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Ponsonby Ponies

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Ponsonby Ponies
Club information
Full namePonsonby United Rugby League Football Club
Coloursblue and black
Founded1908; 116 years ago (1908)
Websitehttp://www.ponies.kiwi/
Current details
Ground(s)
CompetitionAuckland Rugby League
20182nd
Records
Premierships1917, 1918, 1919, 1926, 1929, 1930, 1952, 1954, 1958, 1967, 1972, 1973
Minor premierships1952, 1954, 1958, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1973
Roope Rooster1917, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1930, 1944, 1952, 1953, 1972, 1973
Stormont Shield1925, 1926, 1952, 1967, 1972
Sharman Cup1990
Phelan Shield1936, 2007

The Ponsonby Ponies are a rugby league club based in Ponsonby, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1908 and was originally named Ponsonby United. The Ponies compete in the Auckland Rugby League competition and are the oldest rugby league club in NZ.

History

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1917 Ponsonby first grade champions
1918 Championship winners
Ponsonby with the Thacker Shield in 1920.
Newton v Ponsonby, April 24, 1928
Ellerslie v Ponsonby, April 28, 1928
Ponsonby players meeting Lord Bledisloe on May 12, 1934 when the new grandstand at Carlaw Park was opened. Ponsonby captain Lou Hutt is introducing the players.

The 1912 Ponsonby squad included: Arthur Carlaw, Alf Chorley, Charlie Dunning, W Hooper, B Kean, Charles Webb, V Hunter, Tom Lynch, Scotch MacDonald, Harry Oakley, M Stanaway, Syd Riley, Billy Tyler and J Warner.[1]

The Ponsonby United side which won the 1929 Auckland Rugby League championship. The club was founded in August 1908 by two returning All Golds, Billy Tyler and Charlie Dunning.[2]

In 1930 Ponsonby celebrated their 21st anniversary with a social on October 13 at the Druids Hall.

In 1920 Ponsonby won the Thacker Shield.[3]

1952 saw the club win the "treble" of the Fox Memorial, Roope Rooster and Stormont Shield all in one year. This feat was to be repeated in 1972.

In 1979 the club merged with Maritime to form Ponsonby-Maritime however this merger only lasted until 1983. They were relegated in 1992, and have not regained a position in the first division since then.

The club celebrated its centenary in 2008.

In 2015 the Ponies entered back into the Sharman Cup & the rebuild began with a number of former players returning. 2017 was a great season for the Ponsonby Ponies with an outstanding team of former juniors assembled during pre season under coach John Mana. A new committee & chairman was voted in, giving a breath of fresh air into the club.

Following the 2019 season, Auckland Rugby League denied the club entry to its competitive men's competitions indefinitely, citing the clubs inability to meet competitive criteria, despite Ponsonby making the playoffs in 2017 and 2018.

The 2020 season saw the club denied entry to field a male team in any Auckland competitive senior grade competition by ARL, though they did send a team to play the Kia Toa Tigers in Dunedin as a display of its ability to field a competitive team. Otago being the only league welcoming of the clubs attempts to play competitive matches.

Following this, Ponsonby formally entered a men's premier team in the 2021 Otago Rugby League Premiership, travelling to play all games in Otago between Dunedin and Oamaru. A mammoth undertaking for the club which displayed its desire to play competitive games, despite adversity.

Ponsonby won the 2021 Otago Rugby League Minor Premiership, before COVID-19 prevented their ability to travel and participate in the scheduled Grand Final against Otago University, who Ponsonby had defeated earlier in the season.

In 2022 they are fielding a team in the premier grade after several years of negotiations with Auckland Rugby League. Ponsonby were supported in their application by Glenfield, who offered to play in the reserve grade, allowing Ponsonby to compete in the Fox Memorial competition and return to competitive football in Auckland.

Notable players

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Between the years 1909 and 1986 Ponsonby developed 44 players that gained New Zealand representative status. Brackets indicates the year that they first represented New Zealand.

