1926 Auckland Rugby League season
Ponsonby won the Monteith Shield, the major first grade title after defeating City Rovers in the final.
The representative season was dominated by a long series of trial matches to assist in selecting the New Zealand team to tour England.
The teams in that section were Northcote, Kingsland, Ellerslie, Mangere (not the present day club), Otahuhu, and Parnell.
He scored 54 points in just 6 games for Richmond which meant he finished as the second highest scorer for the season behind Maurice Wetherill.
Albert Asher the well known former New Zealand international was appointed to work on the ground staff at Carlaw Park.
He would be busy mid season when torrential rain leading up to the round 5 matches forced their abandonment.
A large hole opened up on the number one field due to water overflowing from the railway embankment and the surrounding hills overwhelmed the surface drains.
He had joined them after switching from rugby in 1921 where he had represented the New Zealand Army team in 1919 on their British and South African tours and Auckland in 8 matches.
[3] He had owned a general store on Great North Road at Morningside and his body was found in the Auckland Domain in the morning after he had died of a self inflicted gun shot wound.
Carlaw Park also suffered damage when water overflowed from the railway embankment and adjoining hills which proved too much for the surface drains.
In the match between Ponsonby and Richmond every advantage was taken of the referee's awkward position, and some very unfair tactics were adopted in securing the ball from the ruck".
In the match between Newton Rangers and Richmond Rovers, flying winger Roy Hardgrave was thought to have broken his collarbone and was stretchered from the field.
His performances would gain the attention of the English management and in 1929 he signed with St Helens, going on to play 214 matches for them, scoring 174 tries.
In 1938 he returned once more and joined the young Mount Albert club, playing 22 games and scoring 19 tries as a 32 year old.
The round 5 matches were postponed after a huge amount of rain fell on Thursday evening prior to the scheduled games.
Frank Delgrosso left the field with a bad cut over his eye against Marist which required stitches and missed some game.
Meanwhile Devonport welcomed back Stan Webb, Neville St George, Lyall Stewart, and Eric (Bill) Cleaver who had all been injured earlier in the season.
Delgrosso also kicked 2 goals and would go on to score over 700 points for Ponsonby making him one of the most prolific club scorers in Auckland from 1910 to 1950.
For Devonport New Zealand representatives Lyall Stewart, Len Scott, and Jim O'Brien scored tries, with Bert Laing converting 2.
Clarrie Polson, Newton's New Zealand representative was leaving at this point in the season to go and live in Wellington.
L Taylor transferred from the Whitiora rugby league club in Hamilton and scored a try and kicked 6 goals on debut for Richmond and went on to become the second highest point scorer in senior competition from just 6 games.
Wilfred McNeil of the Ponsonby side broke a rib and received treatment at Auckland Hospital before being discharged.
Jack Redwood, the Richmond hooker, who had been outperforming Neville St George in the scrums had to be carried off the field early in the second half.
At the start of the season Auckland Rugby League secured the use of part of the Otahuhu Trotting Ground to play games at.
In Round 6 Parnell defaulted to Ellerslie with the club secretary saying "the fact that five men are on the injured list and that others have had to leave town to seek work in the country were the chief factors".
Northcote turned their season around after suffering several heavy losses and temporarily withdrawing from the championship before later rejoining and winning some matches.
Grey Lynn fielded a side on October 16 and lost 6-0 to Parnell while on the same day Papatoetoe drew with Otahuhu 6-6 in their first match.
Then on October 23 Newmarket fielded a team which lost to Grey Lynn 9-6 while Richmond made their debut with a 16-8 win over Papatoetoe.
Future Kiwi Len Scott also debuted for Auckland after coming on to replace the injured Harry Douglas.
The executive intended on spending money on improving the dressing accommodation for players at Carlaw Park, and when funds permit constructing a permanent grandstand.
