Stanley George Webb was a New Zealand international rugby league player who represented them 15 times in 1925 and 1926. Webb was the 177th player to represent New Zealand. He also played 10 matches for Auckland from 1922 to 1927. Webb played club rugby league for Devonport United for 7 seasons, 1 season for Ellerslie and 1 season for a combined Ellerslie-Otahuhu senior side.
Early life and family Stanley Webb was born on 28 November 1899. His mother was Agnes Webb (née McDonald) and his father was George Webb. His parents had married on 10 April 1893. He had 7 siblings; Norina Gladys Haydon (née Webb) (b.1893-1966), Clarence Christopher (b.1897-1968), Doris Thelma Eugene (b.1901-1979), Hilda Alexandra Jaggs (née Webb) (b.1903), Marjorie Jean (b.1905-1984), Donald (b.1910-1979), and Molly Isabel Lorraine (b.1914-1916). The family was living at 19 Stanley Street (Stanley Point Road) in Devonport when Stan's brother Clarence enlisted in World War I in 1918.
Playing career North Shore Albions and Auckland debuts In 1918 Webb was playing in the fifth grade for the North Shore Albions club on the North Shore of Auckland. By the 1922 season Webb had progressed to the First Juniors team at the club, which was now known as Devonport United after a merger with the Sunnyside club in 1920. His brother Clarence was playing for the senior side and early in the season Stanley was promoted to join him in the top side. He debut was likely in a 18–7 win over the Fire Brigade side. During the season he played 13 matches for Devonport, scoring an impressive 11 tries which made him the 4th highest try scorer in senior competition matches. He combined with his brother for several of his tries but Clarence was dropped to a lower grade team mid season and broke his leg in a match at Māngere and was hospitalised.
In late July he was selected in the reserves for the Auckland side to play Cambridge. However he did take the field and kicked a conversion in a 73-29 thrashing of Cambridge at Carlaw Park. Later in the season on 2 September, Webb again played for Auckland, this time against South Auckland at Carlaw Park. The match was for the Northern Union Challenge Cup and the visitors upset Auckland 21–20 to claim the trophy. Webb had begun the match in the three quarters but was replaced by George Yardley at halftime.
In 1923 Stan played 14 matches for Devonport and scored 5 tries and kicked 5 conversions. They finished mid table in the first grade championship and were knocked out in the semi-finals of the Roope Rooster competition by City Rovers. A week later on 15 September he played his only representative match of the season for Auckland against South Auckland. The match was for the Northern Union Challenge Cup and the match was drawn 20–20 at Steele Park in Hamilton with Webb scoring 1 try.
The 1924 season saw Webb “out of town” to begin the year. He had returned to Auckland weeks later and made his first appearance in a 2–2 draw against City Rovers in a round 3 match on 10 May. he ultimately played 13 matches for Devonport and scored 4 tries and kicked 1 conversion. After 17 rounds of the first grade championship Marist Old Boys trailed Devonport by 2 competition points. Marist had played one less match and so the Auckland Rugby League scheduled a final between the two sides to decide the championship. An enormous crowd of 17,000, believed to be a club record at the time was on hand at Carlaw Park to see Marist win 20–17. Marist won with a try in the last minute to Malloy with Jack Kirwan debuting for them. Earlier in the game Webb put Bert Laing away from a scrum and a try for Harper eventuated to give Devonport a 7–5 lead. In the second half Webb was involved in a break with Douglas and Laing with Laing scoring putting Devonport out to a 17–12 lead. Devonport had a revenge of sorts when they knocked Marist out of the Roope Rooster competition a week later with a 5-3 round 2 win however they then lost their semi final match with Ponsonby United 14–10 to end their season.
New Zealand selection for tour of Australia Webb began the year playing for Devonport once more and he played 8 matches, scoring 4 tries and kicking 1 conversion. Then following a trial match for Auckland A against Auckland B which was lost 5-0 Webb was picked as one of the halfbacks for the New Zealand tour of Australia. The Auckland Star was somewhat unflattering with their comments on his selection. They said he “may not be the big success many believe. He will work hard and shirk nothing, but, as remarked elsewhere, Auckland has no really brilliant half-backs, and Webb has found a place in a weak year”. Prior to their departure the Devonport club held a “social and dance” in Webb, Bert Laing, and Horace Dixon’s honour (the other selected members from the club). Webb’s debut for New Zealand actually came prior to the team’s departure for Australia. A match was arranged at Carlaw Park between Auckland and the New Zealand side. Webb scored a try in a 16-9 win for New Zealand. His try came from a scrum near the Auckland line where he dived over in the corner which had given New Zealand a 8-3 lead.
