Noel Bickerton was a rugby league player who represented New Zealand in 1937 in two test matches against the touring Australian side scoring a try in each match. He thus became the 249th player to represent New Zealand. Bickerton also played for Auckland Māori (1935–38) in its formative years, and New Zealand Māori in 1937. He was a Richmond Rovers junior player and graduated to their senior side in 1935 where he played 82 matches for them over the following 5 years predominantly in the first five eighth (standoff) position in some of the glory years of the side.
Early life Noel Bickerton was born on 24 April 1914. His father was Charles Frederick Balfour Bickerton, and his mother was Valentine Gertie Bickerton (née. Simpkon). Charles mother was Isabella Whittaker, the daughter of Irihapeti Hineraria Te Wherowhero, who herself was apparently the daughter of Pōtatau Te Wherowhero the first Māori King, making Noel his great-great-grandson. He had two older brothers, James Balfour Bickerton and Joseph Whittaker Bickerton. Noel's mother Valentine remarried after Charles died in 1918, 2 years after returning from the war when Noel was aged 4. His father had been invalided home after being wounded at the Dardanelles in 1915. He was wounded in the right thigh and suffered concussion. His wounds healed but he complained of a continuous headache. Her new husband was Walter South Bickerton, Charles' older brother. Noel also had a cousin, Eric who was a good footballer playing for the Eden rugby club in the 1930s. Noel's uncles Harold and Lewis also played rugby for the a military representative side (No. 9 Co. G.A.V) in 1905.
Playing career Richmond juniors The first mention of Noel's involvement with sport in the newspapers was in late October 1928 when he fought in a boxing match in the Fly-Weight Class of the Cadet Division. The tournament was held at the Drill Hall on Rutland Street. He would have been aged 14 at the time. Noel was representing his school which was Technical College. The schools full name was Seddon Memorial Technical College and they were based in the Auckland CBD on the site of present-day Auckland University of Technology. They were later relocated to Western Springs and renamed Western Springs College. He lost his fight to J.S. Brownlee of the 43rd Company in the second round on a technical knockout.
Bickerton was first mentioned for rugby league feats in 1930 when he was awarded a medal for his performance in the Richmond 6th grade B team for the 1929 season. They won the competition with an unbeaten season, winning 16 championship games and both knockout games. In 1930 he had advanced to Richmond's Fifth grade side. By 1931 he had progressed to the 4th Grade team, where he remained in 1932. By this time he was aged 18. In a match in 1932 against Papakura at Prince Edward Park in Papakura he scored a try after going through from a scrum near the Papakura line.
In 1933 in September it was reported that he was being reinstated to the rugby league code, indicating that he must have been playing rugby union during the season. He was then named in their Senior B team which was technically their reserve grade side. They were playing in their last match of the season against Newton Rangers and lost 5–0. The 1934 season saw him again in the Richmond reserve grade side. He was said to have had a very good season in the five eighth position. They won the championship and also won the Stallard Cup knockout competition. The Auckland Star wrote after their knockout final win over City Rovers that "the bright spot of the winning combination was the fine displays of Bickerton and Bennett, who were a constant source of danger to City, their handling also being particularly sound".
Richmond senior debut (1935) In April 1935, the New Zealand Herald reported that Richmond would field the same senior side with one or two exceptions. One of these was "a reserve grade five eighths, N. Bickerton, [who] showed splendid form last year and may be given a chance to speed up the attack". He made his debut in their opening round win against Newton Rangers at Carlaw Park on 27 April. He was in the five eighth (standoff) position with Richmond winning 27-15 and a photograph of him attempting to prevent a try was published in the New Zealand Herald. During the match Bert Cooke, who had switched codes two years earlier, observed "that Bickerton required better support… and moved up to second five eighth from the rear line. This had an electrical effect, for the famous All Black, revealing all his craft in running, handling, and kicking to gaps soon had his fast outsides going at concert pitch, and Newton had to bow to the inevitable towards the end of a delightfully sustained exhibition of brilliant play". The Auckland Star wrote that "there is no doubt about the quality of Bickerton, the young Richmond five-eighth, who is calculating and skilled". After the move of Cooke he made a "brilliant opening the first time he handled the ball, and showed a fine burst of speed to give Bickerton a try". It was said that in the first half Bickerton ran across field too much "however, [he] played better in the second half, and with experience should further improve". The following week in a win over Mount Albert United, former New Zealand halfback, Roy Powell did not play well with poor service from the scrums to Bickerton, however Bickerton, Cooke, and