down in an entertaining match 8-16. There were several trial matches played as the selectors looked to find the best possible XIII's to represent both Auckland and the North Island. Auckland also went on a brief 'Southern' tour where they had wins over Wellington and Canterbury. The representative season was finished with an Auckland Province loss to Australia 18-36. Auckland Rugby League meetings and news. Annual meeting. At the annual meeting on April 9 the report and balance sheet was presented. It was noted that despite there being rain on ten Saturdays during  the 1934 season there was a “marked increase in ground and grandstand receipts”. The working account balance had improved from £762 7/9 in 1933 to £1,254 0/9 by the end of 1934 with gate and grandstand returns totalling £2,814 10/3. The league's assets were valued at £10,983 16/7 made up from Carlaw Park (£6,980 11/2), grandstand (£3,686 10/9), furniture and fittings (£101 6/2), and plant and gear (£181 13/10), which left a profit of £435 18/4. Adjustments to the players’ insurance scheme and fewer accidents saw a saving of over  £70. The league gave £429 17/3 to the clubs which was slightly up on the 1933 season. The report also noted the retirement of Messrs. F. Ellis (treasurer), T. Davis (secretary, Junior Control Board), and to Mr. Vic Simpson (secretary, Referees Association). The following were elected as officers for the 1935 season: patron, Mr. J.B. Donald; vice-patron, Mr. J.F.W. Dickson; president, James Carlaw; chairman, Mr. Grey Campbell; deputy chairman, Ted Phelan; vice-presidents, Messrs R.D. Bagnall, R. Benson, J. Bellamy, O. Blackwood, J. Donald, C. Drysdale, H. Grange, R.J. Laird, W.J. Lovett, John A. Lee (M.P.), J.  Montgomery, E. Morton, Joe Sayegh, C. Seagar, Bill Schramm (M.P.), R.T. Sharman, W. Wallace, H. Walmsley, G.T. Wright, R.H. Wood, G.C.Gilmore, and Webb; club delegates to the board of control, J.W. Probert, and Jim Rukutai; referees’ delegate, William Mincham. In mid April Mr. Ernest Davis, and Mr. T.G. Symonds (managing director of George Court and Sons Ltd.) were elected vice-presidents of ARL. The 3rd annual Auckland Rugby League ball was held on October 2 at the Peter Pan Cabaret. Members of the touring Australian team were in attendance and the combined colours of the Auckland clubs were used to  decorate the ballroom. The following were elected to the ARL Board of Control: hon secretary, Mr. Ivan Culpan; hon treasurer, Mr. J.E. Knowling; New Zealand Council delegate, Mr. R. Doble; hon solicitor, Mr. H.M. Rogerson; press steward, Mr. R. Doble; hon. auditor, Mr. R.A. Spinley; hon physicians, Drs. Tracey Inglis, Pezaro, Gwynne, Holdgate, Waddell, Burrell, and Locke; hon masseur, Mr. F. Flannagan; timekeepers, Messrs. W. Liversidge and A.E. Chapman; referees appointment board, Mr. L Binns and Wilkie; emergency committee, the chairman, secretary and Mr. Rukutai; finance committee, the chairman, secretary and Messrs. Probert and William Mincham. In mid April Mr.  Ernest Davis, and Mr. T.G. Symonds (managing director of George Court and Sons Ltd.) were elected vice-presidents of ARL. State of the game. At the dinner for the Taranaki and South Auckland teams following their representative matches with Auckland and Auckland B on August 3 a dinner was held in their honour. Present was the Minister of Education, Hon. Sydney George Smith, who spoke of the importance of sport in helping New Zealand through difficult times. Later in the evening Mr. E. Stallworthy “expressed a hope that no discrimination would be made in schools in the matter of organised  sport”... and “drew the Minister’s attention to the fact that sometimes teachers had seemed somewhat biased against rugby league football, and he hoped that the ruling of his predecessor that any penalty imposed on a boy for following his desires in sport, or obstruction thereto, would be a matter for serious inquiry”. The Minister responded “I may say that I have no objection to any code of football being played in the schools”. And he then went on the explain how the responsibility lay in the case of primary schools with the education board of the district, and for  secondary schools with their governing boards. He said that headmasters and teachers would be unwise to go against the desires of parents and their children in regards to wanting to play any particular game. At a social function at Masterton on July 24 Bert Cooke spoke about the league and union codes. He said that most of the rumours about large sums in connection with league were pure imagination. He went on to say that the league code was drawing thousands in Auckland where rugby drew hundreds