The North Shore Albions were a rugby league club based on the North Shore of Auckland in Devonport before moving to Bayswater at a later time. They formed in 1909 and folded in the early 2000s due to a lack of playing numbers. At the start of the 1920 season they were renamed Devonport United when they amalgamated with the Sunnyside club. It was proposed at the merger that they be known as North Shore Albions but Sunnyside objected and the name of Devonport United was chosen. In 1937, 17 years later at their annual general meeting they decided to revert to the name "North Shore Albions" as they had been commonly referred to as "shore" for many years. Chairman H. Mann made the proposal and it was adopted by the club. Aside from Northcote and Birkenhead Ramblers they were the only club on the North Shore at that time. They closed their doors in 2005. The only remaining club connected to them are the Northern Brothers who are based at Ngataringa Bay Sports Field. Their senior team is an amalgamation of East Coast Bays Barracudas and Glenfield Greyhounds but are based more in the North Shore Albions traditional area which includes the navy ground which has provided many players and teams over the years. The predominant colours are black and green which have been common colours of all the North Shore clubs over the decades.
History 1909-1919 They were formed in 1909 when the Auckland Rugby League competition was in its infancy, having its own first General Meeting that same season.
They were officially born on the evening of 23 July 1909 when a meeting was held at the Devonport Council Chambers. The following people were elected officers for the inaugural season: President – Dr. Guinness, Vice Presidents – Dr. Bennett, Captain Pilkington, Mr W. Swinnerton, Mr. A. Goldwater, and Mr. D. W. McLean, Committee – Mr. F. Gladding, Mr. P. Gerrard, Mr. Clark, Mr. Marshall, Mr. Wells, and Mr. Powell, with Mr. A. J. Powley the Secretary and Treasurer.
They played in the first ever rugby league match between two Auckland club teams when they played City Rovers at Eagleton's Paddock in Epsom. North Shore put out a strong side and won the match by 44 points to 22. Their team was made up of the following players: Frederick Neighbour, Fred Gladding, Richard Wynyard, Gerrard, George Seagar, Frank Woodward, Jim Griffin, B Wells, Allen, C Wells, J Percival, Shaw, H McReynolds, S Marshall, Powell, William Wynyard, McDonald, and Stevens.
They also played one match on the Devonport Domain that year against a combined town team which they won by 26 points to 10.
They then finished the year with a match against Newton Rangers at Victoria Park on September 4.
In 1913 North Shore won their first ever first grade championship. They finished the season with a 5 win, 1 draw, 1 loss record, with their 11 competition points three ahead of Newton Rangers, City Rovers, and Ponsonby United all on 8.
In 1914 North Shore was tied with Ponsonby United after 9 rounds with 15 competition points each. This meant a final was required to find the champion. North Shore won by 13 points to 2 on Victoria Park before a crowd of 7,000.
1920-1929 The 1920s were a fairly mediocre decade for the North Shore senior side. They finished in the middle of the table most years, though in 1924 Marist Old Boys had 21 competition points and North Shore had 23 competition points but North Shore had played one extra game. The Auckland Rugby League decided that the two sides should meet in a final to decide the title.
Marist won a gripping game 20–17 to deny North Shore their third first grade championship.
North Shore won the first grade championship for the 3rd time in 1928. At this time it was named the Monteith Shield and was replaced by the Fox Memorial Shield in 1931. They had a 9 win, 3 loss record and finished 3 competition points ahead of the Richmond Rovers. Auckland representative, Ernest Ruby is standing second from the right. The following year in 1929 they were tied with Ponsonby United after the final round so a final was played however they lost 5–0 before 11,000 at Carlaw Park.
1930-1939 North Shore won the championship twice in the 1930s. The first was in 1932 while the second was in the following year when they went back to back with victory in 1933. Their teams included New Zealand international players such as Len Scott, Allan Seagar, Dick Smith, Bert Leatherbarrow, and Albert Laing, as well as Auckland representatives Hugh Simpson, Ted Scott, Ernest Ruby, Horace Hunt, Leslie Oliff, Alf Smith, and John Donald. While Waikato and New Zealand player James Jones joined the side in 1932.
North Shore v Eastern Suburbs (Sydney) In 1931 North Shore played against Eastern Suburbs from Sydney. The match was played on October 10 at Carlaw Park before a crowd of 17,000. North Shore lost a high scoring match by 41 points to 27.
North Shore & Marist Combined v Eastern Suburbs Then a week later on October 17 a combined North Shore and Marist side played the same opponent and won 14 to 13 before 15,000 at Carlaw Park.
North Shore v St George In 1933 North Shore won the championship by one point from Marist. At the end of the season St George, who had finished runner up in the NSWRL championship toured New Zealand. In their first game on September 23 they played North Shore and won 17–8.
1940-1949 In 1940 North Shore won the Stormont Shield for the fourth time in their history. They defeated Richmond Rovers 15–10 in the final at Carlaw Park in front of 5,000 spectators.
North Shore won the Fox Memorial once again in 1941.
Titles They were particularly successful in their early years. They won the senior grade 6 times from 1913 to 1941, while they won the minor premiership (Rukutai Shield) 3 times from 1941 to 1955. As Auckland grew and the North Shore gentrified North Shore struggled to remain the power house it once was and it dropped down the grades. Its last notable title was the Norton Cup which they won in 1990 and 1991.