Ted Mincham “were on their toes, with the result that Alf Mitchell and McNeil sparkled”. In a 22–5 win over Ponsonby, Bickerton “proved an effective link in the chain” but made some “faulty” passes at times. The Herald wrote that Bickerton had taken Stan Prentice's place at first five-eighth, though Prentice was later to rejoin the side. They mentioned that he had a tendency to pass badly at times “but he should be able to rectify this easily”. In a 10–8 loss to Marist on 25 May the Herald said that he was "too slow moving which gave the defence time to smother attacks". His form turned around a week later when they beat City 12–6, with Bickerton being the "pivot of the attack at five-eighths" and he was "a promising player". Then in a 15–5 win over Newton he was “easily the best back on the ground, he made several splendid openings, and repeatedly turned defence into attack by clever running”. The Auckland Star wrote that “a great deal of credit for Richmond's success must go to Bickerton and Eric Fletcher, the former making many neat openings and handling the ball with certainty”. In comments of the game later in the week the Herald said that “the outstanding game played by N. Bickerton, … was a feature of the match. When the game was going against Richmond, Bickerton showed rare initiative and clever thrust. Twice he made fine runs and showed a lot of speed off the mark. Bickerton is the type of five eighths the code badly needs”. In rainy conditions against Mount Albert on 22 June “Bickerton and Fletcher combined creditably, but on the day were outmanoeuvred by their opposites, Morrissey and Dunn”. However Bickerton did “show out in some very good attacking movements”. In an easy 28–0 win over North Shore, Bickerton was forced to leave the field early due to a head injury. He was replaced by Harold Tetley. He had recovered enough to play a week later in their round 11 match against Ponsonby United though they could only draw, 11-11 and he “overdid the cross-kick, in spite of the fact that a try was scored from it”. He was one of the two best backs along with Powell, and an interception that he took led to one of their tries.
Richmond easily accounted for Marist on 13 July by 22 points to 0. The Auckland Star wrote that “the star of the winners was the elusive Bickerton, some of whose slicing of the defence was reminiscent of the remembered Karl Ifwersen at his best. His electric positioning sense, balance and timing of passes was a joy”. The Herald said he was “fulfilling his early season promise, and he did clever work on attack and defence”.
Richmond then had their bye round and the side travelled to Wellington to play the local representative side at the Winter Show Stadium. They won the match 32 points to 4 before a crowd of 3,000. After returning to Auckland they played their final championship round robin match and defeated City 19 points to 6. Bickerton was “prominent at five eighths and cut in nicely on occasions”. The win meant that Richmond and Mt Albert were tied for first place and a final playoff was needed to determine the 1935 Fox Memorial champion. The Herald speculated during the week that the selectors might have given Bickerton a trial. Richmond won 15–9 to claim their second first grade title but Bickerton “was not at his best, and his inability to keep a close eye on Dunne resulted in him finding his way out to the wing in the second spell”. The Herald said that “it was surprising to see N. Bickerton played at centre and on the wing for Richmond. Bickerton should develop into a good attacking back if played as second five-eighths to Prentice, whose experience would be useful to the colt”. A writer to the same newspaper however disagreed with the Herald's reporting and stated that "Bickerton's original place was centre three quarter, opposite Claude List, and that his shift to the wing was due to a knock which temporarily disabled him".
On 24 August Richmond beat Devonport 23–15 in the first round of the Roope Rooster knockout competition. He and Fletcher lacked understanding in the first half though he did score a try after side stepping several defenders and the Herald wrote that he was easily their best back and as well as scoring a try he set up two others.
Auckland Māori (Tāmaki) selection Bickerton was then selected for the Auckland Māori (Tāmaki) squad to prepare to play Hawkes Bay Māori for the Waitangi Shield at Carlaw Park on Wednesday 28 August. The Auckland Māori side won 27-25 though Bickerton at five eighths was said to have been a “weak link” in the side. He returned to his Richmond side 3 days later in their 20-6 Roope Rooster semi final win over Mt Albert. He played well along with Roy Powell and Stan Prentice, and was also prominent on attack with Fletcher. In the Roope Rooster final against a much improving Newton side, Richmond was upset 10 points to 8 with Bickerton “below form” at five-eighths. This was to be his final game of the season. He was unavailable to play for Auckland Māori against Waikato Māori on 11 September owing to an injury, and he also missed Richmond's Stormont Shield win over Newton on 14 September.
1936 Richmond, Auckland Māori, and NZ Trial The 1936 season saw Bickerton play 19 matches for Richmond, scoring 7 tries. He was also selected once more for Auckland Maori, playing two matches, while he was also chosen to play in a New Zealand trial match.