The 1941 Auckland Rugby League season was its 33rd.
North Shore Albions won the Fox Memorial Shield for the 6th time since their formation in 1909. Their previous titles were in 1913, 1914, 1928, 1932, and 1933. This was to be their last first grade championship title. They finished with a 13 win, 1 draw, 2 loss record for 27 competition points, just one competition point ahead of Manukau. Both teams were well out in front in the title race with Richmond Rovers in 3rd, 8 points behind Manukau.
Manukau did however win the Roope Rooster knockout final when they defeated Ponsonby United 28–10 in the final. This was their second Roope Rooster win, following their 1936 win over City. Mount Albert United won the Phelan Shield for the first time when they beat Richmond 8–7 in the final. The Phelan Shield was competed for between teams who had been knocked out of the Roope Rooster in the early rounds. In the Stormont Shield, champion of champions match between North Shore (first grade winners), and Manukau (Roope Rooster winners) the Onehunga based Manukau side won easily 30–10. This was also the first time Manukau had won the Stormont Shield.
George Mitchell of the Richmond club won the J.F.W. Dickson medal for the most sportsmanlike player, while Ralph Martin, an Otahuhu 5th grade player won the same award for junior players.
The season was extremely disrupted by World War 2 with a huge number of senior grade players in first grade, reserve grade, and the senior B grade going away to fight. As a result, the reserve grade and senior B grade were merged and City Rovers, Newton Rangers, and Papakura unable to field any teams in the grade. Otahuhu Rovers won the senior B grade for the 4th consecutive time, although it was essentially a combined grade with the reserve competition. As a result, they gained admission to the Roope Rooster competition where they beat Papakura in the first round before losing by a point to City Rovers in round 2.
With the war on the representative season was once again relatively short with matches only played within a small geographical area. Auckland Māori played against South Auckland (Waikato) and an Auckland Pākehā side. Auckland played twice against South Auckland, winning both matches. Also a senior B trial match was played between senior and junior affiliated clubs on September 13 and the recently formed New Zealand Old Boys Association played a match against the South Auckland Old Boys at Western Springs in late September.
Auckland Rugby League News Club teams by grade participation There were 84 club teams across 11 grades (including the three schoolboy grades) in the 1941 season which was an increase of one team. TeamFox MemorialSenion B/Reserve Grade3rd 4th5th6th7thSen. Sch. boysInt. Sch. boysJun. Sch. boysTotalRichmond Rovers11111110119Ponsonby United11110111119Point Chevalier01112001118Mount Albert United11010001116Ellerslie United01011011106North Shore Albions11010100015Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers01010101015Papakura10101000104Newton Rangers10000101104Otahuhu Rovers01110100004Green Lane00100010114Manukau11000000013City Rovers10110000003Marist Old Boys10000000023Avondale00010001103Newmarket00000001113R.V.00000001113Glenora00100000012Total998105649111384
Season prospects The Auckland Rugby League held a special meeting on March 13. It was indicated that the competitions would carry on as usual and be successful “in spite of many players being in the fighting forces”. The chairman, Mr. G. Grey Campbell said that “last season was easily the best experienced for many years, as the annual report would show, and already several clubs were mustering their forces in anticipation of another good year... it is pleasing to know that progress during the past three years has been marked, and every thanks is due to the excellent co-operation of the players and all officials, even down to the ball boys. The enthusiasm shown in club competition was remarkable and the public gave most generous support”. They then decided to hold their annual meeting on April 2.
Annual meeting Their 31st Annual Meeting was held at the League Rooms in the Grey Buildings, Courthouse Lane on Wednesday, April 2 at 7.45pm. Remarkably despite the disruption caused by the war the 1940 season had turned out to be a record year for revenue for Auckland Rugby League. Revenue from gates and the grandstand were £4370 which was the highest ever. This allowed £1885 to be transferred to the appropriation account, compared with £1537 in 1939. “Liberal expenditure was allowed for maintenance, £218 was paid to injured players, and grants amounting to £705 were made to clubs”. A benefit match for the injured players’ fund realised £169. The league also raised £398 for “patriotic purposes”, and £198 was granted to the Sports’ Queen fund. The “total assets of the league were £10,853, and a reserve had been created for expenses of a capital nature likely to occur during the coming season”. It was stated that 800 players competed in the junior grades and there were 38 teams in the schoolboy competition. The ladies committee was also referred to in the annual report. They held many functions and from these donated £161 to patriotic funds, and £64 to the injured players fund and “also assisted several patriotic organisations”. At the meeting president John A. Lee spoke, saying “in spite of the war conditions, so satisfactory a balance-sheet speaks volumes for the excellent spirit which prevailed last year... the league code has gone from success to success, and in the forces fighting in the Middle East, league players are doing well in the rugby union fifteens”. Chairman C. Grey Campbell said “in days of stress ahead the management would rally round any deserving war cause... [and] the future was very uncertain from a playing point of view, but the speaker had no hesitation in saying that the right thing was to carry on doing a part in New Zealand