New Zealand Representatives

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Auckland Representatives

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  • 1. Charles Dillamore (1908-1911)
  • 2. Charles Dunning (1908-1912)
  • 3. Ronald MacDonald (1908-1911)
  • 4. Sid Riley (1908-1910)
  • 5. Bill Tyler (1908-1909)
  • 6. Jack Stanaway (1909)
  • 7. Arthur Carlaw (1909-1913)
  • 8. Harry Fricker (1910-1914)
  • 9. Sydney Cole (1910-1911)
  • 10. McPherson (1912)

Other

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Brian Nordgren (1944-45 for Ponsonby)

Club titles

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Ponsonby grade championships (1910-1944)

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  • 1912 Second Grade and Third Grade
  • 1913 Second Grade and Third Grade
  • 1914 Third Grade
  • 1917 First Grade (Myers Cup) and Second Grade
  • 1918 First Grade (Myers Cup)
  • 1919 First Grade (Myers Cup) and Sixth Grade
  • 1920 Sixth Grade
  • 1921 Sixth Grade B
  • 1922 Third Grade
  • 1923 Third Grade and Sixth Grade A
  • 1924 Fourth Grade and Fifth Grade
  • 1926 First Grade (Monteith Shield)
  • 1929 First Grade (Monteith Shield)
  • 1930 First Grade (Monteith Shield), Second Grade knockout, Third Grade and Third Grade knockout (10-3 v Marist)
  • 1932 Third Grade
  • 1935 Third Grade
  • 1938 Sixth Grade and Schoolboys (Juniors)

Ponsonby Senior Team Records (1910-1945, 1990, 1992-94, 2022-24)

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The season record for the most senior men's team in the club.

Season Grade Name Played W D L PF PA PD Pts Position (Teams)
1910 1st Grade (Myers Cup) Ponsonby United 8 4 0 4 89 60 29 8 3rd of 4
1911 1st Grade (Myers Cup) Ponsonby United 9 7 0 2 205 117 88 14 2nd of 5
1912 1st Grade (Myers Cup) Ponsonby United 10 6 2 2 192 87 105 14 2nd of 6
1913 1st Grade (Myers Cup) Ponsonby United 7 4 0 3 103 65 38 8 4th of 6
1914 1st Grade (Myers Cup) Ponsonby United 10 7 1 2 102 58 44 15 2nd of 6 (Lost 13-2 v Newton in a playoff)
1915 1st Grade Ponsonby United 9 5 1 3 93 63 30 11 3rd of 6
1916 1st Grade Ponsonby United 10 4 1 5 101 86 15 9 4th of 6
1917 1st Grade Ponsonby United 8 7 0 1 109 51 58 14 1st of 6
1918 1st Grade Ponsonby United 9 8 0 1 103 53 50 16 1st of 6
1919 1st Grade (Myers Cup) Ponsonby United 9 7 1 1 110 50 60 15 1st of 8
1920 1st Grade (Myers Cup) Ponsonby United 11 2 2 7 125 160 -35 6 6th of 7
1921 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 9 5 0 4 129 99 30 10 4th of 7
1922 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 14 10 0 4 205 169 36 20 2nd of 8
1923 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 12 4 0 8 118 179 -61 8 5th of 7
1924 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 15 8 0 7 188 144 44 16 5th of 9
1925 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 12 10 0 2 271 113 158 20 2nd of 7
1926 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 12 10 0 2 256 153 103 20 1st of 7 (Beat City 13–8 in a playoff)
1927 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 13 9 1 3 190 111 79 19 2nd of 7
1928 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 12 5 2 5 154 144 10 12 4th of 7
1929 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 15 12 1 2 276 116 160 25 1st of 8
1930 1st Grade (Monteith) Ponsonby United 13 11 0 2 190 138 52 22 1st of 8
1931 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 12 6 1 5 152 143 9 13 4th of 7
1932 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 10 6 0 4 159 158 1 12 3rd of 6
1933 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 10 2 0 8 143 247 -104 4 6th of 6
1934 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 13 7 0 6 139 142 -3 14 3rd of 6
1935 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 12 3 1 8 157 197 -40 7 6th of 7
1936 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 13 7 0 6 191 186 5 14 5th of 8
1937 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 14 7 1 6 177 151 26 15 5th of 8
1938 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 16 8 0 8 176 187 -11 16 6th of 9
1939 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 15 7 1 7 176 204 -28 15 5th of 9
1940 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 15 7 0 8 164 183 -19 14 6th of 9
1941 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 15 6 2 7 171 169 2 14 6th of 9
1942 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 15 7 0 8 119 210 -91 14 3rd of 6
1943 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 15 4 0 11 163 231 -68 8 7th of 9
1944 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 18 10 2 6 158 155 3 22 5th of 10
1945 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 14 9 0 5 222 155 67 18 3rd of 10
Playoffs 2 1 0 1 31 25 6
Roope Rooster 1 0 0 1 13 19 -6 L in R1
Phelan Shield 3 3 0 0 57 40 17 W final 18-15 v City
1990 Cleanaway Div 2 Ponsonby United 21 15 3 3 525 247 212.6% 33 1st of 8
1992 Strand Prem 2 Ponsonby 18 2 0 16 217 491 44.2% 4 10th of 10
1993 Projex Prem 2/3 Grading Ponsonby 15 7 0 8 355 362 92.5% 14 11th of 15
- Projex Premier 3 Ponsonby 8 6 0 2 232 141 164.5% 12 3rd of 8, lost to Tuakau in SF
1994 Premier 2 Ponsonby 26 7 0 19 511 785 65.1% 14 11th of 14
2022 1st Grade (Fox) Ponsonby United 9 3 0 6 228 444 51% 6 8th of 10 in section 1, L v Pakuranga 46–14 in Champ. prel. final
2023 Sharman Cup Ponsonby 11 7 1 3 370 186 15 4th of 10
Playoffs 2 1 0 1 48 40
2024 Fox Qualifying Ponsonby 3 0 0 3 28 124 0 4th of 4
Sharman Cup 10 7 1 2 414 196 15 4th of 10
Playoffs 3 2 0 1 68 58 L final 12-22 v Northcote
1910-45, 1990, 1992-94, 2022-24 TOTAL 599 317 25 257 9683 9054 - 643