Notable representatives New Zealand representatives whilst with North Shore
Ronald MacDonald (1909: North Shore, 1909-11: New Zealand) Frederick Stanley Jackson (1910: North Shore, 1910: New Zealand) Jim Griffen (1909-19: North Shore, 1910: New Zealand) George Seagar (1909-20: North Shore, 1910–11: New Zealand) Stan Weston (1911-15: North Shore, 1912–14: New Zealand) Karl Ifwersen (1913: North Shore, 1913-20: New Zealand) Alfred Jackson (1909-12: North Shore, 1913: New Zealand) Stan Walters (1911-20: North Shore, 1913–21: New Zealand) Archie Waddell (1919: North Shore, 1919: New Zealand) Keith Helander (1919-21: North Shore, 1919: New Zealand) Bert Laing (1922-30: North Shore, 1919–25: New Zealand) Horace Dixon (1925-30: North Shore, 1925: New Zealand) Stan Webb (1922-28: North Shore, 1925–26: New Zealand) Neville St George (1921-30: North Shore, 1925: New Zealand) James Lawrence O'Brien (1921-28: North Shore, 1925: New Zealand) Len Scott (1926-40: North Shore, 1928–36: New Zealand) Albert Laing (1931-34: North Shore, 1932: New Zealand) Arthur Matthews (1917-18 & 1919-20: North Shore, 1919: New Zealand) Verdun Scott (1936-41: North Shore, 1939: New Zealand) Allan Seagar (1923-41: North Shore, 1930: New Zealand) Dick Smith (1931-35 & 1938-41: North Shore, 1932: New Zealand) Ross Jones (1938-39 & 1941: North Shore, 1939: New Zealand) Jack Smith (1937-46: North Shore, 1938–39: New Zealand) Ivor Stirling (1937-38: North Shore, 1939: New Zealand)
Other New Zealand representatives
A list of New Zealand representatives who played for North Shore prior to, or after leaving the club. Bob Banham joined the club as a coach after being recruited by Auckland Rugby League from Australia. Frank Woodward (1909: North Shore, 1910-11: New Zealand) Richard Wynyard (1909: North Shore, 1907-08: New Zealand) William Wynyard (1909-13: North Shore, 1907–08: New Zealand) Lyall Stewart (1926: North Shore, 1924: New Zealand) Bob Banham (1938: North Shore, 1939: New Zealand) Len Barchard (1933: North Shore, 1930: New Zealand) James Jones (1932: North Shore, 1930: New Zealand) Bert Leatherbarrow (1931-34: North Shore, 1939: New Zealand)
Other notable players Dennis Hale
North Shore Senior Team Records (1910-1945, 1990, 1992-1994) The season record for the most senior men's team in the club. SeasonGradeNamePlayedWDLPFPAPDPtsPosition (Teams)1910 1st Grade (Myers Cup)North Shore Albions811641119-7834th of 41911 1st Grade (Myers Cup)North Shore Albions730480688863rd of 51912 1st Grade (Myers Cup)North Shore Albions1051412911118142nd of 61913 1st Grade (Myers Cup)North Shore Albions7511805525111st of 61914 1st Grade (Myers Cup)North Shore Albions108111353897171st of 61915 1st GradeNorth Shore Albions94147683-794th of 61916 1st GradeNorth Shore Albions107121345777152nd of 61917 1st GradeNorth Shore Albions94058491-784th of 61918 1st GradeNorth Shore Albions3003230-2806th of 6 (withdrew after 3 games)1919 1st Grade (Myers Cup)North Shore Albions104159594195th of 81920 1st Grade (Myers Cup)Devonport United1242698151-53105th of 71921 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United710654132-7826th of 71922 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United1471622319429154th of 81923 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United12606135141-6124th of 71924 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United16111427219181232nd of 9 (lost 20-17 v Marist in a playoff)1925 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United12507174207-33104th of 71926 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United1150622314974104th of 71927 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United1270520711493143rd of 71928 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United1290322414918181st of 71929 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United151113236113123232nd of 81930 1st Grade (Monteith Shield)Devonport United1380515112823163rd of 81931 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)Devonport United1210021789286202nd of 71932 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)Devonport United1072113010426161st of 61933 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)Devonport United1071214212913151st of 61934 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)Devonport United13517100130-30114th of 61935 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)Devonport United12525150154-4123rd of 71936 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)Devonport United1464418415034163rd of 81937 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)North Shore Albions14419148220-7296th of 81938 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)North Shore Albions15609202221-19127th of 91939 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)North Shore Albions16101519615343212nd of 91940 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)North Shore Albions161105263161102222nd of 91941 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)North Shore Albions161312304138166271st of 91942 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)Marist-North Shore154011126237-11186th of 61943 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)North Shore Albions152112123259-13659th of 91944 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)North Shore Albions185211158207-49128th of 101945 1st Grade (Fox Memorial)North Shore Albions14617138197-59127th of 10- Roope RoosterNorth Shore Albions3300573918-W 17-15 v Pt Chevalier, W 17-12 v Mt Albert, W GF v Richmond 22–12 -Stormont ShieldNorth Shore Albions1100221210-W 22-12 v Richmond1990 Waste Management Division 3North Shore Albions211902610221276%381st of 8- PlayoffssNorth Shore Albions2002----Lost major SF v Waitematā by 1 pt, lost major SF v Gelnfield1992 Strand League Club Premier 2/3 GradingNorth Shore Albions1340920737954.6%811th of 14- Strand League Club Premier 3North Shore Albions631210280127.5%73rd of 7- PlayoffsNorth Shore Albions2101122--W v Ōtara 12–2 in minor SF, L v Glenfield in major SF1993 Projex Premier 2/3 GradingNorth Shore Albions151104392281139.5%223rd of 15- Projex Premier 2North Shore Albions730411518063.9%65th of 81994 Premier 2North Shore Albions261817654409159.9375th of 14- PlayoffsNorth Shore Albions21013421161.9-W v Manurewa 22–6 in minor SF, L v Waitematā 12–15 in major SF1910-45, 1990, 1992–94TOTAL5472933222282507027-607
Top point scorers and try scorers (1909-1945)