SUBURBS INFORMER

Volume 1, No.1

14 April 1955

Hullo Members’.

INTRODUCING SOMETHING NEW IN CLUB ACTIVITIES.

The “Suburbs Informer” to be published by your committee once a fortnight for the information and edification of members and supporters.

Well members – just what do you think of the idea? Has it possibilities? Your Committee thinks so. With the ramifications of our Club to-day, we feel that some form of “news spreading”, other than by word of mouth, is a necessity and we think that everyone who is interested in the welfare of our club will heartily agree.

There must be hundreds of items concerning our Club, about which our Members are ignorant, - for example – Who’s who on the Committee this year? What is the position at the moment regarding the building scheme? What plans are there for boosting the buildings funds? What is all this about? – the Senior team’s plans about an overseas trip? What are their chances for the coming Season? How many teams will we have playing this year? Who is coaching whom? Then there is that 64 dollar question!!! Just what are these blokes doing up in the front room on Thursday nights?

You see what I mean – YOU want information – your Committee wants to give you information.

Right now! – Having earbashed you all to the point where everyone is unanimous as to the need for our paper, you want to know something of the paper itself. At the moment we have the following features in mind for regular publication.

COMMITTEE NEWS (Or “Out of the front room”)

General interest items from weekly committee meetings which are held on Thursday nights from 7.30pm.

TEAM NEWS (Or what the “TS” saw)

In this section we intend giving you a write up on our Seniors and also to be included is a full “write up” on one grade team plus notes and results from the others. Each Grade team will be featured in succeeding issues.

JUNIOR BOYS (Or “Potton’s Pirates”)

Here again each team will be featured in turn, plus notes and results from the other teams.

AFFILIATED CLUBS

Yes, we intend approaching them too for Material for publication in each issue. Basketball, Old Boys, Cricket, Tennis and the Ladies’ Committee should all be able to give us news that will help widen interest in the “SUBURBS’ INFORMER”

GENERAL NEWS (Or “Did you Hear”)

In this section we will have general news of interest to members. You know the sort of thing. Personalities in the Club – hatched and matched etc.

CLUB CAPTAIN’S CORNER

There are no doubt times when he will want to say plenty!!! So he had better have a little space.

QUESTION CORNER

Here is a spot where Members may have a go.

Well now, there you have the form as we see it at the moment. It is open to improvement, we know, and that is where YOU CAN HELP. We want helpful suggestions and constructive criticism. I feel that with members helping your Committee will make this News Sheet play a real part in the progress of our Club. That it will help foster a better Club spirit among members and that it will become a valuable agent for the Club in the Western Suburbs.

Before closing this “Leading article” you will all, by now, know that our President of the past 16 years, George Orrell is leaving for Christchurch. To farewell George and to thank him, in some small measure, for his untiring efforts on behalf of the Suburbs Clubs, a presentation, social and dance is being organised by all Affiliated Clubs. This event is to be held on Friday night the 22nd April, at the Community Social Hall – just over the Whau Bridge in New Lynn. It is an opportunity to pay tribute to George and the splendid services he has rendered to us. So keep the 22nd free, Members.

Finally, may I take this opportunity of wishing all Coaches and Players a most enjoyable and successful season on the playing field.

You’ll be hearing from me again,

                                                                   Yours,

                                                                             The President

“OUT OF THE FRONT ROOM”

​​​​​​​  Your Committee for the 1955 season is as follows:- 

Items from your Committee to date:-

Monograms - A limited supply are still available. New stocks are expected from England about the middle of the season.

Maintenance - A working bee will be called shortly for the re-painting of the Club Premises. Don’t forget to bring your brush (Paint Type) when the call goes out.

Starting Dates for Competitions –

Seniors - 16th April

Grades - 23rd April

Juniors - 7th May (Official Practise 30/4/55.)

Secretaryship - It is with regret that we have to publish that Ray Whitehouse has resigned from this position. The Committee is faced with the very difficult task of finding a successor. An urgent appeal is made to any member who is in a position to undertake this office or who knows of anyone who could assist in the matter to contact any member of the Management Committee. THIS APPEAL IS MOST URGENT.