affairs as a sports organisation. It was far better that the public should be occupied in their thoughts away from the tragic happenings in England. The game's players, officials and supporters were behind the government and the people of Britain in their great struggle”. The following officers were elected at the meeting:- Patron, Mr. J.B. Donald; vice patron, Mr. J.F.W. Dickson; president, Mr. John A. Lee, M.P., vice presidents, the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, Messrs. J. Donald, C. H. Drysdale, H. Grange, R.J. Laird, W.J. Lovett, E. Morton, F. W. Schramm, M.P., W. Wallace, H.W. Brien, L. Coakley, H. Luke, R. D. Bagnall, E. Montgomery, T.G. Symonds, G.T. Wright, R.H. Wood, H. Walmesley, Joe Sayegh, R.H. Benson, A. Moody, H. W. Gray, J. C. Gleeson, B. Brigham, N. Kyle; trustees, Messrs. G. Grey Campbell, Edward John Phelan, A. Stormont; auditor, Mr. R.A. Spinley; hon. solicitor Mr. H.M. Rogerson; hon. physicians, Drs. M.G. Pezaro, S. Morris, K.H. Holdgate, J.N. Waddell, G.W. Lock, H. Burrell, H. Smith; board of control, Messrs. G. Grey Campbell (chairman), Edward John Phelan, William Mincham, V. Rose, R. Doble, T. Davis, J.W. Probert, T. Wilson, Jim Clark, J.F. Knowling (treasurer), Ivan Culpan (secretary); finance committee, Messrs. J.W. Probert, T. Wilson, William Mincham; delegate to New Zealand Rugby League, Mr. R. Doble. At the meeting a framed photograph of the board of control was presenting by Mr. J. A. Lee to chairman Mr. C. Grey Campbell.
Communication with English rugby league It was decided at a meeting early in the season to send a message of support to the English rugby league which was endeavouring to carry on its operations in spite of the war. They had “expressed deep appreciation and admiration of the magnificent courage of the English people”. It was reported in the New Zealand Herald on April 12 that the English Rugby League replied: “our heartfelt thanks for your inspiring message. We are playing football: we are cheerful; we will ever be strong”.
Amalgamation and suspension of the reserve grade At the annual meeting on April 2 the possibility of amalgamating some senior clubs was discussed with delegates being asked to keep an open mind on the idea. It was decided to suspend the senior reserve grade competition for the 1941 season. They also planned a series of preliminary games on Saturday, April 19 to see first hand the playing strength of the senior clubs, so they could then finalise the details regarding the senior grade competition. At the board of control meeting on April 23 Mr. J. Rutledge of the City Rovers club suggested that “the stronger clubs give their strength to the weaker clubs, and then you would have a better balanced competition”. The City, Newton and Papakura clubs had all been in conference with the league about their prospects for the season after having struggled somewhat in recent time. Chairman Campbell remarked that there might be some merit in the suggestion. Richmond Rovers was named by Rutledge as a club in particular that had a lot of strength.
Huntly teams desire to join the Auckland competition At the board of control meeting on April 16 the Huntly club sent a deputation to ask about entering a team in the senior championship. Mr. W.C. Davies, the South Auckland Rugby League's chairman spoke on their behalf and said they “desired to play matches at Carlaw park and at Huntly on alternate Saturday's and the clubs were not concerned with gate receipts” at Carlaw Park. Auckland Rugby League's deputy-chairman, Mr. E. J. Phelan said that the clubs had already discussed the issue and had raised many questions and difficulties. Mr. F. T. McAneny, chairman of the senior clubs’ officers’ association said “the general impression of his executive was that the scheme was a wartime measure, but, judging from the remarks of members of the deputation, their idea was a permanent one. Auckland clubs... had a strong objection to playing what appeared to be a fully representative South Auckland (northern Waikato) team,... and the question of transport was also a matter to consider”. Phelan said that in the absence of chairman Campbell no final decision could be made until after their meeting the following week. In mid May the South Auckland (northern Waikato) wrote to the ARL “expressing its intention of inviting Auckland senior clubs to play matches at Huntly”. The secretary, Ivan Culpan, was advised by the ARL board to advise all clubs of the offer for when they had their byes. Richmond and North Shore had already travelled to Davies Park in Huntly to play local sides.
Senior competitions At the meeting on April 23 it was decided to make no alteration to the senior teams from the previous season and to decline the applications from Huntly and Otahuhu to enter sides. It was “resolved that senior clubs with teams in the senior B competition be allowed to draw on senior B players, provided the players concerned do not participate in three consecutive games, or five at intervals, in the second round of the competition. Richmond reported that their senior team was unable to obtain a supply of the club coloured jerseys, and permission was given to them to wear white jerseys and pants, and maroon stockings in place of their usual maroon and blue.
Protest by Otahuhu In early May the Otahuhu club wrote a letter of protest to the Auckland Rugby League regarding their non-acceptance of their senior team. They “made suggestions that a fairer method of selection be devised in future. The letter pointed out that the Otahuhu club was in a position to field a strong team at the start of the season, but since then senior clubs in the city had made Otahuhu a recruiting ground”.
Junior competitions There were fifty three team nominations for junior sides received by the Auckland Rugby League when nominations closed in late April. It was then decided to commence the season on May 10.
Carlaw Park and other grounds