and that there was no doubt which game the Northerners would sooner watch . Describing the game as being "faster, cleaner and a more brainy game altogether, but players required to be very fit. Nevertheless, he did not anticipate that league would make as great progress elsewhere as in Auckland". Broadcasting of matches. At the board of control meeting on April 17 it was decided to broadcast matches from Carlaw Park through the 1ZB station. Trainings. At their first board of control meeting on April 10 the chairman suggested that clubs try to get their own training grounds where possible so that they could train harder and develop tactics without other teams training nearby  seeing them. This was difficult to do at Carlaw Park with many teams training at the same time. It was also decided that school boys would not be allowed to train after 7pm owing to the needs of other teams. Reintroduction of the Senior B grade. At the board of control meeting on March 6 it was decided to create a Senior B Grade. There had been one for several seasons but after the senior competition was restructured in 1931 to include 6 clubs with reserve grade teams beneath them the Senior B clubs were relegated to the Second  Grade competition. It was recommended by the junior management secretary, Mr. W.F. Clarke that players in the Senior B grade would have the same status as Senior A players with regard to regrading. It was suggested that the Sharman Cup be donated for the Senior B championship, and the Foster Shield for the knockout competition. The third open grade would be eliminated and now effectively become the second grade (which had been superseded by the Senior B grade). The third grade would still have a weighted grade competition. It was also decided that the winner of the grade would have  the right to enter the Roope Rooster competition. Otahuhu United won the competition and played a friendly match with Ponsonby United before losing to Newton Rangers in the first round of the Roope Rooster. At the April 17 board of control meeting there was considerable debate about whether the winners of the Senor B grade should be allowed to play the last placed team in the Fox Memorial competition, even if there was no consequence to the game. From 1927 to 29 promotion-relegation games were played between these teams but were ceased). It was generally decided that it would  be unfair for the last placed team in the top division to have such dire consequences hanging over them. It was also noted that the winning Senior B team could compete in the Roope Rooster competition anyway. At the Junior Management Committee meeting of April 23 it was reported that there would be six teams in the senior B grade - Papatoetoe, Otahuhu, Ellerslie, Point Chevalier, Richmond, and Waiuku. Waiuku were a new club, while Richmond's entry was described as “a fresh city side”. Ultimately Papatoetoe dd not field a side meaning there were 5 teams and 1 bye each  round. It was felt later in the season that Waiuku had been so ambitious in fielding a Senior B side when they were a fledging club and would have been better placed fielding their team in the Second Grade. Application by Mount Albert United for senior status. At the first meeting of the Auckland Rugby League Board of Control on February 27 the Mount Albert United club applied for senior status. Chairman G. Grey Campbell said that the constitution allowed only six senior clubs and if there was to be an alteration there would need to be a notice of  motion, along with a meeting of club delegates, with the Board of Control having the final say. The Mount Albert delegates Mr J. Johnson and G.H. Shaw said that the club wished a decision to be made early as they needed to organise before the season started and that they “would field first class senior and reserve grade teams, with much district support”. At the boards first official meeting on April 10 it was decided to admit the Mount Albert United club to the senior grade which meant it would consist of 7 teams. Mr. G. Grey Campbell said that  he had looked at the names of the players which Mount Albert had submitted and they were all well recognised seniors. He also stated that there was a “strict reservation that this season no transfers from any other rugby league club be allowed, the idea being that a new club should not be strengthened at the expense of the existing clubs, which should be protected”. He also went on to say that “he felt sure Mount Albert would bring life to the competition and there were great possibilities behind the move”. Mr. R Doble spoke in support of the application  by Mount Albert. On the motion of Mr. Probert