The Richmond Rovers Rugby League Club is a rugby league club based in Grey Lynn, New Zealand. The premier team is called the Richmond Bulldogs/Richmond Rovers and compete in Auckland Rugby League's first grade Fox Memorial competition. They have won the first grade championship on 12 occasions.
Early history The club was formed in 1913 by employees at Mr. B. W. Davis' Boot Factory and Elliott's, following a scratch game in 1912. They didn't in fact play an official game until 1914 when they affiliated with the Grafton Athletic club and entered a team in the 4th grade and played in the Grafton Athletic colours.
In 1883 the land surrounding Grey Lynn Park was subdivided and the houses were built. The area that is now Grey Lynn Park was too steep to build houses on and so, in 1914, the area was drained and flattened so sport could be played. Flood lights were installed at the park in the 1950s.
Richmond's first ever first grade game was against Athletic (Maritime) on April 22, 1922. They lost 14-2 with Henderson scoring their first ever points in the grade with a penalty.Richmond enjoyed considerable success in the middle decades of the 1900s. They were the first club ever to win the Fox Memorial, Roope Rooster, and Stormont Shield in a single season (1934). They went on to win these trophies several more times in the following years. They also defeated 4 Australian club teams from 1934 to 1939 (including the Sydney champions - Western Suburbs 18–16, and 10–3 in 1934). This saw them win the Rangatira Shield, played for between Sydney and Auckland clubs. They won the Fox Memorial in 1934, 1935, 1937, 1940, 1946, 1949, 1951, 1955 and 1956.
Bartercard Cup The Richmond club were involved in the Bartercard Cup as a joint venture with the Marist Saints between 2000 and 2005. This team was called the Marist Richmond Brothers.
Notable players
48 Richmond Juniors have played for the New Zealand national rugby league team including Nigel Vagana, Fred Ah Kuoi, Steve Matai, David Solomona and Evarn Tuimavave. In addition 19 women have represented the New Zealand Women's team.
Other Warriors such as Tevita Latu, Steve Matai, Sam Lousi, Sione Lousi, John Palavi, Wayne McDade, Daniel Vasau, Evarn Tuimavave, Faavae Kalolo, & Malo Solomona were also Richmond juniors.
American actor Geno Segers had a stint with the club.Geno Seger's Bio at Disney XD
A team of the century was named in 2013, and consisted of: 1. Bert Cooke, 2. Nigel Vagana, 3. Tom Baxter, 4. Maurie Robertson, 5. Vern Bakalich, 6. Fred Ah Kuoi, 7. Shane Varley, 8. Joe Vagana, 9. John Lasher, 10. Cliff Johnson (c), 11. Jim Riddell, 12. Se'e Solomona and 13. Raymond Williams.
Richmond Senior Team Records (1915-1945, 1993-2004 + 2022-24) The season record for the most senior men's team in the club. SeasonGradeNamePlayedWDLPFPAPDPtsPosition (Teams)1915 3rd GradeRichmond61051766-492 10 teams, full results unknown1916 3rd GradeRichmond43013421136 8 teams, full results unknown1917 4th GradeRichmond74032545-208 8 teams, full results unknown1918 4th GradeRichmond65013425910 9 teams, full results unknown1919 4th GradeRichmond761077671134th of 101920 4th GradeRichmond74039226668Approx 3rd of 101921 4th GradeRichmond650151133810Approx 3rd of 81922 1st Grade (Monteith)Richmond143011141295-15467th of 81923 1st Grade (Monteith)Richmond12101193239-14627th of 71924 1st Grade (Monteith)Richmond16501197194-97107th of 91925 1st Grade (Monteith)Richmond11407155184-2985th of 71926 1st Grade (Monteith)Richmond11308142176-3465th of 71927 1st Grade (Monteith)Richmond12417134182-4895th of 71928 1st Grade (Monteith)Richmond1271414313211152nd of 71929 1st Grade (Monteith)Richmond143011105161-5667th of 81930 1st Grade (Monteith)Richmond13409118156-3888th of 81931 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond127141439350153rd of 71932 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond10307117134-1765th of 61933 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond103161471311675th of 61934 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond131102257108149221st of 61935 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond13101221795122211st of 71936 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond1482419913663182nd of 81937 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond141013266156110211st of 81938 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond1581620518025175th of 91939 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond15708171174-3146th of 91940 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond161213303143160251st of 91941 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond1590623514986183rd of 91942 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond155010148186-38105th of 61943 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond161105247123124223rd of 91944 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond18100824215389206th of 101945 1st Grade (Fox)Richmond141103266100166222nd of 101993 Lion Red RukutaiRichmond18111635235399.7%232nd of 10, SF 10-7 v Mt Albert, PF 7-3 v Ponsonby, GF 5-11 v Otahuhu. Roope