City Newton Dragons Explained

Clubname:City Newton Dragons
Fullname:City Newton Dragons Rugby League Football Club
Colours:Red, White, and Black
League:Auckland Rugby League
Minorpremierships:1957
Cup1:Sharman Cup
Cup1titles:1966, 1969, 1984
Cup2:Norton Cup
Cup2titles:1974
Cup3:Lawson Cup
Cup3titles:1984

The City Newton Dragons are a defunct New Zealand rugby league club that was based at Victoria Park, Auckland.[1] The club was created in 1948 by a merger of two original clubs, the City Rovers and Newton Rangers. Both the Rovers and the Rangers participated in the inaugural Auckland Rugby League competition in 1910. In 2004, the club was absorbed by the Ponsonby Ponies, who play a match in the City Newton colours annually to keep the heritage of the club alive.

History

City Rovers

Clubname:City Rovers
Colours:Red and Black
Founded:1909
Exited:1948
Ground:Victoria Park
Ground2:Carlaw Park
Ground3:Auckland Domain
League:Auckland Rugby League
Premierships:1910, 1911, 1916, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1944
Cup1:Roope Rooster
Cup2:Thacker Shield
Cup2titles:1921
Cup3:Rukutai Shield
Cup3titles:1944
Cup4:Stormont Shield
Cup4titles:1944
Cup5:Phelan Shield
Cup5titles:1939

The City Rovers were formed in the days following the formation of the Auckland Rugby League on 19 July 1909. In their first year City played against the Ponsonby Ponies, City included Ernie and Albert Asher, Jim Rukutai and Alex Stanaway.

City won the Auckland Rugby League's first competition, being awarded the Myers Cup in 1910.[2] The Cup had been donated by Arthur Myers.[3]

City again won premierships in 1911, 1916, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1925 and 1944. In 1921 they completed a unique treble by also winning the Roope Rooster and Thacker Shield in the same year.

Newton Rangers

Clubname:Newton Rangers
Colours:Red and White
Founded:1909
Exited:1948
League:Auckland Rugby League
Premierships:1912, 1927
Cup1:Roope Rooster
Cup1titles:1919, 1920, 1935
Cup2:Stormont Shield
Cup3:Phelan Shield
Cup3titles:1934

The Newtown Rangers were formed in the days following the formation of the Auckland Rugby League on 19 July 1909. They lost to Ponsonby United 6–16 on 21 August at Victoria Park.[3]

The club won premierships in 1912 and 1927 and they won the Roope Rooster in 1919, 1920 and 1935. In 1927 they won the Stormont Shield defeating Richmond 25-17 in the final.[4]

1948-2004

The City Rovers and Newton Rangers clubs amalgamated to form City Newton in 1948.[5]

During the 1960s the Auckland Rugby League instituted a districts programme and Ellerslie, City Newton and Eastern Suburbs combined to form Eastern Districts. The combination won almost every trophy between 1960 and 1963 before the clubs regained their separate identities.

In 2001 City Newton competed in the Auckland Rugby League's second division, the Sharman Cup.[6]

The City Newton Sports Club Incorporated was struck off as an Incorporated Society on 17 June 2004.[7]

Notable players

The following players played for the New Zealand national rugby league team while with the club;[5]

City Rovers Kiwis

Players who played for New Zealand while playing for City Rovers. In brackets is the year that they first appeared for New Zealand while also playing for Newton.

Newton Rangers Kiwis

Players who played for New Zealand while playing for Newton Rangers. In brackets is the year that they first appeared for New Zealand while also playing for Newton. Lou Brown (pictured) played for Newton in 1922-23 before transferring to City and then being selected for New Zealand in 1925.

City Newton Kiwis

Club Titles

City Rovers grade championships (1910-1944)

Other titles

Newton Rangers grade championships (1910-1942)

Other titles

Top point scorers (City Rovers and Newton Rangers) 1909-44

City Rovers top point scorers (1909-1945)

The point scoring lists are compiled from matches played in the first grade championship, Roope Rooster, Phelan Shield and Stormont Shield matches which involved all first grade sides. It does not include additional one off type matches such as those against non-Auckland teams or charity matches.

Top point scorers
NoPlayerStartEndGamesTriesConPenDGMPoints<-- Pos Player Start EndGames TriesConPenDGMarkPts-->
1Bill Davidson191519238844873223380
2Alan Donovan19401945-29713610303
3Puti Tipene Watene192919357711744100263
4Ben Davidson19201932148718160243
5Lou Brown1924193661651000197
6Maurice Wetherill1918193013334341100194
7Warwick Clarke19401944-2334010154
8Ernie Asher19121917723412505151
9Laurie Barchard19271931-2234800150
10=William McLaughlin19261937-452010141
10=A Silva19431945-11282600141
12George Davidson19221925563612100134
13Harry Hawkes19211926-377100127
14Jackie Rata19361939-11143210127
15George Perry19271932-400010122
16Albert Asher19101916623612100115
17Cyril Wiberg19341938-6221830104
18Sam Crewther19231926-1327410103
19J Hutchinson19371943-1816520100
20Bill Turei19331935-24830094
21George Wade19261927-27000081
22Nelson Bass1924192744111351071
23Alf Townsend192119267821300069
24C Mitchell19161926-22100068
25Hawea Mataira19371944-20000060

Newton Rangers top point scorers (1909-1945)

The point scoring lists are compiled from matches played in the first grade championship, Roope Rooster, Phelan Shield and Stormont Shield matches which involved all first grade sides. It does not include additional one off type matches such as those against non-Auckland teams or charity matches.

Top point scorers
NoPlayerStartEndGamesTriesConPenDGMPoints<-- Pos Player Start EndGames TriesConPenDGMarkPts-->
1Craddock Dufty19191929525713720235
2Clarrie Polson19201926832233901152
3Claude Dempsey19301940-3382610139
4Ted Brimble19301940148394200129
5Wilfred Brimble19351939-9301800123
6Roy Hardgrave1924192960384000122
7George Iles1916191943347000116
8H Brady19331944-25101000115
9Wally Somers19171928138345000112
10Alan Clarke1922192884279600111
11Harry Miller Emus19401942-14161400102
12Bert Little19261929-331000101
13Mortimer Stephens19331940-33000099
14Arthur Mansill19181929-102590098
15Frederick Sissons19361938-524170097
16Joe Bennett1910191656191090095
17R Clark1913191932191170093
18Trevor Hall192719348027000081
19S Anderson19391940-216160070
20Cyril Brimble19291930-121250070
21Hill19291938-91470069
22Roy Niwa19411945-315140067
23Charles Potier191519173541482164
24Arnold Porteous19311934-13480063
25Joe Ginders19361943-19000057

Notes and References

  1. http://www.nzsport.co.nz/TagCloudClubs/tabid/132/Default.aspx?Tags=Rugby%20League Clubs/Teams for Rugby League
  2. Lion Red Rugby League Annual 1990 New Zealand Rugby League, 1990. p.72
  3. Coffey, John and Bernie Wood Auckland, 100 years of rugby league, 1909-2009, 2009. .
  4. News: Four Members of One Team/Newton League Players. 8. New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19757. 1927-10-03. 2019-09-29.
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20110724192045/http://aucklandleague.co.nz/display_page.asp?item=360 City Newton made up of City Rovers and Newton Rangers
  6. http://www.rleague.com/content/article.php?id=6538 ARL results for Saturday 19 May
  7. http://www.business.govt.nz/companies/app/ui/pages/companies/otherSearch City Newton Sports Club Incorporated, number 230206