The North Shore Albions were a rugby league club based on the North Shore of Auckland in Devonport before moving to Bayswater at a later time. They formed in 1909 and folded in the early 2000s due to a lack of playing numbers. At the start of the 1920 season they were renamed Devonport United when they amalgamated with the Sunnyside club.[2] It was proposed at the merger that they be known as North Shore Albions but Sunnyside objected and the name of Devonport United was chosen. In 1937, 17 years later at their annual general meeting they decided to revert to the name "North Shore Albions" as they had been commonly referred to as "shore" for many years.[3] Chairman H. Mann made the proposal and it was adopted by the club. Aside from Northcote and Birkenhead Ramblers they were the only club on the North Shore at that time. They closed their doors in 2005.[4] The only remaining club connected to them are the Northern Brothers who are based at Ngataringa Bay Sports Field. Their senior team is an amalgamation of East Coast Bays Barracudas and Glenfield Greyhounds but are based more in the North Shore Albions traditional area which includes the navy ground which has provided many players and teams over the years. The predominant colours are black and green which have been common colours of all the North Shore clubs over the decades.
History
1909-1919
1912 North Shore second grade team. Edward Fox is third from the left in the back row.
They were formed in 1909 when the Auckland Rugby League competition was in its infancy, having its own first General Meeting that same season.
They were officially born on the evening of 23 July 1909 when a meeting was held at the Devonport Council Chambers. The following people were elected officers for the inaugural season: President – Dr. Guinness, Vice Presidents – Dr. Bennett, Captain Pilkington, Mr W. Swinnerton, Mr. A. Goldwater, and Mr. D. W. McLean, Committee – Mr. F. Gladding, Mr. P. Gerrard, Mr. Clark, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Wells, and Mr. Powell, with Mr. A. J. Powley the Secretary and Treasurer.[5]
They played in the first ever rugby league match between two Auckland club teams when they played City Rovers at Eagleton's Paddock in Epsom. North Shore put out a strong side and won the match by 44 points to 22.[6] Their team was made up of the following players: F. Neighbour, F. Gladding, Richard Wynyard, Gerrard, George Seagar, Frank Woodward, Griffin, B. Wells, Allen, C. Wells, Percival, Shaw, McReynolds, Marshall, Powell, William Wynyard, McDonald, and Stevens.
Try:Jim Griffen, Williams 2, McReynolds Con: S Marshall Pen: F Neighbour
In 1913 North Shore won their first ever first grade championship. They finished the season with a 5 win, 1 draw, 1 loss record, with their 11 competition points three ahead of Newton Rangers, City Rovers, and Ponsonby United all on 8.
Try: Wynyard, Edward Fox, Stan Weston Con: Jack Paul 2
Attendance: 7,000 Referee: Dick Benson
In 1914 North Shore was tied with Ponsonby United after 9 rounds with 15 competition points each. This meant a final was required to find the champion. North Shore won by 13 points to 2 on Victoria Park before a crowd of 7,000.
1920-1929
1928 champion side1926 Roope Rooster semi final between North Shore and Marist with Jim O'Brien tipped over
The 1920s were a fairly mediocre decade for the North Shore senior side. They finished in the middle of the table most years, though in 1924 Marist Old Boys had 21 competition points and North Shore had 23 competition points but North Shore had played one extra game. The Auckland Rugby League decided that the two sides should meet in a final to decide the title.
Marist won a gripping game 20-17 to deny North Shore their third first grade championship.
The 1929 team which finished runner up to Ponsonby. Captain, Alf Scott is seated in the centre. To his left is Kiwi Allan Seagar, standing behind him slightly to the right is his cousin, Kiwi, Len Scott.
North Shore won the first grade championship for the 3rd time in 1928. At this time it was named the Monteith Shield and was replaced by the Fox Memorial Shield in 1931. They had a 9 win, 3 loss record and finished 3 competition points ahead of the Richmond Rovers. Auckland representative, Ernest Ruby is standing second from the right. The following year in 1929 they were tied with Ponsonby United after the final round so a final was played however they lost 5-0 before 11,000 at Carlaw Park.
Devonport United (North Shore) championship winning team in 1933 at Carlaw Park. This photo was taken before their 17-12 win over City Rovers which sealed the title.
