North Island rugby league team

The side included 5 local Hawke's Bay players (Pat Burrows, Edmund Downing, Percival Exeter, Con McCarthy, and Henry Pring).

1925 saw the first ever 'proper' North Island rugby league team match in what was to become a near annual fixture over the ensuing decades.

The match was played in "unfavourable conditions" at Carlaw Park before 4,000 spectators, making "good football out of the question".

The match was largely a battle of the forwards though North Island backs Lou Brown, Ben Davidson, and Horace Dixon all crossed for tries.

At halftime Neville St George came on for the North Island after Alf Townsend retired with a broken rib.

[2] The entire North Island team was composed of Auckland players with the exception of Wally Desmond from Wellington.

In past years the North Island team was dominated by players from the Auckland competition however the North Island team on this occasion featured players from outside Auckland such as Ted Meyer, Dick Trautvettor, Bob Stephenson, Joe Menzies, Tom Timms, and Tassie Bergan.

Jim Amos left the field with an injured shoulder for the South Island team and was replaced by E O'Brien.

Bert Cooke made his North Island debut and played brilliantly, scoring three tries for the winners in front of a crowd of 15,000.

The North side extended their lead through tries to Cliff Satherley, Wally Tittleton, Cooke, and then Lou Hutt before the South Island scored a consolation try to Billy Glynn.

Roy Bright, Wilf Hassan and McNeil (Richmond) were selected to play for the North Island but were unavailable.

The North Island had 3 players debuting, Bill Telford, Ted Mincham, and W. Large (Hawke's Bay).

Pouvi (Robert) Salaia, one of the first Pacific born players involved in New Zealand rugby league, scored for the North Island.

G Moyes, chosen at lock from Waikato was unavailable as he was feeling unwell so his place was taken by Fred James of the City side and he played well scoring 2 tries.