Manukau Magpies


The Manukau Magpies are a rugby league football club based in Māngere, a suburb of Auckland in New Zealand, who compete in the Auckland Rugby League. The club was established in March 1912 after a meeting in Onehunga. That year they fielded a senior team and two junior teams.

History

Established in 1912, the club played as the Manukau Rovers with Jim Rukutai as club captain. The club was officially affiliated with the Auckland Rugby League at their annual meeting on 16 April.
Their first committee selected at that first meeting in March 1912 was Patron: Mr. F.W. Lang, ; President: Mr. John R. Sceates; Secretary: Mr. H.V. Pattin; Treasurer: Mr. H.E. Reynolds; Committee: Messrs R.W. Sansbury, T.A. George, J.B. Morton, T. Grundy, H.E. Reynolds, A. Patten, E. Pullan, Jim Rukutai, and S. Child.
In their first season they had 53 registered members. Their senior team squad was made up of the following players: Jim Rukutai, Arthur Hardgrave, Pullen, Strong, Alexander, Targuse, Hughes, Griffiths, McGechan, Clark, Kennedy, Tole, Wilson, and Moore. They finished the 1912 season with 3 wins and 7 losses. In the 1913 season they struggled to put a full team on the field and pulled out of the senior grade after playing just 5 matches. In 1914 they fielded junior teams only and this continued until 1923 when they amalgamated with the Māngere club to enter a senior team in the competition named "Mangere United".
In 1924 the entire club switched codes and became a rugby union club. They were extremely critical of the Auckland Rugby League and stated that they had been on the end of a number of poor decisions over the previous three seasons particularly to do with player registrations. The details of which were laid out in a letter from the club secretary which was published in the Auckland Star on 12 July 1924. Auckland Rugby League responded stating that the details in the letter were not correct.

Rebirth and first championship

The Manukau Rugby League club was reborn at a meeting in Onehunga on 29 September 1932 with Jim Rukutai in attendance
.The club was initially mainly active in junior grades until 1936 when a senior team was re-established after Steve Watene, a Kiwi international convinced Auckland Rugby League that the team he had built from scratch would be competitive. Watene had travelled through many parts of the North Island recruiting players, including Jack Hemi, Joe Boughton, and Len Kawe, Tom Trevarthan from Otago rugby. History was made that year when they took out the Championship, and Roope Rooster knockout competition in their first season back in the top grade since the 1913 season. Watene became the first ever Māori player to captain the Kiwi's. Jack Hemi played 14 games and scored 92 points through four tries, 39 goals and a drop goal. Steve Watene played in 17 games and scored six tries and kicked 20 goals, while Angus Gault scored seven tries.
The club celebrated its centenary in 2011. Dean Bell was named as the Manukau Player of the Century. Given the club moved to the rugby union code in 1924 and wasn't re-established as a league club until 1932 the 2020 season would mark the 100th year of the club playing rugby league.

Notable players

Arthur Hardgrave was Manukau's first New Zealand representative in 1912. He scored their only points in their first ever first grade game against Ponsonby with a try and a penalty on May 11, 1912 at Eden Park 2. He played in all 7 of New Zealand's matches on the 1912 tour of Australia at fullback, kicking 4 goals. In 1913 the Manukau first grade side folded and Hardgrave was granted a transfer to North Shore Albions before joining Otahuhu Rovers in 1914. His son Roy Hardgrave also represented New Zealand in 1928 and played for St Helen's in England. Another notable player in the early Manukau side was Jim Rukutai who had already represented New Zealand Māori, Auckland, and New Zealand. He played four game, scoring two tries for Manukau this season.
In 1936 the Manukau club travelled around the North Island recruiting players to join their side for a re-entry into the first grade competition in Auckland including Steve Watene who captained the side after having played seven seasons for City Rovers before transferring. They secured the services of an astounding group of talent which ultimately carried them to the first grade Fox Memorial championship in 1936. They included Jack Hemi from the Wairarapa, Frank Pickrang and Len Kawe from the King Country, and Angus Gault who had been born in Scotland but moved to New Zealand aged 16 to farm in the King Country, and Jack Brodrick in August of 1936. Brodrick was 23 years old and had been born in Ruatoke North in the Bay of Plenty. Others included Thomas Trevathan from North Otago, Joe Broughton, Joe Murray, Peter Mahima, and Jack Whye.
Then in 1937 Rangi Chase from Moawhango in Whanganui along with his brother Tommy Chase, came to Manukau, as did Pita Ririnui, Thomas Trevarthan from Otago, and then George Nēpia from All Black fame who had converted to rugby league in 1937 but played for Manukau in 1938 & 1939. In 1938 Walter Brimble joined the Manukau side after transferring from Manukau rugby. His brothers Ted Brimble and Wilfred Brimble all grew up in Onehunga after moving to New Zealand and were of English and South African origin and also played for New Zealand though were at the Newton club.
The club later had a close association with the Bell family as Dean Bell, Ian Bell and Clayton Friend all played for the club and Cameron Bell coached the club.
The following players have played for Manukau and gone on to make the New Zealand national rugby league team with the year:

Manukau Senior Team Records (1912-24, 1933-45, 1990, 1992-96, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2004, 2022-25)

