The 1908 season for Auckland consisted of four representative matches played in an effort to grow the game in Auckland and New Zealand. The team was chosen prior to the formation of the Auckland Rugby League so were an ‘unofficial’ Auckland team though they were very strong nonetheless and many of the players went on to represent Auckland and New Zealand in the ensuing years. Several of the players were also strongly involved in the establishment of club sides and the growth of the game in Auckland for many years to come such as Albert Asher, Charles Dunning, William Wynyard, and Ronald MacDonald.
The games The four matches were against Wellington and Taranaki with games being played in Auckland, Wellington and New Plymouth. They resulted in 3 wins and a draw. Prior to the last match of the season against Taranaki at Victoria Park the promoters of the proposed Auckland League stated clearly their intentions. They said that it was not their intention to pay players for home matches. If any profits accrued from their last match it would be “banked to form the nucleus of a ground fund. It will be the policy of the league to provide players with uniforms, free brake trips to grounds, and payment for loss of wages when away from Auckland on tour”. They went on to say that the tour had not been profitable. The money they had gained from Wellington's visit in August had been lost while on tour due to travel costs and other expenditure. They hoped to “stimulate a strong local competitions next season” and had secured a ground at Epsom for play.
Representative matches Auckland v Wellington The first ever match played by an Auckland side was between them and Wellington at Victoria Park in central Auckland. The Auckland Rugby League had not officially formed at this point with the sport very much in its infancy in New Zealand. The match featured 19 players out of the 26 who were current or future New Zealand representatives. The match was played in "perfect" weather in front of a large crowd of 7,000 who were "rewarded with a fast and exciting game". The Auckland team was led out by captain Richard Wynyard, with Wellington led out by their captain Charlie Pearce. Wellington won the toss and Auckland's William Trevarthen kicked off. Auckland moved quickly on to attack and Harold Rowe took a mark with Bill Tyler taking the kick and scoring the first ever points for Auckland after just three minutes. The game was said to have been "fast and willing" through the next period, traveling up and down the field with "the passing runs being loudly applauded". Wellington got on attack and halfback Arthur Kelly picked up the ball quickly and passed on to John Spencer who ran to the line and sent the ball on to Conrad Byrne who scored to give Wellington a 3-2 lead. Auckland responded with Rowe and Charles Dunning engaging in a passing run from their own twenty-five before Rowe scored and Tyler converted. Then Charles Dillamore took and mark and Tyler "landed a splendid goal". The match turned back Wellington's way when Daniel Gilchrist toed the ball ahead past Riley, and James Barber chasing after scored near the posts with George Spencer converting to narrow the margin to 9-8 on halftime. The second half opened with Auckland moving on to attack before Wellington took the ball back down the field. Then Ronald MacDonald saved for Auckland and Bill Mackrell followed up on a mark taken by Rowe to take play back into Wellignton's territory where Tyler kicked a penalty for Auckland to extend their lead to 11-8. Play was even for a time and then William Wynyard scored after a dodging run. Tyler missed the conversion but then made amends when he kicked a penalty from close to the halfway line to give Auckland a decisive 16-8 lead. Wellington weren't finished with yet and made a passing run involving Kelly, Albert House, Barber, Oliver Instone, and Dan Twohill who scored, though George Spencer failed with the conversion. Wellington kept pressing but Auckland took play through a passing bout back to Wellington's end but missed a goal from a mark. Wellington kicked down field and soon after P McGill scored a try after a "forward rush". Spencer however failed to convert the try which would have tied the scores which were now 16-14 in favour of Auckland. Auckland went on to attack with Mackrell breaking away and after some passing Tyler was stopped just on the line. Then Wellington missed a chance to score when J. Spencer failed to pass at the right moment and the full time bell rang to end the match with Auckland narrowly hanging on.