Auckland Rugby Weekly - Our reporter this year is once again Johnny Watson who carried out this task very successfully last season. So will you Coaches get these reports in to him smartly each week after the game. His phone Numbers are 84-053 at home and 32-000 at work.

Outside Training Area - Negotiations are under way to obtain the use of part of the Racecourse adjacent to the Club for this purpose and an effort is also to be made to renovate the area at the rear of the shed.

Jerseys - An account for £170 was passed for payment last week for the purpose of purchasing jerseys. That’s big money chaps,- so look after them and see that we get them back at the end of the season.

SENIORS “SAY SO’S”

First, might the Senior Team welcome the new Committee and any new players to the Club with the wish that they, along with the past players, enjoy, not only a very successful season’s football, but even more so an enjoyable one.

We sincerely mean this as although championships are nice to win we feel that the fellowship gained from a Club such as ours is greater than any other positive success.

This year your Senior team has quite a different appearance about it, mainly size. First might we say how sorry we are to lose Ray Borley, last year’s Captain. Roy is off to Australia with Ngaire for a short (we hope) holiday. Others who appear have hung up their boots are Terry Neville, new engaged, Bill Warneford and Merv Smith as so far none of them have been sighted near a football. Bill Gardiner, we hear is to play for Marist this year with brother Ruru. However on the asset side things look decidedly rosier. Some name players along with other big honest players have come to play for us this year. Among the back line we have Mick Cossey, ex Ardmore, who has played for the Colts and has worn the Auckland "A" jersey with distinction. Still young Mick enjoys the open game as does Ted Thompson, a centre from Training College and Jim Lockie, a very nippy halfback from the opposite code. At the present stage our likelihood of gaining Thompson appears rather remote as he is on the Committee pushing for more Rugby players at the College. A 1ot of supporters will remember Lockie from his exhibition in the Otahuhu game last season and his present form does not seem to have deteriorated since.

In the "shoving and heaving" department there is at the time of writing 15 forwards and a good looking, assortment too. Last season’s Wairarapa No. 2 hooker to Kingi Mathews (the Maori All Black) namely Keith Oliver is with us along with Rollings a big fellow who played for North Auckland "B", Laurie Burke another 15 stoner from the Kaipara sub-union and a Combined Services player in Wally Henare who really looks very good indeed. Later on Ken Whetton, who played for Suburbs some two seasons back, will be down from up north looking for a position.

We would also like to welcome Alan Richards back to the Senior team after a year down with the seconds and to Peter McWilliams from the third grade. It would seem the extra competition for places brought about by the influx of players has rejuvenated local players into greater things as both Eden and Grafton have been beaten decisively and Marist proving a close loss.

Of last year’s team Cleave Anderson, Bruce Henderson, Len Clover, Tony Bennett, Keith Morrison, Rus Cahill, Jack Prior, Jack Lees, Ian Robertson, Kay Peachey, Trev Gill, Ian Patterson, Dave Cook and Larry Boyle are all turning out again and in practise matches are showing good form. Bim Underwood and Ivan Patterson are coaching and more and their aim is to turn out a fit fast team that is willing to throw it around and so give the Public something they are craving for but not receiving. So do not be surprised if Suburbs are the winners of this year’s Championship.

Finally the team are accepting an invitation from The Fiji Rugby Union to make a short tour of that Country in September but £1000 has to be found first. We do hope therefore that if "You" are asked for support either directly or indirectly you will not be slow in responding.

SECOND GRADE.

You chaps that are interested in playing second grade your coach this year is again Bruce Brown who successfully coached this team to Championship last year. We did have material for a feature write up for you chaps this week, but owing to a shortage of space in our inaugural issue it will be left over to next time. We'll do justice to you on that occasion, and by the way, your training nights are Tuesdays at 7.30 and Thursday nights at 8.30. More backs are still required for this team.

THIRD GRADE.