to admit Mount Albert it was confirmed by vote. Rules. At the board of control meeting on May 1 after the consideration of reports it was “decided to advise senior clubs that the new play the ball and hooking rules would be more rigidly enforced from next Saturday”. Players would be given the opportunity to “brush up” on the rules by attending referee demonstrations on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. It was scheduled that all coaches and team captains would meet on April 24 at a Referees Association conference to discuss the  new amendments to the playing rules. The play the ball rule stated that “players playing the ball must keep both feet on the ground until the ball has been placed thereon and the players acting as respective halfbacks must stand one yard behind the player playing the ball. All other players must not approach within three yards and be behind the acting halfbacks”. In addition to this the “offside rule of five yards radius within which players are offside is now increased to 10 yards”. While a drop out from touch now necessitated that “the attacking player must stand five  yards away from the goal line, and when the game is restarted the ball must be kicked from behind the goal posts, and must reach this five yard mark. Formerly the attacking player stood on the goal line”. At a control board meeting on May 8 there was a question from a club regarding injured players and replacements. The response was: “(1) An injured player can be replaced up to the end of the first spell; (2) an injured player is one incapable of carrying on in play; (3) a team which plays twelve players in the first half is  entitled to add a player, even in the second half, because the laws of the game provide for thirteen men a side; (4) players or officials of a club are not entitled to convene meetings of players with members of another club”. After complaints from junior grades regarding players wearing boots with illegal sprigs the referees association said that they had no right to police this. However the referees association received official advice from the control board meeting on May 20 that they did indeed have the right to inspect players boots to ensure that boots, whether "Bakelite or Aluminium  were not dangerous". On August 5 at the ARL Referees’ Association meeting Mr. W. Mincham reported that the control board had ruled that a player leaving the field sick could not be replaced, but an injured player could be. The matter had arisen after an incident in a third grade match at Victoria Park. Mr Saunders, the referee said that the "ambulance man" had told him that the player was "suffering from concussion as well as influenza" and the matter had been misreported to the control board. Carlaw Park. In May the City Rovers club wrote a letter to the  Board of Control saying that the terrace fence was dangerous. The league responded that they realised this and that work would be undertaken on the fence “as soon as funds permitted”. Club flags were discussed at the 26 June meeting and the chairman suggested that a "flag-pole be erected near the scoreboard … to indicate by the flying of a pennant the team leading during the progress of the main game. Mr Campbell said the idea was one given him by Mr. Horrie Miller. The suggestion was adopted". Mr Miller was the secretary of New South Wales Rugby League and  had recently visited New Zealand. It was decided at the July 3 ARL meeting to address the flagpole next to the score-board proposal next season as the chairman said that it was "also proposed to improve the present score-board". Referees had money and other items stolen from their dressing rooms during matches at Carlaw Park and at the July 3 ARL meeting it was decided that the issue of unauthorised people gaining "admittance to the dressing rooms" needed to be addressed and was referred to a sub-committee for investigation. Following the North Island v South Island match  on August 17 the ARL reported that the takings for club matches at Carlaw Park were "just over £500 better than those in 1934" and that "during the past ten weeks heavy rain had fallen each Saturday, otherwise the figures would have been even more satisfactory". Jersey Colours. After several issues in junior matches where both teams wore uniforms of a similar nature confusing players, the referee, and spectators alike the league decided to form a 'colours committee' to look into the matter. Mr. D. Wilkie said "after full deliberation … it was suggested that the Otahuhu club's jerseys  be taken over and an alteration be made to Glenora jerseys. It was agreed that Ponsonby should retain their present