The season record for the most senior men’s team in the club.
SeasonGradeNamePlayedWDLPFPAPDPtsPosition
19121st Grade Manukau NUFC1030757139-8265th of 6
19131st Grade Manukau NUFC50142156-3516th of 6
19143rd GradeManukau NUFC63034553-865th of 10, full results unknown
19153rd GradeManukau NUFC62042438-1444th of 8, full results unknown
19165th GradeManukau NUFC7511512427112nd of 7, full results unknown
1917Did not field any teams
19183rd GradeManukau NUFC430154193562nd of 5, full results unknown
19193rd GradeManukau NUFC880018016161st of 6, full results unknown
19203rd GradeManukau NUFC5500642638101st of 6, full results unknown
19212nd GradeManukau Rovers21011919026th of 10, full results unknown
19222nd GradeManukau Rovers43013021966th of 13, full results unknown
19233rd GradeManukau Rovers651087384113rd of 14, full results unknown
19242nd GradeManukau Rovers22002002048th of 12
1925-32Joined ARU late in 1924, then reformed the RL club in late 1932---------
19332nd Grade Manukau12001213120-10707th of 7
19343rd Grade IntermediateManukau B Rovers2311111---236th of 13
19352nd GradeManukau--------6th of 7
1936Fox MemorialManukau14914223197+26191st of 8
1937Fox MemorialManukau1472523318449164th of 8
1938Fox MemorialManukau1591522621115194th of 9
1939Fox MemorialManukau16718240244-4154th of 9
1940Fox MemorialManukau1581621419519174th of 9
1941Fox MemorialManukau161303360115245262nd of 9, the 360 points scored was a first grade competition record
1942Fox MemorialManukau151302283110+173261st of 6
1943Fox MemorialManukau161402253108+145281st of 9
1944Fox MemorialManukau18112519411975243rd of 10
1945Fox MemorialManukau145091891881108th of 10
Roope RoosterManukau10011518--L v Mt Albert in R1
1990Lion Red PremiershipManukau Magpies21511535458560.51%118th of 8
1992Lion Red PremiershipManukau Magpies18801031639280.61%167th of 10
1993Lion Red PremiershipManukau Magpies181008408395103.3203rd of 10
Playoffs20021638L v Richmond 10-16 in min. SF, L v Te Atatū 6-22 in maj. SF
1994Lion Red Rukutai ShieldManukau Magpies18100835256462.411610th of 12
1995Lion Red Rukutai ShieldManukau Magpies2414010610475128.4284th of 12
Playoffs?-------?
1996Lion Red Preliminary RoundManukau Magpies1351725928092.51110th of 14
Sharman Cup?-------??
1998Super 10Manukau Magpies18601239161763.37127th of 10
1999Rukutai Shield Super 12Manukau Magpies22501740570157.771010th of 12
2001Mad Butcher Fox Memorial Top 8Manukau Magpies1464443144297.51164th of 8
Playoffs10012838--L v Otahuhu in prelim. SF after extra time
2002Fox Memorial Top 8Manukau Magpies14311031743473.0476th of 8
2004Sharman CupManukau Magpies141112547318172231st of 8
Playoffs22007046W v Howick 46-26 in min. F, W v Te Atatū 24-20 in GF
2022Fox MemorialManukau Magpies8413180172895th of 9 in section 1
Playoffs10012228L v Bay Roskill 22-28 in PO round
2023Fox QualifiersManukau Magpies320110262164.542nd of 4 in Pool A
Fox Memorial Shield1131717026863.410th of 12
2024Fox QualifiersManukau Magpies32014476-3242nd of 4 in Pool B
Fox Memorial Shield11515264274-10117th of 12
2025Fox QualifiersManukau Magpies330094405461st of 4 in Pool C
Fox Memorial Shield12813289202-87173rd of 12
Playoffs210130282-W v Bay Roskill 30-28 in QF, L v Mt ALbert 16-22 in SF
1912-2025TOTAL506255242278,5688,630-62532

Club titles (1912-1944)

  • 1919 Third Grade
  • 1920 Third Grade and Fifth Grade
  • 1922 Second Grade knockout competition
  • 1936 First Grade
  • 1938 Phelan Shield
  • 1939 Phelan Shield
  • 1941 Thistle Cup, Roope Rooster, Stormont Shield
  • 1942 First Grade, Stormont Shield
  • 1943 First Grade, Roope Rooster, Stormont Shield

Manukau Magpies top point scorers and try scorers (1912-1945)

The point scoring lists are compiled from matches played in the first grade side including organised preseason games, and exhibition type matches.
RankPlayerStartEndGamesTriesConPenDGPts
1Jack Hemi19361943104351711066709
2Tommy Chase1937194512532109541426
3Tom Butler19401945-4237230246
4Joe Murray19361945-66301206
5Steve Watene19361943872220130131
6Jack Brodrick193619447735000105
7George Shilton19381945-3110095
8Joe Broughton19361942782640086
9Peter Mahima19361940742600078
10Pita Ririnui19381945-2200066
11Aubrey Thompson19411943-2100063
12Wiremu Te Tai19401945-2000060
13Rangi Chase19371938171700153
14Angus Gault19361939611700051
15=Walter Brimble19361941591300039
15=R Wilson19371938241300039
17Peter Awhitu19391941261201038
18Freddie McGuire19381940541200036
19Ralph Martin19401945-931035
20George Whye19361939451100033
21Ivan Gregory19391942221000030
22W Rogers19431945-900027
23=Jack Major19411945-800024
23=George Nēpia1938193914262124