1908 Auckland Rugby League season

The 1908 season for Auckland consisted of four representative matches played in an effort to grow the game in Auckland and New Zealand. The team was chosen prior to the formation of the Auckland Rugby League so were an ‘unofficial’ Auckland team though they were very strong nonetheless and many of the players went on to represent Auckland and New Zealand in the ensuing years. Several of the players were also strongly involved in the establishment of club sides and the growth of the game in Auckland for many years to come such as Albert Asher, Charles Dunning, William Wynyard, and Ronald MacDonald.

The four matches were against Wellington and Taranaki with games being played in Auckland, Wellington and New Plymouth. They resulted in 3 wins and a draw. Prior to the last match of the season against Taranaki at Victoria Park the promoters of the proposed Auckland League stated clearly their intentions. They said that it was not their intention to pay players for home matches. If any profits accrued from their last match it would be “banked to form the nucleus of a ground fund. It will be the policy of the league to provide players with uniforms, free brake trips to grounds, and payment for loss of wages when away from Auckland on tour”. They went on to say that the tour had not been profitable. The money they had gained from Wellington's visit in August had been lost while on tour due to travel costs and other expenditure. They hoped to “stimulate a strong local competitions next season” and had secured a ground at Epsom for play.^[1]

The first ever match played by an Auckland side was between them and Wellington at Victoria Park in central Auckland. The Auckland Rugby League had not officially formed at this point with the sport very much in its infancy in New Zealand. The match featured 19 players out of the 26 who were current or future New Zealand representatives. Bill Tyler scored the first ever points for Auckland with a goal from a mark which had been taken by Harold Rowe. Tyler's kicking was crucial in Auckland's win with a conversion, 2 penalties, and 2 goals from marks. Rowe scored the first ever try for Auckland to give them a 5–3 lead after Conrad Byrne had scored for Wellington earlier to give them their first ever points.

This match was originally supposed to be played on the recreation ground but after pressure from the rugby union it was moved to the Tukapa Cricket Field adjacent to Western Park. There were further issues with seating as the advertised seats for spectators did not arrive at the ground. Taranaki won the match by 5 points to 3 and it was suggested that Auckland had deliberately thrown the match to stir up interest in the return match. Though the closeness of the game back in Auckland would suggest this might not have been the case.

Auckland won narrowly, outscoring Taranaki by 5 tries to 4 before a crowd of 3,000 at Victoria Park. For Taranaki Arthur Hardgrave kicked 3 goals. Hardgrave played 5 matches for Taranaki, 11 for Auckland, and 8 for New Zealand. He transferred to Auckland in 1912 and joined the Manukau club. He later played for the North Shore Albions in 1913, the Ōtāhuhu Rovers from 1914 to 1916, and Ponsonby United from 1917 to 1920. His son Roy Hardgrave was a New Zealand and Auckland representative and played for Newton Rangers, and Mount Albert, as well as professionally for St Helens, York, and Toulouse. Kiwi, Richard Wynyard scored for Auckland. His brother William Wynyard also represented New Zealand in their 1907-08 tour. Tragically Richard committed suicide in 1915 after becoming depressed at not being able to find work in his profession as a clerk. Samuel Houghton also made his Auckland debut. He had migrated to New Zealand with his family, including Thomas Houghton who played for New Zealand in 1909. Samuel would referee the Auckland Province v Wellington game in 1909 and would also become the Auckland Rugby League secretary.

• Auckland Rugby League Official Site