colours. In connection with the clash of colours between City Rovers and Ellerslie, the former club had decided to differentiate by equipping their teams with white shorts". Otahuhu would be "suitably recompensed" for their forced change. The committee also thought that they should compile a register with all the details regarding colours and width of bands on jerseys and other particulars. Their recommendations were adopted and the colours committee were given authority to file patterns from jersey manufacturers in the  register for reference. They then examined samples of the new Auckland representative jerseys and deferred their decision on them. Player losses to English professional teams. In the off-season Newton Rangers lost the services of Mortimer Stephens and Cyril Blacklaws who were signed by St Helens. Stephens was from South Auckland and had originally played rugby league for Papakura. He represented Auckland and the North Island side in 1934. Blacklaws had also started his rugby league at Papakura before joining Newton. They both spent some time at St Helens before later signing for Rochdale Hornets. Later Mortimer Stephens son Owen  became a representative rugby player, playing for the All Blacks, and the Wallabies, before switching to rugby league and playing for Parramatta and Wakefield Trinity in the 1970s. Bert Cooke's retirement. At a social evening in Masterton on July 24 Bert Cooke had intimated that this season would be his last. He said that beyond the season he would "probably be wandering about in plus fours, carrying a bag of golf clubs". It was later confirmed that he had indeed retired after he made a statement at a dinner for the touring Australian players in October that he had  played his last game. This finished a remarkable career where he represented the Auckland rugby side from 1923 to 1925, Hawke's Bay in 1926, and 1931–32, Wairarapa 1927-29, and Wellington in 1930. He made 44 appearances for the All Blacks including 8 tests, scoring 39 tries (4 in tests), and 123 total points. After his switch to rugby league in 1932 he played 46 matches for Richmond Rovers scoring 71 points. His league representative appearances included 11 matches for Auckland, 3 for the North Island, and 5 for New Zealand. He was regarded as one of the most  outstanding players of his era. Obituaries. James Carlaw On May 22, 1935 James Carlaw died at his home in Mt Eden aged 81. Originally from Newcastle-on-Tyne, he was one of the founders of rugby league in Auckland where he had lived since 1863 after arriving from England on board the William Miles with the Albertland settlers. He was made the waterworks engineer for Auckland in 1900 and played a major part in the scheme to obtain a water supply from the Waitakere Ranges in the same year. He was then involved in the plan to build Waitakere Dam  which was adopted by the City Council and completed in 1906. He retired in 1925 after 46 and a half years working for the City Council. His name would also be forever etched on the sport of rugby league in Auckland. He was heavily involved in the securing of the land which was later named after him, Carlaw Park, and in its development as the headquarters of rugby league in Auckland. Carlaw was chairman of Auckland Rugby League from 1918 to 1920 and it took 3 years of negotiating by the board he led and the Auckland Hospital Board who  owned the land before Carlaw Park was eventually developed and opened on June 21, 1921. Carlaw was also a founding member of Ponsonby United in 1908. He was president of New Zealand Rugby League between 1914 and 1919, and again from 1926 to 1928. In 1928 he was elected Auckland Rugby League president and served in that role until 3 years prior to his death. He was also well involved in the pioneers of the sport of bowls in Auckland and was the champion of the Auckland Club in the 1896–97 season, and president in 1911–12. He left a wife  and “an adult family of a former marriage – Mr. John Carlaw, and three daughters, Mesdames A.E. Wetherilt, J.L. Foster and R.G. Sloman” along with ten grandchildren and one great grandchild. Chairman of Auckland Rugby League, Mr. G. Grey Campbell said of Carlaw “I think it will be generally conceded that few men have been able and willing to give to a sport more than Mr. James Carlaw gave to Auckland… his many activities in sport does not need recounting, because Carlaw Park will ever remain as a living monument to his foresight and accomplishment”. He was buried at Waikumete Cemetery  at a largely attended funeral. As a mark of respect players and officials in all grades wore arm bands as a tribute to him on May 25 with the flag on the