The 1909 Auckland Rugby League season was the league's first ever official season. It celebrated its centenary in 2009. Four representative matches had been played in 1908 as players in Auckland attempted to showcase the new code to both Auckland residents and those elsewhere.
First meeting A meeting of players was held on Monday 12 July where it was decided to call for another meeting the following Monday and to invite all interested parties to attend. The ultimate aim was to form a league. It was also stated that "three clubs will be formed, two in the city and one at the North Shore". The meeting was duly held on 19 July at the Chamber of Commerce on Swanson Street. Mr. A.E. Glover, M.P., occupied the chair, and there was a large attendance of around 150 supporters and players. They were to affiliate with the Northern Union and hold a practice match on the following Saturday. "Mr. R. Eagleton offered the league the use of three suitable playing grounds in Epsom". The ground was located near Potters Paddock which was later converted into Alexandra Racecourse. Elections for officers were also held with 14 appointments made.
North Shore Albions formed A further meeting was held at North Shore on the Wednesday evening at the Council Chambers in Devonport with 40 in attendance, and a club was formed. It was noted that they had the playing numbers for two teams and they had "taken the pick of the amateur players of the district club". The club would be called North Shore Albions. On the Thursday night a preliminary meeting was held in the city with 20 players attending with the goal of forming a club that was either a city team or a combination of a city and Ponsonby team, while a Newton club was also aimed to be formed the following week as there was "considerable dissatisfaction among the members at the management of the Auckland Union". It was decided to play a match on the Saturday between the North Shore team and the city team. The match was duly played between North Shore and City and resulted in a win to the former by 44 points to 22.
Chairman of the league, D.W. McLean spoke with a representative of The New Zealand Herald and was reported as saying the following; "no payment would be made for playing, but the men when away from home would be recompensed for lost time. They would provide players with uniforms free in order that a team might take the field in a regulation costume, not in varied coloured pants and stockings, as is often seen even in rep. Rugby matches. Their meetings would be open to the press and full information will be given to the public of all moneys received and expended...". He "spoke enthusiastically of the possibilities of the new code, from which he contended the rougher elements of rugby had been removed, this providing a game which was full of bright play and sparkling situations. The liability of getting hurt had been greatly reduced by the removal of scrums and line-out play". It was also reported that several prominent players, questioned about why they had left the Rugby Union game said that "they were tired of the unequalness of the contests under the present system. There was no sport in being beaten by 61 points to nil as the North Shore seniors were recently by the Ponsonby team... the management of the Auckland Union was not mindful enough of the clubs’ or players interests".
Ponsonby United foundation At a meeting at Leys Institute on 30 July the Ponsonby club was formed. There were 50 supporters present with Mr. A Thompson chairing the meeting. Also in attendance were Mr James Carlaw, along with Arthur Carlaw, Charles Dunning, and Jack Stanaway. They called for another meeting to be held the following week to enroll players. They played a match against Newton Rangers on August 21 which they won by 16 points to 6.
Representative matches Auckland played four representative matches, though the first match was still prior to the official formation of the league. They played the New Zealand Maori team, two matches against Taranaki, one against Wellington, and a further match against Rotorua which was a largely junior side. The match versus Wellington on 9 October drew 4,000 spectators and raised £122 for the Auckland Rugby League.
Auckland v NZ Maori Auckland played the New Zealand Māori team on 10 July which was preparing to depart for a tour of Australia. The Auckland team was victorious by 21 points to 14 in front of a crowd estimated at 3,000. Proceeds from the match were to go towards the formation and establishment of the league. Auckland City Council granted use of Victoria Park for the match and allowed for an admission charge "not exceeding one shilling for each person... with an extra shilling for every horse or vehicle, and an additional charge not exceeding one shilling for each person for admission to the pavilion". The Māori side had been based in Te Kūiti with Frank Barclay (Francis Hauāuru Barclay (Pakere)) tutoring the side. He had been a member of the last 'native' team to tour Australia. The Auckland team was preparing hard under the guidance of William Mackrell. The NZ Māori team were captained by Nikorima Ratete (Nikki Rogers), while the Auckland side were captained by Dick Wynyard. The Māori side wore all