North Shore Albions


The North Shore Albions were a rugby league club based on the North Shore of Auckland in Devonport before moving to Bayswater at a later time. They formed in 1909 and folded in the early 2000s due to a lack of playing numbers. At the start of the 1920 season they were renamed Devonport United when they amalgamated with the Sunnyside club. It was proposed at the merger that they be known as North Shore Albions but Sunnyside objected and the name of Devonport United was chosen. In 1937, 17 years later at their annual general meeting they decided to revert to the name "North Shore Albions" as they had been commonly referred to as "shore" for many years. Chairman H. Mann made the proposal and it was adopted by the club. Aside from Northcote and Birkenhead Ramblers they were the only club on the North Shore at that time. They closed their doors in 2005. The only remaining club connected to them are the Northern Brothers who are based at Ngataringa Bay Sports Field. Their senior team is an amalgamation of East Coast Bays Barracudas and Glenfield Greyhounds but are based more in the North Shore Albions traditional area which includes the navy ground which has provided many players and teams over the years. The predominant colours are black and green which have been common colours of all the North Shore clubs over the decades.

History

1909-1919

They were formed in 1909 when the Auckland Rugby League competition was in its infancy, having its own first General Meeting that same season.
They were officially born on the evening of 23 July 1909 when a meeting was held at the Devonport Council Chambers. The following people were elected officers for the inaugural season: President – Dr. Guinness, Vice Presidents – Dr. Bennett, Captain Pilkington, Mr W. Swinnerton, Mr. A. Goldwater, and Mr. D. W. McLean, Committee – Mr. F. Gladding, Mr. P. Gerrard, Mr. Clark, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Wells, and Mr. Powell, with Mr. A. J. Powley the Secretary and Treasurer.
They played in the first ever rugby league match between two Auckland club teams when they played City Rovers at Eagleton's Paddock in Epsom. North Shore put out a strong side and won the match by 44 points to 22. Their team was made up of the following players: Frederick Neighbour, Fred Gladding, Richard Wynyard, Gerrard, George Seagar, Frank Woodward, Jim Griffin, B Wells, Allen, C Wells, J Percival, Shaw, H McReynolds, S Marshall, Powell, William Wynyard, McDonald, and Stevens.
They also played one match on the Devonport Domain that year against a combined town team which they won by 26 points to 10.
They then finished the year with a match against Newton Rangers at Victoria Park on September 4.
In 1913 North Shore won their first ever first grade championship. They finished the season with a 5 win, 1 draw, 1 loss record, with their 11 competition points three ahead of Newton Rangers, City Rovers, and Ponsonby United all on 8.
In 1914 North Shore was tied with Ponsonby United after 9 rounds with 15 competition points each. This meant a final was required to find the champion. North Shore won by 13 points to 2 on Victoria Park before a crowd of 7,000.

1920-1929

The 1920s were a fairly mediocre decade for the North Shore senior side. They finished in the middle of the table most years, though in 1924 Marist Old Boys had 21 competition points and North Shore had 23 competition points but North Shore had played one extra game. The Auckland Rugby League decided that the two sides should meet in a final to decide the title.
Marist won a gripping game 20-17 to deny North Shore their third first grade championship.
North Shore won the first grade championship for the 3rd time in 1928. At this time it was named the Monteith Shield and was replaced by the Fox Memorial Shield in 1931. They had a 9 win, 3 loss record and finished 3 competition points ahead of the Richmond Rovers. Auckland representative, Ernest Ruby is standing second from the right. The following year in 1929 they were tied with Ponsonby United after the final round so a final was played however they lost 5-0 before 11,000 at Carlaw Park.

1930-1939

North Shore won the championship twice in the 1930s. The first was in 1932 while the second was in the following year when they went back to back with victory in 1933. Their teams included New Zealand international players such as Len Scott, Allan Seagar, Dick Smith, Bert Leatherbarrow, and Albert Laing, as well as Auckland representatives Hugh Simpson, Ted Scott, Ernest Ruby, Horace Hunt, Leslie Oliff, Alf Smith, and John Donald. While Waikato and New Zealand player James Jones joined the side in 1932.

North Shore v Eastern Suburbs (Sydney)

In 1931 North Shore played against Eastern Suburbs from Sydney. The match was played on October 10 at Carlaw Park before a crowd of 17,000. North Shore lost a high scoring match by 41 points to 27.

North Shore & Marist Combined v Eastern Suburbs

Then a week later on October 17 a combined North Shore and Marist side played the same opponent and won 14 to 13 before 15,000 at Carlaw Park.

North Shore v St George

In 1933 North Shore won the championship by one point from Marist. At the end of the season St George, who had finished runner up in the NSWRL championship toured New Zealand. In their first game on September 23 they played North Shore and won 17-8.

1940-1949

In 1940 North Shore won the Stormont Shield for the fourth time in their history. They defeated Richmond Rovers 15-10 in the final at Carlaw Park in front of 5,000 spectators.
North Shore won the Fox Memorial once again in 1941.

Titles

They were particularly successful in their early years. They won the senior grade 6 times from 1913 to 1941, while they won the minor premiership 3 times from 1941 to 1955. As Auckland grew and the North Shore gentrified North Shore struggled to remain the power house it once was and it dropped down the grades. Its last notable title was the Norton Cup which they won in 1990 and 1991.

