The 1927 Auckland Rugby League season was its 18th. Newton defeated Ponsonby by 6 points to 3 in the championship final to win the Monteith Shield after both teams finished the season tied with identical 8 win, 1 draw, 3 loss records. This was the second time Newton had won the championship in 18 efforts, with the first being in 1912 and was to be their last after they merged decades later with City Rovers and the combined team ceased in the early 2000s. Richmond won the Roope Rooster knockout trophy for the second consecutive season. Newton Rangers defeated Richmond to win the Stormont Shield.
Ellerslie won the Norton Cup by winning the second division competition, known as the B Grade at this time. They were undefeated and also won the Stallard Cup which was the B Grade knockout trophy. Interestingly the league played a 'promotion-relegation' match, with Ellerslie by virtue of winning the Norton Cup for winning the B Grade playing off with Grafton, who had finished last in the A Grade. Ellerslie won 11–3 over Grafton thus winning the right to compete in the A grade competition in the 1928 season. Despite this there was still considerable discussion at the annual general meeting the following year as to whether or not Ellerslie be admitted to the A Grade. It was eventually decided that they would be, with Grafton dropping to the B Grade.
Other trophies awarded (at the 1928 annual general meeting of the Auckland Rugby League) were the Davis Points Shield to Richmond, the Thistle Cup to Newton, and a special cup for the best forward to W.Clark from Newton.
Auckland rugby league news Club teams by grade participation Team1stB Div.2nd3rd Open3rd Int.4th5th6th A6th BSchoolsTotalRichmond Rovers10102111119Devonport United10111101107Ponsonby United10110210006City Rovers10101011106Grafton Athletic10110101005Kingsland Rovers01101000104Point Chevalier01001001104Marist Old Boys10100000103Newton Rangers10001010003Māngere United01110000003Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers01010010003Ellerslie United01001100003Akarana00000011103Parnell01001000002Otahuhu Rovers01000000012Remuera00100000001Glen Eden Rovers00010000001New Lynn00010000001Onehunga Convent00000000011Onehunga Primary School00000000011Newmarket Primary School00000000011Papatoetoe Primary School00000000011Total779797667670
Transfers A McIntyre who had been playing in Sydney joined the Newton club.
Annual meetings of Auckland Rugby League The annual report for the 1927 season stated that the total revenue for Auckland Rugby League was £5,597, with £4,216 taken at the gates. At the annual meeting of the Junior Management Committee of the Auckland Rugby League on 23 March it was stated in their report that junior players exceeded 1,500. It was also reported that the Remuera League Club was being revived. They had fielded two junior teams in 1914, and appeared to have the numbers to enter two junior teams in the 1927 season. On 10 August the Auckland Rugby League Chairman, Mr. W.J. Hammill tendered his resignation for business reasons. He had occupied the position for five years. He was congratulated on his contribution to the game and made a life member of the League. Mr. George Rhodes was elected as the new chairman of the Management Committee.
Representative season Auckland began the season with a match against the returning members of the New Zealand team that had toured England from August 1926 to January 1927. There was some controversy in that Joe Menzies had played for the 'New Zealand team' despite being from the South Auckland (Waikato) province and the New Zealand Rugby League questioned the Auckland Rugby League on the selection. One possible reason for his selection may have been the fact that Arthur Singe had been banned for life after going on strike during the tour along with 6 other players. This meant that there was one less Auckland forward to pick for the match. Auckland won the game 24–21. They went on a southern tour later in the season and played matches against Canterbury, West Coast, Otago, and Wellington. After their return to Auckland they played against Buller and South Auckland. The Buller side was coached by Bill Davidson who had spent many years playing for City Rovers, Auckland, and played for New Zealand from 1919 to 1921. He had later moved to the Canterbury region where he was involved in sporting administration. He later returned to Auckland and coached Ponsonby in the 1938 season. Auckland lost the Northern Union Challenge Cup to South Auckland in their final game of the season.
Monteith Shield (first grade championship) Monteith Shield standings
TeamPldWDLFAPtsNewton Rangers13101219012821Ponsonby United1391319011119Devonport United1270520711414Marist Old Boys1170415511414Richmond Rovers124171371409City Rovers113171341827Grafton Athletic120012813050
Monteith Shield results After two completed rounds Newton and Ponsonby were both tied on 19 competition points. This necessitated a final between the two sides and this was won by Newton 6–3. Round 1 Jim O'Brien and Jim Stormont (ex-Marist players) had both retired from the game and were spectators at the match between Marist and Grafton. However, after watching they decided to come out of retirement and resume playing for their old team. Meanwhile Craddock Dufty returned to play for Newton after 5 years with Grafton Athletic. Well known Auckland sprint champion, Harry Hudson, debuted for Grafton on the wing and scored a try in their 20-8 loss to Marist.Les Bull refereed his 50th match involving senior rugby league teams in Auckland and was the third man to do this after Archie Ferguson (1912–22) and Billy Murray (1913-25). Ernest Ruby, the well known Devonport forward was unable to play in their opening match after suffering an injury at the gas works where he was employed.