New Zealand departed for Sydney on 3 July on board the Moeraki. Webb made 6 appearances on the tour with 5 at halfback and 1 against New South Wales late in the tour at centre. He played in the opening match of the tour against New South Wales on 11 July at the Sydney Cricket Ground. New Zealand lost before a crowd of 24,000 by 7 points to 4. Webb was playing alongside his Devonport clubmate Bert Laing who was captaining the side in the standoff position. New Zealand were said to be the better side but wasted several scoring chances through poor handling. It was said surprisingly that Laing and Webb “had no understanding” with each other with Laing's handling being slow and bad. Webb “still has the old mode of putting the ball in the scrum, throwing downward. The recognised style here now… is for the ball to be slung in almost horizontally or delivered at least lower than the knee”. Webb then played against the Australian Universities side at the Sydney Sports Ground before 2,500 spectators. New Zealand lost 15–13 with Webb scoring New Zealand's last try which failed to be converted by Craddock Dufty thus costing New Zealand a chance of a draw. Earlier he had sent a smart pass to Maurice Wetherill who scored New Zealand's first try which was converted by Neil Mouat to give New Zealand a 5–0 lead. Webb was replaced at halfback for the 3rd tour match against Newcastle by Wilson Hall with The New Zealand Herald reporting “Webb played a fine game at halfback against New South Wales, and it is hard to understand why Wilson-Hall is selected instead of him”. Webb missed selection for 2 further matches against New South Wales before returning to the side for their 6th tour match against Far North Coast on 29 July. The match was played in Lismore before 5,000 spectators. New Zealand won 21–20. He was said to be “smart at clearing the ball from the scrums”. On 5 August he played against Ipswich on North Ipswich Reserve with New Zealand losing 22–21. He helped set up a try for Frank Henry when he passed the ball to him ten yards out and he crossed for a try which Craddock Dufty converted to narrow the score to 14–13 to Ipswich. The Brisbane Courier reported that Webb “is a new player, who is very tricky and speedy” and that he was “the finest of the inside backs. He was always dangerous, and took slices out of the defence by pace and trickiness when he was given the slightest chance”. Webb was not selected for the next 2 matches but was chosen to play centre against New South Wales on 15 August. New Zealand won the match 19–18 at the Sydney Cricket Ground before 16,000 spectators. In the first half Wetherill was playing behind the scrum but in the second Webb moved into the half back position. He scored New Zealand's final try after Mouatt passed to him during “loose play” and Webb “scored easily”. The try was converted by Mouatt giving New Zealand a 19–13 lead which they hung on to. In the final match of the tour Webb moved back into the half back position for New Zealand's 26–25 loss to the Southern Division at Fisher Park in Cootamundra. New Zealand had travelled 253 miles over night by train to reach the venue. New Zealand was on the wrong end of a 28-3 penalty count with several of the Southern Division's points coming from penalty shots at goal. Webb crossed for a try in the second half after gathering the ball and “dummied several opponents, and scored near the posts”. After the conversion New Zealand led 25 to 12.
Following the teams return to New Zealand Webb played in the Auckland sides 18–18 draw with the touring Queensland side. Webb scored a try after “whipping up the ball [and] struggled over the line” to make the score 8–5 to Queensland. During the second half Webb moved to the centre position with Frank Delgrosso shifting to half back. Webb then played for New Zealand against Queensland on 12 September before 14,000 at Carlaw Park. New Zealand was soundly beaten 35-14 though Webb was said to have played well and was involved in several attacking incidents.
1926-27 New Zealand tour of England and Wales Webb began the 1926 season playing for Devonport once more however in his very first game of the season against Ponsonby United he badly injured his ankle and couldn't play for 3 weeks. He returned to the field on 5 June in a match against City Rovers. Near the end of the month he was selected for an Auckland trial match between A and B teams which was a curtain-raiser to the North Island – South Island match. His Auckland B team won 25–16. 4 days later he played for Auckland against the Rest of New Zealand. The Rest of New Zealand won 28–21 with Webb scoring a try for Auckland. After this match the New Zealand selectors named him in the touring side for England and Wales in the five-eighths position along with Jack Kirwan, Hec Brisbane, and Hector Cole. It was said after the trial matches that he and Kirwan had “played themselves into the team by consistent good work of a solo nature”. Webb played one more match for Devonport against Marist on 24 July before being chosen in the New Zealand side to play Auckland on 31 July prior to their departure. The game was very loose with New Zealand not taking it very seriously and they lost 52–32.