Manukau Magpies

History

Established in 1912, the club played as the Manukau Rovers with Jim Rukutai as club captain. The club was officially affiliated with the Auckland Rugby League at their annual meeting on 16 April.{{cite news | access-date = 1 November 2019}}

Their first committee selected at that first meeting in March 1912 was Patron: Mr. F.W. Lang, (M.P.); President: Mr. John R. Sceates; Secretary: Mr. H.V. Pattin; Treasurer: Mr. H.E. Reynolds; Committee: Messrs R.W. Sansbury, T.A. George, J.B. Morton, T. Grundy, H.E. Reynolds, A. Patten, E. Pullan, Jim Rukutai, and S. Child (chairman).{{cite news | access-date = 1 November 2019}}

In their first season they had 53 registered members. Their senior team squad was made up of the following players: Jim Rukutai, Arthur Hardgrave, Pullen, Strong, Alexander, Targuse, Hughes, Griffiths, McGechan, Clark (2), Kennedy, Tole, Wilson, and Moore (2).{{cite news | access-date = 13 November 2019}} They finished the 1912 season with 3 wins and 7 losses. In the 1913 season they struggled to put a full team on the field and pulled out of the senior grade after playing just 5 matches. In 1914 they fielded junior teams only and this continued until 1923 when they amalgamated with the Māngere club to enter a senior team in the competition named "Mangere United".

In 1924 the entire club switched codes and became a rugby union club. They were extremely critical of the Auckland Rugby League and stated that they had been on the end of a number of poor decisions over the previous three seasons particularly to do with player registrations. The details of which were laid out in a letter from the club secretary which was published in the Auckland Star on 12 July 1924. Auckland Rugby League responded stating that the details in the letter were not correct.{{cite news | access-date = 13 November 2019}}

Rebirth and first championship

The Manukau Rugby League club was reborn at a meeting in Onehunga on 29 September 1932 with Jim Rukutai in attendance .{{cite news | access-date = 11 November 2019}}[[File:Jack Hemi kicking.jpg|thumb|[[Jack Hemi]] kicking a penalty v City in 1936.]]The club was initially mainly active in junior grades until 1936 when a senior team was re-established after Steve Watene, a Kiwi international convinced Auckland Rugby League that the team he had built from scratch would be competitive. Watene had travelled through many parts of the North Island recruiting players, including Jack Hemi, Joe Boughton, and Len Kawe (who had represented New Zealand Māori in 1925), Tom Trevarthan from Otago rugby. History was made that year when they took out the Championship (Fox Memorial), and Roope Rooster knockout competition in their first season back in the top grade since the 1913 season. Watene became the first ever Māori player to captain the Kiwi's . Jack Hemi played 14 games and scored 92 points through four tries, 39 goals and a drop goal. Steve Watene played in 17 games and scored six tries and kicked 20 goals, while Angus Gault scored seven tries.

The club celebrated its centenary in 2011. Dean Bell was named as the Manukau Player of the Century. Given the club moved to the rugby union code in 1924 and wasn't re-established as a league club until 1932 the 2020 season would mark the 100th year of the club playing rugby league.

Notable players

Arthur Hardgrave was Manukau's first New Zealand representative in 1912. He scored their only points in their first ever first grade game against Ponsonby with a try and a penalty on May 11, 1912 at Eden Park 2.{{cite news

In 1936 the Manukau club travelled around the North Island recruiting players to join their side for a re-entry into the first grade competition in Auckland including Steve Watene who captained the side after having played seven seasons for City Rovers before transferring. They secured the services of an astounding group of talent which ultimately carried them to the first grade Fox Memorial championship in 1936. They included Jack Hemi from the Wairarapa, Frank Pickrang and Len Kawe from the King Country, and Angus Gault who had been born in Scotland but moved to New Zealand aged 16 to farm in the King Country, and Jack Brodrick in August of 1936. Brodrick was 23 years old and had been born in Ruatoke North in the Bay of Plenty. Others included Thomas Trevathan from North Otago, Joe Broughton, Joe Murray, Peter Mahima, and Jack Whye.

Then in 1937 Rangi Chase from Moawhango in Whanganui along with his brother Tommy Chase, came to Manukau, as did Pita Ririnui, Thomas Trevarthan from Otago, and then George Nēpia from All Black fame who had converted to rugby league in 1937 but played for Manukau in 1938 & 1939. In 1938 Walter Brimble joined the Manukau side after transferring from Manukau rugby. His brothers Ted Brimble and Wilfred Brimble all grew up in Onehunga after moving to New Zealand and were of English (father) and South African (mother) origin and also played for New Zealand though were at the Newton club.

The club later had a close association with the Bell family as Dean Bell, Ian Bell and Clayton Friend all played for the club and Cameron Bell coached the club.

The following players have played for Manukau and gone on to make the New Zealand national rugby league team with the year(s):

• Arthur Hardgrave 1912
• Jack Hemi 1936
• Puti Tipene (Steve) Watene 1936
• Frank Pickrang 1936
• Thomas Trevathan 1936
• George Nēpia 1937
• Walter Pierrepont Brimble 1938
• John Purewa (Jack) Brodrick 1938-39
• Rangi Chase 1937–38
• Angus Gault 1938-39
• Tommy Chase 1939
• Pita Ririnui 1939
• Lummy Graham 1970
• Doug Gailey 1974
• Ian Bell 1978–83
• Clayton Friend 1982–91
• Dean Bell 1983–89
• Nick Wright 1983
• Kelly Shelford 1989–91

Manukau Senior Team Records (1912-24, 1933-45, 1990, 1992-96, 1998-99, 2001-02, 2004, 2022-25)

The season record for the most senior men’s team in the club.

Club titles (1912-1944)

• 1919 Third Grade
• 1920 Third Grade and Fifth Grade
• 1922 Second Grade knockout competition
• 1936 First Grade (Fox Memorial)
• 1938 Phelan Shield
• 1939 Phelan Shield
• 1941 Thistle Cup (highest point scorers in the 2nd round), Roope Rooster, Stormont Shield
• 1942 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Stormont Shield
• 1943 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Roope Rooster, Stormont Shield

Manukau Magpies top point scorers and try scorers (1912-1945)

References

References

1. link. (24 July 2011 ''sportsground.co.nz'')
2. ''Superleague''
3. ''Superleague''
4. Coffey and Wood ''The Kiwis: 100 Years of International Rugby League'' {{ISBN. 1-86971-090-8