At the time of going into, press it now appears that we will again field a team in this grade. Wally Geard is to coach and the training night is Wednesday 7.30 to 8.30. Age limitation under 21 (1/1/55) Weight – open.

FIFTH GRADE.

Once again our old friend Charlie Owens will be caching this team. Initial training shows that it has the possibility of developing into a strong side, - you will remember last season they won the ”B” Section of their competition - this year they are aiming higher, however they still require additional players - so dig up your mates boys and bring them along. Training night is set down as 8.30 to 9.30 Thursday nights. Age limit under 19 (1/1/53) weight – open.

SIXTH GRADE.

This, in the main, is last year’s eighth grade, which won championship honours for our Club. George Bertaut has them again under his wing and if his keenness is anything to go by they will again be on the road to championship honours this season. Your training night chaps is 6.30 to 7.30 Thursday. Age limitation under 18, weight under 10 stone 6lbs.

EIGHTH GRADE.

The renowned Ukelele Doug Brown is in command of this division. The grade calls for boys under 16 on 1st Jan. and under 9 stone 6lbs at weigh-in. Training night is Wednesday 6.30 to 7.30.

JUNIOR BOYS. (Or Potton's Pirates.)

The boys have got away to a very good start in thier rally on Saturday 2nd and will follow this with their officia1 weigh-in on Saturday the 16th - This will be followed by practise games with the Eden Club for all grades. The time boys is 10am sharp. We always look forward to seeing parents so come along and support them. We'll have further news about the activities in the next issue.

OLD BOYS.

We expect a regular column from you, but in the mean-time we will remind you of the ”Smoke Concert” which is to take the form of a farewell and presentation evening to George Orrell. At this function George will be presented with his Life Membership Badge.

REMEMBER THE DATE - - - SATURDAY 16th APRIL

REMEMBER THE TIME - - - 8 P.M.

AT THE SHED

THAT’S NEXT SATURDAY TO YOU.

”FAREWELL  GEORGE” 

                                             By Nala Yrrab.

'Twas on a February morning,

That word went quickly round,

And soon the Grapevine took it up,

George Orrell is leaving town.

Poor Joe Smith goes "troppo"

And gets an official blast

'Cause he says let’s have a "G" day,

He's going - He's going - at last.

So Suburbs put on a function,

You can't make out the floor

Cause Dewar who is the doorman,

Yells room ! for twenty dozen more.

We telegraphs to Christchurch,

To the leader of that push,

"We’re sending you our George,

The bleeder from the bush."

Then the whistle blew for the sendoff,

And the play was pretty grand,

There stood young George Orrell,

With his Golf Clubs in his hand,

The band plays "Colonel Bogey",

As he stands up nice and slow,

But they couldn't blow for laughin’,

They're so pleased to see him go.

But really George we'll miss you,

As the leader of the Band,

When you're domiciled down under,

Far from the Suburbs land.

No more we'll hear "New Gentlemen",

"Let's take this first point first,

And when I've finished talking,

I'll help you quench your thirst."

At times you may get homesick,

When you are way down South,

But don’t let it get you down boy,

Keep a smiling mouth,

Stand up and shout "Hallelujah"

Really loud and fierce,

For a sobering thought will strike you,

We’ve still got Tommy Pearce.!!!

And while we are speaking of George it is widely known, but in case you don’t know, there is a presentation Social and Dance being organised by all affiliated Clubs in honour of George on Friday 22nd April, at the COMMUNITY SOCIAL HALL, in NEW LYNN (Just over the Whau bridge on the right.)

Club member, parents and supporters, let's do it in style - turn up and really show your appreciation for a lot of good work done by good guy.

FINALLY the editors hope that you enjoy this initial issue. Don’t forget they rely on you to supply the done - we'll print it. Jim Dewar the Club Captain will take any copy you have.

                                  Amateur Publishers:-

                                                                             J.C.S. & J.F.G.

                                  For Suburbs Rugby Football Club.

Editor please note --- Errors & Omissions not accepted.

(I.E. Patterson should be Paterson.)

FURTHER ISSUES to be TRANSCRIBED...