Team details FB 1 Charles DillamoreWG 2 Harold RoweCE 3 William WynyardWG 4 P RedwoodFE 5 Bill TylerFE 6 Sid RileyHB 7 Richard WynyardPR 8 Bill MackrellHK 9 Charles DunningPR 10 William TrevarthenSR 11 Ronald MacDonaldSR 12 Frederick GladdingLF 13 Matt HooperEmergency:EM 14 Coach: ? FB 1 George SpencerWG 2 Bert KingCE 3 Oliver InstoneWG 4 Dan TwohillFE 5 Albert HouseFE 6 James BarberHB 7 Arthur KellyPR 8 P McGillHK 9 Charlie PearcePR 10 Conrad ByrneSR 11 John SpencerSR 12 Daniel GilchristLF 13 Adam LileEmergency:EM 14 ?Coach: ?
Auckland v Wellington The second match between the two sides was played at the Petone Recreation Ground in Lower Hutt. There were special trains from the city which took patrons to the match with gate returns showing that "close upon 4,000 people passed through the turnstiles". The game was played in fine weather with a light breeze blowing from the Rimutaka's". The Dominion newspaper wrote that "both teams played hard football from start to finish, and the public were well satisfied with the display". Wellington won the toss and were the first to score. Auckland had made a nice passing rush through Charles Dillamore, Bill Tyler, and P. Redwood with the latter punting up field but then George Spencer returned play with a high kick with James Barber able to catch the ball on the full before passing to Oliver Instone who sent the ball on to Dan Twohill who scored near the posts with G. Spencer converting. The following play was characterised by even play but then good work by P. McGill and John Spencer saw Auckland forcing in their in goal. After the drop out Albert Asher made "a great run" and was only tackled on the Wellington line. Wellington were penalised and Dick Wynyard kicked across field to Harold Rowe who scored in the corner with Tyler missing the conversion. Shortly after the kickoff Wynyard took the ball from a scrum and passed to Tyler who sent the ball to Asher who "putting on the pace scored near the posts" and Tyler's conversion gave Auckland an 8-5 lead. Wellington then attacked hard and Auckland "had a fairly busy time to keep out the invaders". Wellington eventually scored however when Tyler gained possession from a scrum and passed to Barber, to Edward Tyne, who sent it back infield to Barber who again sent it back to Tyne and he was able to score in the corner. The conversion missed and the teams went to half time level at 8-8.
To start the second half Wellington attacked for five or six minutes and went close to scoring multiple times. Auckland then made a long run down field through Rowe, and clever passing took place amongst the Auckland team on a couple of occasions however Frank Barclay lost the ball and the Wellington forwards put them back on attack. Once again Auckland shifted play the other way and Matt Hooper looked certain to score but play was pulled back through a forward pass. Wellington put Auckland on the defensive and forced a drop out with J. Spencer picking the ball up after a "loose rush around halfway, and after a good dodgy run outstripped his opponents, and touched down neat the posts" with his brother George converting to put them in front 13-8. Wellington briefly moved on to attack but Barclay "with a dribbling rush transferred operations to the other end of the ground". Play moved up and down the field before Auckland made a passing movement which saw Matt Hooper scoring Auckland's third try. Tyler made a "splendid kick" to level the scores at 13-13. From the kickoff Dillamore and Tyler engaged in a passing movement and Auckland halfback Dick Wynyard had an unsuccessful drop kick attempt. The play moved around the field and then George Spencer made a long kick and Twohill ran through and tried to ground the ball for a try but knocked on. Soon after Spencer marked the ball near halfway but his shot at goal fell under the crossbar. The game finished shortly after with the scores tied.
Team details FB 1 George SpencerWG 2 Edward TyneCE 3 Oliver InstoneCE 4 James BarberWG 5 Dan TwohillFE 6 Albert HouseHB 7 Arthur KellyPR 8 Adam LileHK 9 Daniel GilchristPR 10 P McGillSR 11 Bert KingSR 12 John SpencerLF 13 Henry KnightEmergency:Coach: FB 1 Sid RileyWG 2 Harold RoweCE 3Charles DillamoreCE 4 Albert AsherWG 5 P RedwoodFE 6 Bill TylerHB 7 Dick WynyardPR 8 Bill MackrellHK 9 Charles DunningPR 10 Bill TrevarthenSR 11 Ronald MacDonaldSR 12 Matt HooperLF 13 Frank BarclayEmergency:EM 14 Alf ChorleyCoach:
Auckland v Taranaki