[6] The first mention of Noel's involvement with sport in the newspapers was in late October 1928 when he fought in a boxing match in the Fly-Weight Class of the Cadet Division.

During the match Bert Cooke, who had switched codes two years earlier, observed "that Bickerton required better support… and moved up to second five eighth from the rear line.

This had an electrical effect, for the famous All Black, revealing all his craft in running, handling, and kicking to gaps soon had his fast outsides going at concert pitch, and Newton had to bow to the inevitable towards the end of a delightfully sustained exhibition of brilliant play".

[16] After the move of Cooke he made a "brilliant opening the first time he handled the ball, and showed a fine burst of speed to give Bickerton a try".

[22] Then in a 15–5 win over Newton he was “easily the best back on the ground, he made several splendid openings, and repeatedly turned defence into attack by clever running”.

[23] The Auckland Star wrote that “a great deal of credit for Richmond's success must go to Bickerton and Eric Fletcher, the former making many neat openings and handling the ball with certainty”.

[25] In rainy conditions against Mount Albert on 22 June “Bickerton and Fletcher combined creditably, but on the day were outmanoeuvred by their opposites, Morrissey and Dunn”.

[28][29] He had recovered enough to play a week later in their round 11 match against Ponsonby United though they could only draw, 11-11 and he “overdid the cross-kick, in spite of the fact that a try was scored from it”.

[34] The win meant that Richmond and Mt Albert were tied for first place and a final playoff was needed to determine the 1935 Fox Memorial champion.

[35] Richmond won 15–9 to claim their second first grade title but Bickerton “was not at his best, and his inability to keep a close eye on Dunne resulted in him finding his way out to the wing in the second spell”.

[37] A writer to the same newspaper however disagreed with the Herald's reporting and stated that "Bickerton's original place was centre three quarter, opposite Claude List, and that his shift to the wing was due to a knock which temporarily disabled him".

[47] For their opening round Fox Memorial match against Ponsonby at Carlaw Park on 2 May Bickerton played on the wing and scored a try in their 21–10 win.

Around this time a pair of Bickerton's began to play for the Mount Albert senior and reserve grade sides but it is unknown if they were related to Noel.

[63][64] Bickerton then played for the Auckland Māori (Tamaki) side to defend the Waitangi Shield against Northland (Takahiwai) on 15 July.

[70] In Richmond's round 13 match with Devonport, which they lost 5–3 in atrocious conditions at Carlaw Park on 22 August Bickerton played well.

The Auckland Star said that Richmond's inside backs were “unable to function in spite of the brilliancy of Bickerton, whose tendency was to run too far with the ball and lose support that could hardly be expected on such a slippery ground surface”.

[74][75] They were then defeated by Marist in the Phelan Shield competition 17 to 3 with Bickerton scoring their only try after Roy Powell had worked the blind side from a scrum.

[80] In a round 1 win over Mount Albert he was mentioned as “except for a tendency to kick too much and run across the field, did some fine work”.

The match was drawn 11–11 with Bickerton and W. Tittleton said to be “going great guns” for Richmond along with Jack McLeod, Hermes Hadley, Harold Tetley, and Bill Telford.

[110] On the Thursday, prior to the second test Bickerton and his wife attended a ball with the Australian team as guests at the Peter Pan Cabaret which had been organised by the Auckland Rugby League ladies committee.

[113] Bickerton has been involved in New Zealand's second try which gave them a 6–5 lead after passing to Jack Brodrick who ran 40 metres before Billy Glynn, Harold Tetley, and Ces Davison completed the movement.

[117] Richmond remained at the top of the table moving in to the final round however and needed a win to claim the Fox Memorial Shield.

However he was ultimately not selected for the New Zealand tour of Australia with Wally Tittleton, Walter Brimble, and Rangi Chase preferred in the five eighth positions.

[130] His first try of the year came in a 1-point win over North Shore in the following round however due to an officiating error where the referee allowed a conversion to be taken from the wrong spot meant the league required the match to be replayed at a later date.

[131] The next round saw Richmond beat Marist with Bickerton making “a beautiful opening from which [Alf] Broadhead scored” and he and Tittleton “showed [their] football ability on attack”.

Bickerton had moved down the pecking order with Wally Tittleton and [[Walter Brimble} chosen in the five eighth positions for the North Island side.

[134] The Possibles team won 25-21 though Bickerton was not mentioned in the brief match reports and he was not subsequently named in the New Zealand side to tour Australia.

[143] Following a 6–6 draw with Manukau where he was “sound at five eighths” along with Kenneth Fletcher he was selected as a reserve for the Auckland team to play Canterbury on 13 August.

[150] Then on 1 October he played in Richmond's match against the touring Eastern Suburbs side which has finished runner up in the New South Wales competition.

[157] On 24 July Bickerton was present at a farewell dance at the Peter Pan Cabaret for the Auckland members of the New Zealand team which was departing for their tour of England and France.