Rooster GF 12-22 v North Shore1994 Lion Red RukutaiRichmond221001259661896.4%207th of 121995 Lion Red RukutaiRichmond2414010715605118.2%325th of 131996 Lion Red PrelimRichmond13517318301105.6%119th of 141998 Super 10Central Sharks18311432760154.41%79th of 101999 Rukutai Shield Super 12Central Sharks22311840174054.19%712th of 122000 Mad Butcher Fox Top 8Richmond141211517254203.5%251st of 8 PlayoffsRichmond31024463--L 10-26 v Ōtāhuhu in minor SF, W 20-16 v Te Atatū in major SF, L 14-21 v Ōtāhuhu in Fox final2001 Mad Butcher Fox Top 8Richmond14923460385119.5%20 PlayoffsRichmond21015148106.3%-W 22-18 v Northcote in Major SF, L 29-30 v Northcote in Fox Final2002 Fox Memorial Top 8Richmond14311027642864.5%77th of 82003 PlayoffsRichmond31027977--L v Hib Coast 28-41 in PF, W v Marist 32-28 in Minor Final, L v Mangere East 19-24 in Major final2004 Mad Butcher FoxRichmond14905438322136%184th of 8 PlayoffsRichmond21014229--W 30-10 v Papakura in Prel final, L 12-19 v Manurewa in Minor final2022Fox Premiership Section 2Richmond9603326134192124th of 10 in section 2, W v Marist 34-0 in PF, L v Otahuhu 20-12 in QF PlayoffsRichmond21014620--W 34-0 v Marist in Prel SF, L v Otahuhu 20-12 in QF2023Fox GradingRichmond32019848204.2%42nd of 4 in Pool B Fox (Rukutai Shield)Richmond11911316116272.4%191st of 12 (Rukutai winner) PlayoffsRichmond21012430--W v Papakura 8-6 in Major SF, L v Pt Chevalier in Grand Final2024Fox GradingRichmond320112230+9242nd of 4 in Pool A Fox (Rukutai Shield)Richmond111001383147+236201st of 12 (Rukutai winner) PlayoffsRichmond22003826--W v Pt Chevalier 23-12 in PF, W v Papakura in GF 15-14 (after ET)1922-45, 1993–96, 2000-2002, 2004, 2022-2024TOTAL59430320272105909359-614
Club Titles Richmond Rovers grade championships (1910-1944) 1921 Sixth Grade 1922 Fourth Grade 1923 Fifth Grade 1924 Second Grade B Section winners (lost final to Otahuhu 17-5, who won the A Section), Fourth Grade B Section winners (lost final to Ponsonby, who were A Section winners), Fifth Grade knockout (Section B) 1925 Second Grade, Fourth Grade, Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade A, & Sixth Grade B 1926 Third Grade Intermediate, & Fifth Grade 1927 Third Grade Intermediate and Third Grade knockout competition, Fourth Grade (Hospital Cup), & Sixth Grade B (Myers Cup) 1928 Third Grade Open, Third Grade Intermediate, & Fourth Grade 1929 Third Grade Open, Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade A, & Sixth Grade B 1930 Second Grade, Fourth Grade & Fourth Grade knockout, Seventh Grade & Seventh Grade knockout, & Schoolboys (Richmond Schools A) 1931 Third Grade Intermediate, & Seventh Grade 1932 Reserve Grade, & Sixth Grade 1933 Reserve Grade, Fifth Grade, & Seventh Grade 1934 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Reserve Grade, Third Grade Open, & Seventh Grade 1935 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Second Grade, Fifth Grade, Sixth Grade A, Seventh Grade, & Schoolboys (Senior) 1936 Sixth Grade A, & Schoolboys (Senior) 1937 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Reserve Grade, Fourth Grade, Schoolboys (Senior) 1938 Reserve Grade, Third Grade Open, Seventh Grade, Schoolboy (Senior), Schoolboy (Intermediate) 1939 Reserve Grade, Sixth Grade A, Seventh Grade 1940 First Grade (Fox Memorial), Reserve Grade, Fifth Grade, Seventh Grade, Schoolboys (Senior) 1941 Sixth Grade
Other titles 1926 Roope Rooster 1927 Roope Rooster 1933 Roope Rooster 1934 Roope Rooster, & Stormont Shield 1935 Stormont Shield 1936 Stormont Shield 1938 Roope Rooster, & Stormont Shield 1940 Roope Rooster 1942 Roope Rooster
All time top point scorers (1922-1945) The point scoring lists are compiled from first grade matches in the championship, Roope Rooster, Phelan Shield, Stormont Shield, Sharman Cup, official exhibition matches including organised preseason rounds, and organised friendly matches. Top point scorersNoPlayerStartEndGamesTriesConPenDGPts1Ted Mincham1928194212459543603572L 'Snowy' Taylor192619304022423732303Cliff Satherley193319436219532502134Bernard Lowther (snr)19411945624424901985Frank Furnell19371945548582601926Charles W Webb19391942462571401487Wally Tittleton19361943118420001268=Reece Marshall193219363113261701258=George Tittleton193619415025214012510Stan Prentice192619351314000012011Bill Telford192719371323910011912Alf Broadhead193419411103510010713Leo Davis193619451463140010114J McDonald194219444510295110015Jack Magill19411945775241709716=Trevor Bramley19381940425231408916=Dave Solomon19391941462111208918Laurie Mills1938194047290008719William Kinney1942194548280008420Eric Hugh (Mick) Carroll1922192843427808221Ernest McNeil1933193542270008122=Ray Lawless1929193582260007822=George Mitchell1937194270260007824Jack Satherley19341945128241107625=Ralph Jenkinson1925193490250007525=Ron McGregor1942194561250007527Merv Devine1938194059179207328Bert Cooke1932193750184507229=Abbie Graham1938194145220006629=Harold Tetley1934193864220006629=Owen Wilkie19361937372200066
See also Auckland Rugby League club trophies Fox Memorial Grand Finals
References
External links Official Site Auckland Rugby League