1929 Auckland Rugby League season
Otahuhu beat Point Chevalier 11–0 to win the Stallard Cup which had previously been a knockout competition for the B Grade, however this season a full round robin was played before the final.
On 23 April The New Zealand Herald published a lengthy summary of rugby league in Auckland from its beginnings in 1909 to the present day (1929).
“On occasions the ball travelled but a few feet, which invariably resulted in players of both teams fighting for possessions on the ground.
[8] After a series of very wet matches played at Carlaw Park and many requests for improved changing and washing conditions the Auckland Rugby League met to discuss the matter.
On April 20 several pre-season matches were played at Carlaw Park involving first grade teams and senior B sides.
Newton Rangers defeated Richmond Rovers by 10 points to 0 with Roy Hardgrave scoring a try and kicking a penalty and converting W. Johnstone's try.
The Management Committee eventually granted the transfer.In the match between Newton and Marist Roy Hardgrave was concussed and had to leave the field.
Puti Tipene Watene debuted for City after transferring from the Manukau rugby union club and kicked two penalties.
Richmond's game against Kingsland was postponed as many members of the club were travelling to Hikurangi in Northland to play in a seven a side tournament there.
Patrick McCarthy was unable to play in the Devonport forwards as he had a boxing match at the Auckland Town Hall the same night.
During the week Roy Hardgrave of Newton signed with the St Helens club in England as did Lou Hutt of Ponsonby.
Ray Lawless made his debut in the forward pack for Richmond as a promoted junior but did not become a regular in the senior side for 2 more season.
In Newton's loss to Devonport their forward Ferguson collided with the goalpost in trying to tackle S Casey as he scored and was taken off with a suspected broken rib.
A good crowd gathered at Ellerslie Reserve to watch the local team play Ponsonby on a heavy ground.
They had lost the services of ex-internationals Craddock Dufty, Wally Somers, Trevor Hall, and Roy Hardgrave in recent weeks.
With their win at the Auckland Domain, Marist won the Thistle Cup which was awarded to the team with the best record in the second round of the championship.
Dick Moisley who generally played in the forwards turned out at fullback for them with Hec Brisbane and Charles Gregory partnered in the five eighths, outside halfback Wilf Hassan.
For Richmond, the 28 year old representative soccer player Albert Whowell also took the field and basically said that he didn't know much about the league game but said he'd "give it a fly".
Puti Tipene Watene arrived late for City but came on after quarter of an hour to play in their backline bringing their number to 13.
Their current and future internationals Charles Gregory, Jim O'Brien, Alan Clarke, Wilf Hassan scored their tries along with centre Phil Brady.
Frank Delgrosso the Ponsonby captain went off in the second half with an injured knee which he had suffered the previous week in their Roope Rooster final loss.
Marist also suffered from injuries and regular players Hec Brisbane, Jock Graham, and Dick Moisley all were unavailable.
Jim Johnson made a return to the Marist forward pack after an absence and he was joined by Fleet, a Ponsonby rugby senior who had played 6 games for them during the year.
Phil Brady of Marist Old Boys (Saints) was the top try scorer with 13 closely followed by A. Schofield and A.S. McIntyre of Ponsonby who both scored 12.
On 8 May at the Management Committee meeting Northcote requested that the opening round match in the Senior B competition be awarded to them on account of Richmond B defaulting.
McPherson, a forward for Point Chevalier suffered a leg injury with an artery said to be severed but he was later discharged from Auckland Hospital.
At the end of the season in early November a seven team knockout tournament was held at Carlaw Park with proceeds going to the purchase of jerseys.
They saw them defeat South Auckland in a hard-fought 11–8 result, the newly formed Northland representative team by a narrow 22–19 margin, and Canterbury comfortably by 47 points to 18.
Unlike in previous years the North Island team featured several players from outside of Auckland, mainly from the Waikato region.
The Northland team was coached by Maurice Wetherill and included Ted Meyer as captain who went on to become a New Zealand representative in 1930.
