The 1936 Auckland Rugby League season was its 28th. The Fox Memorial was won by Manukau in their first season back in the senior A grade as a stand-alone club since the early 1910s. They also won the Roope Rooster competition when they defeated City Rovers 23 to 10 in the final. Richmond Rovers finished runners up in the Fox Memorial and earned the right to play Manukau for the Stormont Shield. Richmond won the trophy after beating Manukau 30–9 in the Stormont Shield clash. Richmond also won the Phelan Shield after they had been knocked out of the Roope Rooster in the first round. They beat Marist Old Boys 13–9 in the final.
By accumulating the most points in the second round of the Fox competition Ponsonby United won the Thistle Cup. Mount Albert United won the senior reserve championship (Norton Cup) which was the first senior title in their history. Marist won the reserve grade knockout competition (Stallard Cup). The senior B grade (Sharman Cup) was won by Papakura who went unbeaten throughout the season. They also won the Walmsley Shield by going unbeaten in the extra round played for that trophy. Point Chevalier won the senior B knockout competition after they defeated Green Lane 22–9 in the final.
Auckland played 3 representative fixtures with the first 2 played on the same day, when they fielded 2 teams against separate opponents. The opposition was Tāmaki (Auckland Māori) who they lost to 30–21, and Wellington who they beat 25–22. The highlight of their season was the match against the touring Great Britain played in front of 14,000 at Carlaw Park. Great Britain had recently spent 8 weeks in Australia where they won the test series 2–1 and 14 of their 17 tour matches. Auckland played well but went down 16–22.
Aside from their match with Auckland, the Tāmaki (Auckland Māori) team played Waikato Māori on June 15 and lost 30–43 at Te Kohanga, and had a win over Northland Māori (Takahiwai) 39–15 in a match for the Waitangi Shield. Jack Hemi, the New Zealand Māori rugby representative had switched codes and played all 3 matches for them. They were scheduled to play a fourth match against Waikato Māori for the Waitangi Shield but owing to the awful weather around that time, and the desire to protect the Carlaw Park surface from any further damage before the touring Great Britain sides matches the game was cancelled.
Auckland Rugby League meetings and news Club teams by grade participation TeamFox MemorialSenior ReservesSenior B2nd3rd 4th5th6th7thSchoolboysTotalRichmond Rovers110111111412Mount Albert United11011100038Devonport United11001110027Marist Old Boys11001100127Newton Rangers11001010037Otahuhu Rovers00101010227Manukau Rovers11011000026City Rovers11001101106Ponsonby United11001100026Papakura00101012106Point Chevalier00102100105Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers00001010125Ellerslie United00001100125Green Lane00101001025Glenora00011010104Avondale00000001023RV00011000002Balmoral00000000022Waiuku00100000001Total885517876940113
Annual meeting On February 26 the ARL met to discuss several issues and to decide on an approximate date for the annual meeting. It was recommended to play a benefit match for Jim Laird of the Marist Old Boys who had been in hospital suffering from a leg injury since the New Zealand – Australia match late in the previous season. It was also stressed that the percentage of money earned given to clubs should increase so that they can promote increased organisation in the sport. Mr. D. Wilkie said it was felt that senior clubs were not catering sufficiently for juniors and the junior board considered that the constitution should compel each club to have at least three junior teams. On March 25 at a board of control meeting several clubs were reported to have altered their uniforms following last year's official suggestion due to colour clashes in many matches.
The annual general meeting was held on April 6. Mr. G. Grey Campbell stated that "if the rugby league public, clubs and players were enthusiastic last year, they are now more than doubly so; in fact, abounding with a confidence that augurs well for the approaching season". Mr. Harold Walmsley was in attendance and was thanked for his generosity with rugby league for many years and for donating his 21st trophy to the game which would be known as the Tracy Inglis football. Dr. Inglis had been associated with the game as a prominent medical officer. It was later decided to allocate the trophy as an award for junior clubs only for competition on similar lines to the Davis Points Shield.
The following officers were elected to the board:- Patron, Mr. J.B. Donald; vice-patron, Mr. J.F.W. Dickson; president, John A. Lee (M.P.); vice presidents, Messrs. E. Davis, R.D. Bagnall, J. Bellamy, R. Benson, O. Blackwood, John Donald, C. Drysdale, H. Grange, R.J. Laird, W.J. Lovett, E. Montgomery, T.G. Symonds, Joe Sayegh, C. Seagar, Bill Schram (M.P.), W. Wallace, Harold Walmsley, R.H. Wood, G.T. Wright, and H.W. Brien; chairman, Mr. G. Grey Campbell; vice-chairman, Ted Phelan; club delegates on the control board, Messrs. Jim Rukutai and J.W. Probert; referee delegate, Mr. William Mincham; junior board delegate, Mr. D. Wilkie. At the meeting of the control board which followed the following appointments were confirmed:- Hon. secretary, Mr. Ivan Culpan; hon. treasurer, Mr. J.E. Knowling; hon. solicitor, Mr. H.M. Rogerson; hon. Physicians, Drs. Tracy Inglis, M.G. Pezaro, F.J. Gwynne, K.H. Holdgate, J.N. Waddell, H. Burrell and G.W. Lock; hon. masseur, Mr. F. Flanagan; auditor, Mr. R.A. Spinley; Press steward, Mr. R. Doble; referees' appointment board delegate, Mr. L. Binns; New Zealand Council delegate, Mr. R. Doble; finance committee, the chairman, secretary and Messrs. J.W. Probert and William Mincham; insurance committee, Messrs. Doble, Binns and D Wilkie; emergency committee, chairman, secretary and Mr. Jim Rukutai; grounds chairman, secretary and Mr. Binns.