black uniforms while the Auckland team was in white jerseys. The ground was soaked and when the forwards were moving together the ground was ploughed up resembling a "quagmire" with a greasy ball making handling difficult. The sun was out however when Glen Barclay (Punga Pakere) kicked off. Wynyard "showed some of his old form by working a tricky run, which was only stopped" by Riki Papakura the MZ Māori fullback. A few minutes later however Charles Dunning got possession and scored with Bill Tyler kicking "a lovely goal". The NZ Māori side responded from a nice pass and rush movement when five eighth Nirai Whareure (Ned McRae) sent the ball out to Albert Asher (Arapeta Paurini Wharepapa) who streaked down the whole length of the field and then passed to his brother Ernie Asher (Te Keepa Pouwhiuwhiu) who was "bumped out at the corner flag". Ernie Asher missed a penalty attempt at goal however soon after Glen Barclay carried play to the Auckland line and Ernie Asher crossed for a try but missed his own conversion. Asher was playing a "splendid game" and gaining possession on the halfway line he ran down the sideline beating all opponents until tackled by William Wynyard. The play "raged up and down the field" before the Māori side gave away a penalty but S. Marshall's attempted shot "failed to allow for the wind". The Māori side "continued to force the game and the outcome of a good rush and a scrum in Auckland's 25 saw the ball flung into "Opai" Asher's hands, and following an old trick of his, he jumped clean over W. Wynyard's head and scored". Alex Stanaway's (Ariki Haira) conversion missed but they now had a 6-5 lead. Albert Asher then made a couple more nice runs and came close to scoring. However the Auckland forwards through Frederick Neighbour, Dunning, Bill Mackrell, and Richard Wells moved play down the field using "aggressive tactics". Another "fine passing rush, started by [Dick] Wynyard, ended in Thomas Houghton (who until recently, was playing with St Helens) in England got over the line to give Auckland an 8-6 lead at half time with Marshall failing to convert. At the start of the second half Papakura came up from fullback to the three quarter line with Ernie Asher shifting back. Auckland immediately broke through and Charles Linkhorn "scored an easy try feinting towards Neighbour, and then slipping over the line" with Marshall converting. NZ Māori responded with Te Raira Pukere, Haira, and Roera making a great rush and Asher came in to join. A forward scramble ensued in Auckland's 25 and Haira got over the line though Asher failed to convert. Auckland got on attack and Mackrell pushed his way through and then drew Papakura before passing to Linkhorn who outpaced the chasers to score with Bill Tyler converting. The crowd which was said to have been "out of hand all the afternoon" now began to surge over the side lines and the two lone police constables "were totally incapable of exercising any authority and the remainder of the game was robbed of half of its interest". Mackrell, Tyler, and the Wynyard brothers "were prominent in a rush" and from a scrum close to the sideline Frank Woodward picked up the ball and scored with Tyler converting. Play moved up and down the field once more and Rewi Maniapoto (Sid Ellis), and G. Barclay made a good run and crossed the line but the referee (Matt Hooper) pulled it back for an infringement. They continually made breaks but were criticised for not following up in support often enough and many chances were lost. They were finally successful when Maniapoto took the ball from Ratete and he scored with Haira converting.
Team details FB 1 William WynyardWG 2 S MarshallCE 3 Thomas HoughtonWG 4 Frank WoodwardFE 5 Jack Stanaway (Hone Haira)FE 6 Bill TylerHB 7 Richard Wynyard (captain)PR 8 Richard WellsHK 9 Frederick NeighbourPR 10 William MackrellSR 11 Charles DunningSR 12 Jim GriffenLF 13 Charles LinkhornEmergency:EM 14 Coach: William Mackrell? FB 1 Riki PapakuraWG 2 Albert AsherCE 3 Glen Barclay (Glenville Te Punga o Te Arawa Barclay)WG 4 Ernie AsherFE 5 Hone TukiFE 6 Nirai Whareure (Ned McRae)HB 7 Nikorima Ratete (Nikki Rogers) (captain)PR 8 Alex Stanaway (Ariki Haira)HK 9 Witana MarePR 10 Te Raira PukereSR 11 Frank BarclaySR 12 Rewi Maniapoto (Sid Ellis)LF 13 Tutu RoeraEmergency:EM 14 Pou Kopana (Paul Coban)Coach: Barclay?
Auckland Trial Match (A Team v B Team) A trial match was played to choose the Auckland team to play Taranaki. The match was refereed by Lance Todd. At the conclusion of the game sole selector William Wynyard chose the Auckland side. It was said that it was "not a good exhibition" though to be expected given the circumstances. There was no scoring reported by either the Auckland Star or the New Zealand Herald.
Team details FB 1 Samuel HoughtonWG 2 Frederick GladdingCE 3 Frank WoodwardWG 4 Arthur CarlawFE 5 Bill TylerFE 6 William WynyardHB 7 Len FarrantPR 8 Charles DunningHK 9 ToddPR 10 A AllanSR 11 H McReynoldsSR 12 J WilliamsLF 13 Richard Wells FB 1 J.P. (Percy) GerrardWG 2 SmithCE 3 Alf ChorleyCE 4 Jack StanawayFE 5 Ronald MacDonaldFE 6 Frederick NeighbourHB 7 Alfred JacksonPR 8 B WellsHK 9 William MackrellPR 10 Jim GriffenSR 11 S MarshallSR 12 George SeagarLF 13 Charles Linkhorn
Auckland v Taranaki