North Shore won the championship twice in the 1930s. The first was in 1932 while the second was in the following year when they went back to back with victory in 1933. Their teams included New Zealand international players such as Len Scott, Allan Seagar, Dick Smith, Bert Leatherbarrow, and Albert Laing, as well as Auckland representatives Hugh Simpson, Ted Scott, Ernest Ruby, Horace Hunt, Leslie Oliff, Alf Smith, and John Donald.
North Shore v Eastern Suburbs (Sydney)
In 1931 North Shore played against Eastern Suburbs from Sydney. The match was played on October 10 at Carlaw Park before a crowd of 17,000. North Shore lost a high scoring match by 41 points to 27.
Jim Rutherford of St George chasing the ball with Bert Leatherbarrow and John Donald of Devonport following behind.
In 1933 North Shore won the championship by one point from Marist. At the end of the season St George, who had finished runner up in the NSWRL championship toured New Zealand. In their first game on September 23 they played North Shore and won 17-8.
North Shore Albions Fox Memorial champions in 1941North Shore after winning the 1941 Rukutai Shield (awarded to the team leading after the first round).
In 1940 North Shore won the Stormont Shield for the fourth time in their history. They defeated Richmond Rovers 15-10 in the final at Carlaw Park in front of 5,000 spectators.
North Shore won the Fox Memorial once again in 1941.
Titles
They were particularly successful in their early years. They won the senior grade 6 times from 1913 to 1941, while they won the minor premiership (Rukutai Shield) 3 times from 1941 to 1955.[18] As Auckland grew and the North Shore gentrified North Shore struggled to remain the power house it once was and it dropped down the grades. Its last notable title was the Norton Cup which they won in 1990 and 1991.
Notable representatives
New Zealand representatives whilst with North Shore
Ronald 'Scotchy' MacDonaldWilliam Thomas WynyardNeville St GeorgeGrave of Stanley Webb in the Birkenhead/Glenfield CemeteryLen Scott
Ivor Stirling (1937-38: North Shore, 1939: New Zealand)
Other New Zealand representatives
Bob Banham
A list of New Zealand representatives who played for North Shore prior to, or after leaving the club. Bob Banham joined the club as a coach after being recruited by Auckland Rugby League from Australia.
Frank Woodward (1909: North Shore, 1910-11: New Zealand)
Grade championships and lower grade knockout competitions (1910-1944)
1911 Third Grade Open
1912 Fourth Grade
1913 First Grade
1914 First Grade
1916 Fifth Grade
1917 Fifth Grade & Sixth Grade A
1918 Third Grade Open
1923 Fourth Grade A
1926 Second Grade
1927 Second Grade (Wright Cup), Second Grade knockout (Foster Shield). Fourth Grade knockout, and Sixth Grade knockout (Hammill Cup).
1928 First Grade & Second Grade
1929 Second Grade, Third Grade Intermediate, & Fourth Grade A
1931 Reserve Grade
1932 First Grade
1933 First Grade & Sixth Grade A
1936 Schoolboys Intermediate
1937 Seventh Grade
1941 First Grade
Other titles
1915 Roope Rooster
1930 Stormont Shield
1931 Roope Rooster, Stormont Shield, & Norton Cup
1933 Stormont Shield
1940 Stormont Shield
1945 Roope Rooster & Stormont Shield
1954 Roope Rooster & Stormont Shield
1973 Norton Cup
1990 Norton Cup
1991 Norton Cup
Gallery
Devonport v Ponsonby, 15 June 1919Crowd watching Devonport at Carlaw Park on 6 July 1919Devonport v Marist, Roope Rooster match in 1926 at Carlaw Park.Devonport v Richmond, 17 September 1927Devonport v Marist (Stormont Shield final), 13 October 1928Devonport senior side of 1929Devonport v Ponsonby, 29 April 1929 at Carlaw ParkDevonport v City Rovers, 18 May 1929Devonport v City Rovers, 18 May 1929Devonport supporters at the match v Ponsonby on 15 June 1929Ponsonby v Devonport, 10 August 1929Devonport v Kingsland, 5 May 1930Devonport v Newton, 11 May 1931Combined Devonport-Marist side v Eastern Suburbs (Sydney), 17 October 1931Devonport v Newton, 18 May 1935Horace Hunt, North Shore Albions captain in the early 1940s
