The 1938 Auckland Rugby League season was its 30th. Marist Old Boys won their 3rd first grade title with their previous coming in 1924 and 1931.
Richmond Rovers won the Roope Rooster for the 5th time when they beat City Rovers 20–8 in the final. City had not won a trophy since 1925 but had been boosted mid season by the addition of Bob Banham who the Auckland Rugby League had brought over from Australia as a player coach. Richmond also won the Stormont Shield for the fourth time when they defeated Marist Old Boys 9–8. Eastern Suburbs (NSWRL runner up) toured at the end of the season and Richmond were the only team to beat them when they won 11–9. Eastern Suburbs beat Marist (36–15), Manukau (16–7) and a South Auckland (Waikato) team (17–5).
Manukau, who were coached by former Kiwi Bert Laing won the Phelan Shield for the first time after they beat Papakura18-8 in the final. The Phelan Shield at this time was played for by the teams which had been knocked out of the Roope Rooster. Richmond Rovers won the reserve grade competition (Norton Cup) after they were tied with Mount Albert United after the final round and a final was necessary to decide the champion. Richmond won the match 16–10. They also won the Stallard Cup when they won the reserve grade knockout competition beating Marist 18–7 in the final. The Senior B competition (Sharman Cup) was comfortably won by Otahuhu Rovers who finished five competition points ahead of Green Lane. Ellerslie United won the Walmesley Shield which was the senior B knockout competition although this season it was played over two full rounds.
Claude Dempsey, the Newton fullback, and former NZ international player was awarded the J.F.W. Dickson's medal for being the most sportsmanlike player in the senior grade. Junior awards went to J. Means and J. McWilliams.
The representative season saw Auckland play three matches. They defeated a Rest of the North Island side easily by 67 points to 14. They then beat the returning New Zealand team which had toured Australia by 21 points to 13. Then in August they defeated Canterbury 28–22 at Carlaw Park. The North Island team which beat the South Island was dominated by Auckland players with only Joe Cootes (Wellington) being from outside Auckland. They thrashed the South Island 55 points to 2. Unsurprisingly 18 of the New Zealand team selected to tour Australia were Auckland players. The Auckland Māori team played just one match which was against an Auckland Pākehā side and ran out 26 to 21 winners.
Auckland Rugby League meeting and news Club teams by grade participation There were 104 club teams across 10 grades in the 1938 season. TeamFox MemorialReservesSenior B3rd 4th5th6th7thSchoolboysTotalRichmond Rovers11011111310Mount Albert United1101110037Ponsonby United1101001037North Shore Albions1101110117Ellerslie United0011110127Point Chevalier0011010137Newton Rangers1100001036City Rovers1101110106Papakura1101110106Manukau1101100116Northcote & Birkenhead Ramblers0011110026Otahuhu Rovers0011101015Green Lane0010011025Glenora0001100125Avondale0001001035Marist Old Boys1101001004R.V.0011100003St Patricks School0000000033George Courts (business)0000000022Balmoral School0000000022Napier Street School*0000000011Total996151197836110 Napier Street School is now known as Freemans Bay School (Ponsonby).
Preliminary meeting At a meeting on February 17 the Auckland Rugby League decided to start the senior competition at the early date on April 2 due to the tour of New Zealand to Australia during the season. The date for the annual meeting was set at March 23. At the conclusion of the meeting they inspected the new lighting which has been installed at Carlaw Park in order to accommodate night football.
Annual general meeting The report which was to be presented at the annual general meeting showed that the balance sheet for the Auckland Rugby League was £3605s at the end of the 1937 season which was an increase of £21 on the previous season. There was an excess of assets over liabilities of £7598 12s 9d. At the annual meeting on March 23 Mr. John A. Lee presided as president. He said "last year the code made great progress... and we are opening the greatest season we have ever had. Co-operation and good spirit shown by players and officials was to a large degree responsible for this success... after years of difficulty last year we reached the strength to warrant a team being sent and tested on the playing fields of Australia... great responsibility rests with the officials to see that a fine team be sent this season". He went on to declare "that league was a democratic code. No class distinction could enter if the game was to progress. He paid tribute to the great work of the ladies’ committees, whose social activities during the year did much to aid the code". Mr. G. Grey Campbell, chairman of the control board, said "it was pleasing to note that there had been no incidents at Carlaw Park last year, and not a single senior player had come before the board for irregular conduct on the field. During the summer improvements had been made at Carlaw Park, and the system of flood lighting, which was so successful for sports events, would make night football possible". Tribute was paid to Ivan Culpan who had been secretary for the league for 20 years. During the meeting Archie Ferguson appealed for more senior matches to be played on outside grounds, particularly at the Devonport Domain with Mr. Campbell saying that the matter would be considered. Along with John A. Lee, four other members of parliament were also present, including Messrs, William Theophilus Anderton, Frederick William Schramm, Arthur George Osborne, and Arthur Shapton Richards who all "spoke of the success of the code in Auckland". The following officers were elected:- Patron, Mr. J.B. Donald; vice-patron, Mr. J.F.W. Dickson; president, Mr. John A. Lee, M.P.; vice presidents, Sir Ernest Davis, Messrs. R.D. Bagnall, R. Benson, J Donald, O. Blackwood, T.S. Bellamy, C. Drysdale, H. Grange, R.J. Laird, W.J. Lovett, E. Morton, E. Montgomery, T.G. Symonds, Joe Sayegh, C. Seagar, Frederick William Schramm M.P., W. Wallace, H. Walmsley, R.H. Wood, G.T. Wright, W.H. Brien, L. Coakley, H. Luke; trustees, Messrs. A. Stormont, Edward John Phelan, G. Grey Campbell; deputy-chairman, Edward John Phelan; club delegates, Messrs, F. McAneny, T. Davis, J.W. Probert, Jim Rukutai; chairman junior control board, Mr. D. Wilkie; auditor, Mr. R.A. Spinley; honorary physicians, Drs. M.G. Pezaro, F.J. Gwynne, K.H. Holdgate, J.N. Waddell, G.W. Lock, H. Burrell, W. Bridgman, S. Morris; board of control, Messrs. G. Grey Campbell (chairman), D. Wilkie, R. Doble, T. Davis, J.W. Probert, Jim Rukutai, J. McAneny, J.E. Knowling, and Ivan Culpan.
