SUBURBS HISTORY   1916-17   1924-29

Courtesy of the 75th Jubilee Booklet Assembled by Geoff Stacey

1918 Teams:

3rd Grade

4th Grade

1918 can rightly be called year one in the history of Suburbs. For it was in this year, at an "annual meeting" in a Mr Tierney's Avondale barber shop, that the name Suburbs was adopted. And what a meeting it must have been. Tommy Atkins presided from a barbers chair, vacating whenever a customer came in. Everyone had their say - barber, customer and football club members.

But why the name Suburbs? Tommy Atkins recalls the choice mainly because players were coming from Avondale, Point Chevalier, Mount Albert and Epsom to play for the Club, and boys from New Lynn, at that stage, made up only a small percentage of the players. It was at this meeting that the club colours were set down as red and blue – jersey pattern to be 4" hoops in alternate colours. (These jerseys, however, proved unprocurable at the time and the newly formed club did in fact play in yellow and black jerseys for their first two seasons).

1918 proved a momentous year for Suburbs. Not only did they have a new name and club colours, but also they found a "home". It was this year that the Avondale Jockey Club offered the Club the use of their grounds for playing fields and the racecourse facilities for dressing rooms. The Club fielded two teams, a 3rd and 4th grade, in the A.R.U. championships.

1919 Team:

4th Grade

1919 saw a move to rugby league in the district and the Club was left with only one team playing in the 4th Grade. Although playing strength was down, enthusiasm within the Club continued to flourish. The true spirit on which Suburbs has been built over the years, certainly was evident in these early days - a club smoko saw the princely sum of 14 pound raised for a married man who broke his leg. Perhaps the highlights were the first appearance of a Suburbs team on the hallowed turf of Eden Park No.1, and the Club's first trip away - to Hamilton to play the champion Hamilton Old Boys' School team.

1920 Teams:

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

Avondale racecourse rapidly became an important centre of Auckland Rugby. Per courtesy of the Avondale Jockey Club, 8 playing fields were in commission at the racecourse by 1920. Rugby seemed to mushroom in the district and much to the astonishment of Avondale residents, Saturday afternoons saw over 100 players doing battle out on the field in the middle of the racecourse. Perhaps it was this year, in 1920, that Suburbs interest in overseas tours was born. The team of that year, hired a launch which left from the bottom of Albert Street, and sailed up with the tide to Albany where a match was duly played and won. The team returned to Auckland with the tide to disembark at Albert Street, at 4 o'clock the next morning and perhaps the highlight of the trip still in front of them. A walk back to Avondale!

1921 Teams:

2nd Grade

3rd Grade C

4th Grade

1922 - Our own plot of ground

1922 Teams:

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

210 pounds was the purchase price. 10 pounds deposit with easy payments over three years was how it was bought. Not much money by todays standards, but a lot of money in 1922 - the year the Club purchased the property on which the present clubrooms and training shed are built.

The following year saw the Club's first working bee called for all hand to turn out and clear the section ready for the training shed. Such was the effort of the faithful few that late in the season of 1923 the shed was far enough advanced for teams to use - training by gas-light.

1923 Teams:

Senior 'A'

2nd Grade

3rd Grade

4th Grade

5th Grade

1923 saw the first Suburbs Senior team from the Club fielded in the A.R.U. championships. The Club had reached a turning point. Now they were up there, footing it with the big boys - competing against named players. Suburbs had well and truly arrived on the rugby scene. It had long been thought that the 1939 Senior team was the first team to play Senior ‘A’, however in 1923 there was no Senior ‘B’ or 2nd division so the Suburbs Senior team played against the premier teams from all the big Clubs. The other clubs who had Senior teams in 1923 were – Ponsonby, University, Marist, Grafton, Newton, Eden, College Rifles, North Shore and Grammar.

Suburbs first match was against University at Avondale at 3pm on Saturday 28th April. Mr. W.J. Wakefield was referee and this was the team named in the Auckland star; Grey, Lincoln, Vallance, Robertson, Wormald, Sly, Somerville, Clendon, Abel, Heron, McDonald, Hunter, Exler, Hardman & McCarthy.

Adding a note of depth and soundness, the Club undertook the form of an incorporated body, also in 1923. This year must surely rank as one of the milestones in club history.