pavilion flown at half-mast. A. (Sandy) Freeman Sandy Freeman died in September. He was involved in Auckland rugby league from its early days and was an associate of James Carlaw. He was a referee for some time and later a member of the appointments board of the Auckland Referees’ Association of which he became a life member. Annual general meetings, club news, and senior registrations and transfers . Senior grade registrations and transfers. Wilf Hassan transferred from Marist Old Boys to Mt Albert United on May 1 after his suspension had been uplifted, as did P. Walder. J.J. Magee and J. Miller transferred from Glenora to City Rovers, Lyle Rogers from Glenora to Ponsonby United, H. Lunn moved from Ponsonby United to Newton Rangers, P. Young from Richmond Rovers to Newton Rangers, J. Molehouse transferred from Pt Chevalier to Newton Rangers, Tony Milicich from Richmond Rovers to Devonport United, C. Thomas Ponsonby United to Pt Chevalier subject to a regrade, while the same applied to H Neale who  was transferring from Ponsonby United to Papakura. Len Barchard was cleared for transfer from Devonport to Marist on April 25. The following players at the same meeting were registered as senior players: Carl Spiro, Richard Seddon Shadbolt, and Robert Esmond Morrissey (Mt Albert), F. Hulme (Newton), and D.A. McGee (Devonport). On May 1 the following senior players were registered: George William Surtees (Parnell), Roy Nightingale, D Stewart, and A. Matthews (Mt Albert), Lou Brown, D Hira, Pat Nathan, and Tai Nathan (City), E Smith and A Dufty (Newton), and J.C. Cowan (Devonport). J. Speight, C. Watt, Charles Albert McNeil, and  S.J. Bennett had their reinstatement approved at the May 8 Board of Control meeting. At the same meeting there were several registrations; E. Brown, N. McCarthy and J.F. Taylor (Ponsonby); C Tryon and L.J. Scott (Devonport); F. Blyth and L. Martinovich (Mt Albert); and L.R. Davis (Richmond). At the Board of Control meeting on May 15 Bert Leatherbarrow was granted a transfer from Devonport to Ponsonby (he was residing in Waitoa at the time but returning to Auckland). The following players were registered; Ross Nathan (City to Newton), W.S. Cooke (Mt Eden to City), Ronald J. Couper (Herne Bay to  Richmond), and E. Gallagher (Mt Eden to Mt Albert). On May 22 the following players were reinstated: L.J. Edkins, L.J. Smith, P. Kennedy, J. Speight, and Bert Leatherbarrow's transfer from Devonport to Ponsonby being made official. The following players were registered: J.E. Everett (Devonport), S.F. Thorpe (Ellerslie to Devonport), and B.D. Connolly (Grey Lynn to Marist). At the May 29 meeting the following players were registered: H.V. Hogg (Taranaki to Ponsonby), George A. Kerr (North Auckland to Newton), J.C. Martin (Mt Eden to Newton), G.W. Ratcliffe (Mt Eden to Richmond), and Phil D. Martin (City to Mt Albert). On  June 5 the following senior players were registered or transferred: E.W. Coyle and W. Murray (Ponsonby), Sydney Hookway (Pt Chevalier), Victor Norris and Ernest Tier (Devonport), James A. Dye (City), and Don Cleverley (Mt Albert). On June 12 A. Bright of Newton was cleared for transfer to Pt Chevalier. The following players were registered: A. Wicks (Mt Eden), J Leonard (City to Devonport), A.A. Marinovich (Oratia to Devonport), O. McAdam (Mt Eden to Mt Albert). On June 19 Harold M. Hill was registered with the Ponsonby club after moving from South Auckland (Waikato). R.S. Simpson registered with Mt Albert, while  Tim Peckham was registered with City. On June 26 H.W. Collins and W.F. Ford were registered for City Rovers, C. Pierce with Devonport, and P Awhitu to Newton. On July 10 R. McGreal transferred from Marist to Ngaruawahia, while City Rovers reported having registered J.T. Hapi, the ex-Hawke's Bay rugby union representative wing three quarter. On July 17 C. Stephens (Akarana) transferred to Devonport, as did O. Donaldson of City. G. Ellis of Mt Albert transferred to Newton, while J. Pirihi also transferred to Newton. H.T. Irvine was reinstated from Marist rugby club to Mt Albert, at the  July 24 ARL meeting, While W.M. Charlesworth of Paeroa was registered with Mt Albert. On July 31 W. Carroll, an ex-South Auckland rugby union representative was registered with the Marist Old Boys. On August 7 Leo Cooney, an ex-North Auckland rugby union rep and All Black triallist was registered with the City Rovers. On August 14 John Tawhai, formerly of Auckland Grammar School was registered with the City Rovers. Reginald Dick and R Grant were registered with the Newton club, B.W. Johnston was registered with Ponsonby, and J.C. Burgess with the Marist club on August 28. 1935 Auckland