Annual ball The Auckland Rugby League held their annual ball at the Peter Pan Cabaret on September 28. The Eastern Suburbs team which was touring Auckland at the time were honorary guests.
Auckland Rugby League life memberships
Jim Clark Otahuhu nominated Jim Clark, who had recently been elected as returning president of their club as a life member of Auckland Rugby League. The league agreed and he was elected a life member of the ARL. It was stated that he "had been actively identified with the game for 25 years and had given much service as an official in the Otahuhu district for some years past. It was mentioned that Mr. Clark was an international, having twice played with New Zealand teams in Australia".
Frank Thompson At the board of control meeting on June 22 Frank Thompson was made a life member. He joined the code in 1913 through the Remuera club. Thompson was an ex-member of the Referees’ Association for 17 years and spent 5 years on the grading, examination and appointment board. He also spent four years as a selector and six years with the junior management. Thompson was also a member of the New Zealand Referees’ Association for 10 years as a representative of the Auckland and the Northland leagues. He was also heavily involved in the acquisition and formation of Carlaw Park.
Rugby league ground allocation On April 14 the Auckland Park and Reserves Committee met to allocate fields to the various winter codes. The chairman of the committee was Ted Phelan who was also on the Auckland Rugby League board. The fields allocated to rugby league were Cricket Ground (2), Outer Domain (1), Victoria Park (1), Walker Park (2), Western Springs (2), Grey Lynn Park (1), with ‘Stadium’ reserved. It was commented that there was a "spirit of harmony" between the codes.
George Gillett donated trophy In June, former All Black and NZ rugby league international George Gillett, donated a "handsome silver cup to the Auckland Rugby League for any competition which the league may desire. The trophy was presented through Mr. H. Walmsley". It was decided during the season to award the trophy to the winner of the 4th grade competition which was ultimately City Rovers.
Papakura promoted to the Fox Memorial competition At the annual meeting on March 23 it was announced that Papakura were being promoted from the Senior B grade which they had won comfortably for 2 consecutive seasons to the Fox Memorial competition. Their backs would include Richard and A. Burgess, E Cossey, G Osborne, Phillips, J McInnes and Martin though it was said that their "strength will probably be in the forwards". While J Fogarty, D Evans, Buckeridge, C Ross, and Slater made a "good impression" in their preliminary match against Marist. It was rumoured that Cliff Satherley may also play for them. He didn't though former New Zealand representative Norm Campbell did play a handful of games to begin the season.
George Nēpia joins Manukau On March 10 it was reported that George Nepia would join the Manukau club. He would arrive in Onehunga later in March and would be accompanied by Tuhoro, who was "last year's outstanding forward for East Coast and Hawke's Bay". The Manukau team would be extremely strong with the selectors saying that their senior side would be selected from George Nepia, Jack Hemi, Rangi Chase, Angus Gault, Jack Brodrick, Walter Brimble, Tommy Chase, Pita Ririnui, Jack Broughton, R. Wilson, McKinlay, Peter Mahima, Jack Whye, Tuhoro (2), Kakau, Tane, and Phillips. It was then reported in late March that there were doubts that he would in fact play for Manukau however he ultimately did for a few weeks.
Senior team preseason and prospects On March 26 several teams held organised practices with the Manukau side playing a South Auckland XIII at Waikaraka Park. Newton, Marist, City, and Ponsonby all practised at Carlaw Park while Richmond were at Grey Lynn Park. It was reported that Ponsonby were to be coached by Bill Davidson who was a past City Rovers player who also represented Auckland 14 times from 1920 to 1923 and New Zealand 16 times from 1919 to 1921.
It was reported that Richmond Rovers had erected a dressing and club rooms at Grey Lynn Park and that the senior team would be a strong one with Mervyn Devine joining the forwards. He was a Wellington Rugby representative. However Ted Mincham was transferring from Richmond to Mount Albert. They would still have the services of "Powell, Bickerton, and Wally Tittleton for their inside backs who know when others play well and Wally Tittleton is particularly clever at taking the gap and improving a movement for the men outside him. The form showed [after the preliminary games] by Mills and Abbie Graham, two of the juniors can earn them permanent places in the senior team, [while] Furnell was the most improved full back in Auckland last season".