Round 2 Prior to round 2 Wigan made an offer to Lou Brown of the City side, while Ben Davidson had reportedly received one from Hull. Future New Zealand coach Bill Telford debuted for Richmond and scored a try in their 15–15 draw with City. In the same match brothers Ken and Ray Hyland clashed heads diving to save a try with the result that Ken had to leave the field and Ray had to bandage his bleeding head to continue. Gordon Campbell also suffered a bad thigh injury and was taken to Auckland Hospital. Jim O'Brien (Devonport) was taken to hospital for treatment after a head injury sustained in their match with Marist.
Round 3 Jim O'Brien and Stewart were both sent off for fighting near the Richmond try line in the Marist v Richmond match. Grafton only had 12 players make the trip to Devonport Domain where they were thrashed by Devonport 47–3. Nelson Bass tore his knee cartilage in the match between City and Ponsonby and was forced into early retirement. Arthur Rae made his first grade refereeing debut in the match between Devonport and Grafton on the Devonport Domain.
Round 4 Leslie Knott debuted for Marist. He was a well known representative tennis player who along with N.G. Sturt was the New Zealand doubles champion. Knott was to play on the wing for Marist during the 1927 season. Ben Davidson scored a try and kicked a conversion for City in their loss but had to leave the field injured with a broken rib in the second half leaving them with 12 players. It was Newton's first win against City since they won 19-5 at Devonport Domain in 1920. The two sides had drawn 6-6 in 1921 before City won 13 games in a row against Newton.
Round 5 The Devonport v Richmond match was played on the Friday as part of the King's Birthday celebrations. It was notable for the fact that 4 players were ordered off. Neville St George who had had words with the referee was sent from the field, two minutes later Stewart from Richmond joined him and Stan Prentice (Richmond), and Jim O'Brien (Devonport) soon followed. Leslie Knott scored two tries for Marist. At the end of the season he became the Auckland singles tennis champion and New Zealand doubles champion before moving to Australia to advance his career.
Round 6 City were without the services of twin brothers Lou Brown and Ernest Brown, along with Maurice Wetherill, Nelson Bass and Alf Townsend and were soundly beaten by Marist. Frank Delgrosso of Ponsonby was ordered off in their match with Devonport. With the recent lifting of the ban on foreign players being allowed to play in the English league Ben Davidson had been signed by Wigan along with Lou Brown. Lou, twin brother Ernest, and Maurice Wetherill were all absent from the City side. Davidson who had broken a rib two weeks earlier had not intended to play but with the team short took a chance by playing and managed to come through unscathed.
Round 7 City had lost the services of Lou Brown and Ben Davidson who had both been signed by Wigan during the week. They would depart for England later in the month. In their match with Devonport two players for Newton left the field injured during the second half leaving them with 11 players. With the scores tied 13-13 with two minutes remaining Frank Delgrosso kicked a penalty to hand Ponsonby a two point win.
Round 8 City were further weakened after Alf Townsend was transferred to Dunedin permanently for work during the week. In the Marist match with Grafton, Norman King broke a bone in his hand and had to leave the field.
Round 9 City sought to strengthen their side due to the large number of players who had departed. They signed Godkin, a Bay of Plenty rugby player, Pascoe a Manukau rugby player, and E Spencer a league representative from the Waimairi club in Canterbury. Te Huia Hawira Mason also joined the City side from Huntly (Len Mason's brother). Despite this they still lost to Richmond 16-11 which was Richmond's first ever win over City stretching back to their first ever meeting in 1922. City had won the first 11 games before an 11-11 draw earlier in the 1927 season. Devonport captain Jim O'Brien was ordered off in their loss to Marist. At the conclusion of the match the referee (H. Taylor) was escorted from the field by two police officers as several spectators crowded and heckled him. Opponents Jack Kirwan and his namesake Jim O'Brien (Marist) had tried to plead his case to the referee to allow him to stay on the field and the Devonport later wrote a letter to the Marist club thanking them. Taylor had replaced Wally Ripley as referee after Ripley fell ill before the match. He was suspended for their following match. The match between Newton and Ponsonby at the Auckland Domain was postponed due to the ground being unfit for play. The following weekend saw all games suspended and the postponed match played at Carlaw Park. Ironically rain fell throughout the match and the field "was badly churned up as the game progressed". The former New Zealand hooker Sam Lowrie had his jaw broken playing for Ponsonby and retired from the game having played 144 games for Ponsonby from 1914 to 1927.
Round 10 After their game Richmond lost captain Jim Parkes who was moving back to Christchurch to join the Hornby club. The match between Devonport and Grafton was postponed due to the unfit nature of the field at the Auckland Domain. It was played on the following weekend at Devonport with other fixtures from that round not played due to the Auckland Rugby League making Carlaw Park available for the soccer match between New Zealand and Canada. Ponsonby fielded 3 brothers, future New Zealand international Tim Peckham, and his older brother Joseph, and younger brother Kenneth.
Round 11
Round 12 Newton beat Marist for the first time since 1919. The two teams had drawn 5-5 in their first meeting in 1920 before Marist then won 14 games in a row. For Newton Roy Hardgrave, M Little, Wally Somers, and W Henry scored their tries with Craddock Dufty kicking four goals.
Round 13