In mid June 1924 McNeil scored two tries for the newly formed Karangahake Primary Schools Rugby Union's 29–0 win over a makeshift Paeroa Convent side at the Recreation Grounds, Mackaytown.

[3] It seems as though Clarry McNeil began his playing career in Auckland for the Ellerslie United club in 1928 in their 4th grade side while at the age of 16.

[16] McNeil began the following 1934 season again playing for the Netherton junior side and in their first game against Old Boys on April 28 he scored a try in a 9–3 win at the Paeroa Domain.

Also in the side were current or future New Zealand representatives Wilf Hassan, Claude List, Gordon Campbell, and Des Herring.

He is an elusive type of player with a strong fend, and several times last Saturday he beat many of the opposition and proved hard to tackle”.

[48] In the first half he “cleverly beat [Allan] Seagar and passed to [Des] Herring, but the last-named, who had a clear run in tripped, and a try was lost”.

Several of the Mount Albert players had moved to the senior side during the season prior and a “bad feeling existed between the teams”.

[56] He then returned to his Mount Albert side which won their opening Roope Rooster knockout match 18–15 over rivals Marist.

The side contained other players who had recently moved there from Auckland including Dick Moisley, Ivan Wilson, Joe Cootes, and Lyndsay Simons.

[71] The match was played in the rain and win but “the St. George backs handled remarkably well considering the conditions, and C. McNeil flew into his stride to score three fine tries”.

Mailman and C. McNeil, the wingers, figured prominently in the game, the latter in the second half reproducing the sideline dashes of the week before which played him into the players for representative practice”.

[76] McNeil was subsequently named in the Wellington Possibles side to play the Probables in a trial match on June 13 at Newtown Park.

The Auckland team faced by Wellington was still strong however with 5 current or former New Zealand players including Ross Jones, Tommy Trevarthan, Frank Halloran, Jack Satherley, and Angus Gault.

[94] In comments about the St. George teams successful season it was noted that McNeil along with T. Timmins, E. Gladding, and K. Mailman “make a fast attacking three-quarter line”.

After just the one appearance McNeil was selected in the Country side to play Town midweek on June 9 as part of the King's Birthday celebrations.

[122] McNeil's final game in Wellington was for Hutt Valley which was made up of Randwick and Petone players and therefore essentially the same as the Country team in he played in earlier however their opponents this time was the Addington club from Christchurch who were the Canterbury champions.

Mount Albert fielded McNeil on the wing and also new recruit Ted Mincham from the Richmond club, as well as the returning McCallum in “a very fast three-quarter line”.

[129] The Herald wrote that “McNeil has improved and promises to develop into a good scoring wing, provided the inside backs give him opportunities.

[135] The Auckland Star said that “McNeil did some brilliant things out on the wing, and would probably have got a try on one occasion but for the fact that Mincham in the centre unloaded too soon and gave [Jack] Hemi the chance to get across and stop the try”.

[136] Mount Albert had the bye in round 6 and then after that weekend McNeil was selected in the Auckland team to play against a “Rest of North Island” side at Carlaw Park on May 18.

The Auckland Star wrote that “McNeil of Mount Albert, Rangi Chase, of Manukau, and Brian Riley should make a speedy and effective three quarter line”.

Ultimately McNeil moved into the North Island side replacing Brian Riley on the wing as he had declared himself unavailable for the New Zealand tour of Australia as he was unable to obtain leave from work.

Later in the same half “Chase and McNeil broke away, and the latter beat Taylor badly, but his final pass to [Angus] Gault was forward and a try was lost”.

The Auckland Star said that McNeil and Midgley are representative of the lighter type, and have the pace and dash to finalise scoring movements, provided that they are adequately catered for by the inside men”.

[146] The same day they were given a civic farewell by the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis at the Auckland Town Hall at noon following a morning tea at George Court, Limited.

[158] At a function at the Hotel Windsor on June 27 some of the New Zealand players acted as waiter for the evening with John Anderson, McNeil, and Ray Brown photographed in The Courier-Mail in their temporary roles.

In the first half McNeil and Robert Marshall (an Auckland cricket representative) “were associated in a good movement and [Charles] Dunne, on the wing, scored a spectacular try after following a long kick”.

[166] The Herald wrote that he had been “prominent on attack at centre” and it was also mentioned that former New Zealand five eighth Stan Prentice was coaching the Mount Albert side.

[170] Mount Albert fielded a particularly strong backline which as well as McNeil and Claude List also featured Roy Hardgrave who had returned to New Zealand from England where he had spent four seasons playing for York before joining Toulouse.

It is not known if he was retiring from the game or if he was merely omitted from a particularly strong Mount Albert back line which included three other current or future New Zealand internationals and several other good players.