Notable representatives

New Zealand representatives whilst with North Shore

Other New Zealand representatives

A list of New Zealand representatives who played for North Shore prior to, or after leaving the club. Bob Banham joined the club as a coach after being recruited by Auckland Rugby League from Australia.

Other notable players

North Shore Senior Team Records (1910-1945, 1990, 1992-1994)

The season record for the most senior men’s team in the club.
SeasonGradeNamePlayedWDLPFPAPDPtsPosition
19101st Grade North Shore Albions811641119-7834th of 4
19111st Grade North Shore Albions730480688863rd of 5
19121st Grade North Shore Albions1051412911118142nd of 6
19131st Grade North Shore Albions7511805525111st of 6
19141st Grade North Shore Albions108111353897171st of 6
19151st GradeNorth Shore Albions94147683-794th of 6
19161st GradeNorth Shore Albions107121345777152nd of 6
19171st GradeNorth Shore Albions94058491-784th of 6
19181st GradeNorth Shore Albions3003230-2806th of 6
19191st Grade North Shore Albions104159594195th of 8
19201st Grade Devonport United1242698151-53105th of 7
19211st Grade Devonport United710654132-7826th of 7
19221st Grade Devonport United1471622319429154th of 8
19231st Grade Devonport United12606135141-6124th of 7
19241st Grade Devonport United16111427219181232nd of 9
19251st Grade Devonport United12507174207-33104th of 7
19261st Grade Devonport United1150622314974104th of 7
19271st Grade Devonport United1270520711493143rd of 7
19281st Grade Devonport United1290322414918181st of 7
19291st Grade Devonport United151113236113123232nd of 8
19301st Grade Devonport United1380515112823163rd of 8
19311st Grade Devonport United1210021789286202nd of 7
19321st Grade Devonport United1072113010426161st of 6
19331st Grade Devonport United1071214212913151st of 6
19341st Grade Devonport United13517100130-30114th of 6
19351st Grade Devonport United12525150154-4123rd of 7
19361st Grade Devonport United1464418415034163rd of 8
19371st Grade North Shore Albions14419148220-7296th of 8
19381st Grade North Shore Albions15609202221-19127th of 9
19391st Grade North Shore Albions16101519615343212nd of 9
19401st Grade North Shore Albions161105263161102222nd of 9
19411st Grade North Shore Albions161312304138166271st of 9
19421st Grade Marist-North Shore154011126237-11186th of 6
19431st Grade North Shore Albions152112123259-13659th of 9
19441st Grade North Shore Albions185211158207-49128th of 10
19451st Grade North Shore Albions14617138197-59127th of 10
-Roope RoosterNorth Shore Albions3300573918-W 17-15 v Pt Chevalier, W 17-12 v Mt Albert, W GF v Richmond 22-12
-Stormont ShieldNorth Shore Albions1100221210-W 22-12 v Richmond
1990Waste Management Division 3North Shore Albions211902610221276%381st of 8
-PlayoffssNorth Shore Albions2002----Lost major SF v Waitematā by 1 pt, lost major SF v Gelnfield
1992Strand League Club Premier 2/3 GradingNorth Shore Albions1340920737954.6%811th of 14
-Strand League Club Premier 3North Shore Albions631210280127.5%73rd of 7
-PlayoffsNorth Shore Albions2101122--W v Ōtara 12-2 in minor SF, L v Glenfield in major SF
1993Projex Premier 2/3 GradingNorth Shore Albions151104392281139.5%223rd of 15
-Projex Premier 2North Shore Albions730411518063.9%65th of 8
1994Premier 2North Shore Albions261817654409159.9375th of 14
-PlayoffsNorth Shore Albions21013421161.9-W v Manurewa 22-6 in minor SF, L v Waitematā 12-15 in major SF
1910-45, 1990, 1992–94TOTAL5472933222282507027-607

Club Titles

Grade championships and lower grade knockout competitions (1910-1944)

  • 1911 Third Grade Open
  • 1912 Fourth Grade
  • 1913 First Grade
  • 1914 First Grade
  • 1916 Fifth Grade
  • 1917 Fifth Grade & Sixth Grade A
  • 1918 Third Grade Open
  • 1923 Fourth Grade A
  • 1926 Second Grade
  • 1927 Second Grade, Second Grade knockout. Fourth Grade knockout, and Sixth Grade knockout.
  • 1928 First Grade & Second Grade
  • 1929 Second Grade, Third Grade Intermediate, & Fourth Grade A
  • 1931 Reserve Grade
  • 1932 First Grade
  • 1933 First Grade & Sixth Grade A
  • 1936 Schoolboys Intermediate
  • 1937 Seventh Grade
  • 1941 First Grade

Other titles

  • 1915 Roope Rooster
  • 1930 Stormont Shield
  • 1931 Roope Rooster, Stormont Shield, & Norton Cup
  • 1933 Stormont Shield
  • 1940 Stormont Shield
  • 1945 Roope Rooster & Stormont Shield
  • 1954 Roope Rooster & Stormont Shield
  • 1973 Norton Cup
  • 1990 Norton Cup
  • 1991 Norton Cup