The gross receipts were £3,298 13s 9d and were an increase of £500 on the previous season. During the season ground rents due to the hire of Carlaw Park were increased by £71 17s 6d. Players benefited by insurance to the extent of £70 17s. The greatest increase in expenditure was maintenance of Carlaw Park, which amounted to £353 6s 6d. A sum of £520 was granted to senior clubs as gate percentages, which was a record since clubs had benefited from such payments.
It was decided to begin the season on 18 April and a "substantial portion" of the gate would be donated to Jim Laird, the Marist player who was still recovering from an injury received playing for New Zealand the previous season. Senior premiership matches would start on May 2. On September 12 during the break between Roope Rooster games at Carlaw Park John A. Lee was presented with a silver mounted oak inkstand by officials of Auckland Rugby League. Lee was an M.P. and was being elevated to Parliamentary Under-Secretary in charge of the State housing scheme. This required him to spend a lot more time in Wellington and he would be relinquishing the presidency of Auckland Rugby League at the end of the season. Lee said "I love the game and I like the people associated with it"... "what ever can do for the league code will be done, not because of politics, but because I love league football". Ivan Culpan was then presented with a dressing table set for his work making all the ground arrangements at Carlaw Park throughout the recent English tour. Mr. Culpan said that his work for the league since he became secretary in 1918 had been his hobby.
Honours board At the annual meeting on April 6 it was decided to compile and hang and honours board at the ARL head office. It would include the names of all "living officials who have a record of 25 years and over in the service of the code in Auckland". Those present at the meeting who would qualify were William Mincham, Messrs. E.K. Asher (City Rovers) and A. Ferguson (Devonport), 27 years; Jim Rukutai (control board) and William James Liversidge (NZ Council), 26 years; Ivan Culpan (ARL secretary), and Pro. Henry (Newton Rangers), 25 years. The board was being donated by Mr. R.H. Wood who was thanked at a board of control meeting on April 15. It was decided to write to all clubs asking them to "supply the names of members or officials who have 25 years' record of active connection with the game in playing and official capacity".
Carlaw Park At the February 26 meeting of the ARL the board agreed to erect higher goal posts at Carlaw Park. They also decided to make permanent accommodation there for the Mount Albert United Club. Chairman Campbell at the pre-season ARL meeting said that the ground space had extended the ground space by 12 feet in width by the setting back of the picket fence at the foot of the terrace which meant "the danger of players being thrown against the terrace fence had been greatly minimised". They had also formed steps behind the stand leading to the hill. The turf has also been top dressed, and made more even than it had formerly been. It was also discussed that a round of night games in early April could be played and this was supported by several delegates. A by-law had come into place whereby "theatres and other places of amusement capable of seating 500 or more people" would have to have firemen in attendance. In the past the by-law did not operate in regards to sports organisations. From May 1 firemen would be supplied directly by the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Board. New Zealand was transitioning to a 40-hour work week meaning that many people would no longer be working half days on Saturday. Mr. G. Grey Campbell said if Saturday were a universal holiday the league would "undoubtedly take full advantage of it. Reserve grade games might well be played in the morning. Furthermore, opportunity could be taken to have senior B matches played on Saturday morning at Carlaw Park" which had been a difficulty up to this point. The grounds executive submitted a report to the board that a start had been made by May 20 on the formation of tea rooms near the grandstand as part of the programme of improvements in preparation for the visit of the British team. It was reported at the May 27 meeting of the board of control that Mr. Early had donated a board for display at Carlaw Park which would show the senior team placings in the competition from week to week. It was reported at the same meeting that after 4 rounds the gate takings were far in excess of anything since 1931. It was decided at a meeting on June 1 to purchase special whistles for referees on the #2 field because there was sometimes confusion when a whistle was blown as to which field it related to.
Senior team prospects for the season On April 13 the Auckland Star reported on various teams prospects for the season. The New Zealand Herald did the same on April 29. Marist had secured Mr. Con Hall as selector/coach to replace Charles Gregory. Gregory was moving to an outer district and would not be able to do commute. Hall had been a national selector the previous season and was leaving the West Coast. They would still have Dan Keane, Joe Woods, Carter, Bill Breed (formerly of Otahuhu Rovers), and hooker Jim O'Kane, with John Anderson the West Coast Rugby League representative forward joining their ranks. Norm Campbell, Vincent Bakalich, Sidney Loader, Arthur Furlonger, George Kerr, James (Jimmy) Chalmers and William Glover would also be on hand to play in the backs. Robert (Bob) Aro was joining them from the Technical Old Boys rugby club.