'Some' 1923 RESULTS:

Match report in the Auckland Star on the Monday 30th April – Page 10:

University met Suburbs, the new senior grade team, at Avondale and a good game resulted. Suburbs played with the wind in the first quarter and for some time held their own. Wormald and Lincoln rendering good service. At last the blue pack worked up and infusing some dash into their work advanced Grey, the opposing full back missed the leather, and McCullough broke through with ball at toe and opened the Varsity around. Midfield play obtained for some minutes when from a scrum Hopkins sent to Arkle to Hamilton who raced on, side-stepped and scored behind the posts. Suburbs now took a turn, and a nice piece of combined work by Vallance and Hardman was stopped by Brooker, who led his side to invade. Varsity were now beginning to ascert superiority in back play, and a smart bout on the change-over saw the ball handled by nine players with Grey tackling the last man effectively. The latter forced. From a scrum at the twenty-five, Wiseman was given a good chance, of which he made the best use outstripping the opposing players and running round to score, for Hopkins to put the leather over the bar. A series of nippy passing bouts close up ended in Arkle giving Hopkins a swift short pass near the corner, and the half dived across. McCullough’s long-distance effort failed to materialise, and the score read 16 points to nil. A pretty piece of handling by Hardy, Hamilton, Arkle and Wiseman saw the last mentioned again cross. Miller adding the major points. In the second half both sides played with dash, the tackling of Suburbs being marked, with the five-eighths and center doing good spoiling work. Varsity’s pace however told its tale. Brooker, Hopkins, Miller and McCullough added tries, Hopkins converting one.

Final score: Varsity 35, Suburbs 0.

Other scores on 28th April 1923: 

2nd Grade lost v Grammar 0-35

3rd Grade lost v Grey Lynn 0-45

4th Grade beat P&T 8-3

5th Grade lost v Grafton 0-8

Suburbs next match was v Marist, 3pm Sat 5th May on Avondale No.2. Match report in the Auckland Star on the Monday 7^th May – Page 9:   

Marist Old Boys and Suburbs met at Avondale No.2 ground, a good willing game eventuated. Marist kicked off and quickly pressed forward, a force resulting. A half minute later the Tykes again, showing up in weight, came through as the result of good play by Malloy. McDonald obtained possession and scored. O’Connor failing to convert, Marist 3, Suburbs nil. Suburbs advanced, and invading the twenty-five Anderson was caught off side, and Vallance had an unsuccessful shot. Resuming from some play at mid field, Malloy picked up and ran the line, transferred infield to Peters, to McDonald who ran round to score behind the posts. R. Cakey converted. (Little bit missing here – unreadable) …from a scrum Suburbs’ half, Casey,handed out nicely to Clarke, who threw a long pass to Robertson, but Twomey intervened. Marists rushed on, Anderson took the ball vigorously up the line, and Peters followed on, scored. O’Connor missed with a good kick. Marist 11, Suburbs nil. A passing rush between Markwick, McDonald and Culpan saw the latter across, McDonald converting. Shortly afterwards a passing rush along the three quarter line ended in Malloy scoring well out. O’Connor put in a good kick, but missed.

Marist 19, Suburbs nil.

The second half was signalled by some good defensive work by Sly, McDonald and H. Clendon finished off by the full-back, Hunter, who tackled well. Suburbs were invading, when a good mark by Malloy held them up, Vallance and Wormald, Long and Hollinger again came to the rescue, but the Blues invaded, and Griffen accepting a pass from Twomey, beat the opposition and converted his own try. The Suburbs team seemed unable to do anything, and L. Casey crossed as the outcome of a dribbling rush to the corner. O’Connor made a good attempt with the kick. Marist Old Boys 27, Suburbs nil. McDonald scored a minute later, and Peters converted. A rush by Suburbs’ forwards saw Lincoln get possession down the line, and he was in for a try until tackled. The Tykes arrested the onslaught to retaliate in a passing bout, which allowed Malloy to cross the line. O’Connor missed with the final kick from wide out. Marist Old Boys 35, Suburbs nil.

Mr. M. Kronfeld was referee.

Other scores on 5th May 1923:

3rd Grade lost v Grey Lynn 0-45

4th Grade beat P&T 8-3

5th Grade lost v Grafton 0-8