Top point scorers (1909-1945)

[edit]

The point scoring lists are compiled from matches played in the first grade side.

Rank Player Start End Appearances Tries Con Pen DG Mk Pts
1 Frank Delgrosso 1919 1933 185 55 188 91 1 0 771
2 Arthur Kay 1933 1945 181 78 87 62 0 0 532
3 George Gardiner 1925 1932 89 44 34 10 0 0 220
4 Jones 1933 1937 - 12 53 28 0 0 198
5 Thomas McClymont 1913 1924 100 28 45 7 0 1 190
6 Leonard Riley 1922 1933 - 56 3 0 0 0 174
7= A (Tab) Cross 1912 1921 69 7 46 27 0 2 171
7= Brian Nordgren 1944 1945 26 27 29 16 0 0 171
7= Brian Riley 1933 1942 - 57 0 0 0 0 171
10 Roy Nurse 1937 1945 - 39 4 9 0 0 143
11 Ivan Littlewood 1922 1934 63 40 5 0 0 0 130
12 Eric McGregor 1918 1923 61 31 7 2 0 0 111
13 Dougie McGregor 1920 1922 40 18 19 6 0 1 106
14 Tim Peckham 1925 1928 57 16 26 1 0 0 102
15 Lou Hutt 1926 1935 111 28 1 0 0 0 86
16 Roy Bright 1932 1935 - 15 13 7 0 0 85
17 Charles Webb 1912 1916 34 5 12 17 3 1 81
18 Charles Savory 1911 1914 21 17 6 7 0 0 77
19 Walter Stockley 1934 1938 - 19 8 1 0 0 75
20 Edgar Morgan 1936 1939 - 21 5 0 0 0 73
21 A Schofield 1929 1931 - 24 0 0 0 0 72
22 Des Williams 1939 1945 - 23 1 0 0 0 71
23 Sydney Cole 1910 1912 18 5 26 0 0 0 67
24= Albert (Bert) Payne 1925 1929 - 22 0 0 0 0 66
24= H Godley 1924 1928 38 22 0 0 0 0 66
26 Dooley Moore 1924 1930 - 20 2 0 0 0 64

Head to Head records

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Top point scorers
Opponent Games Start End Wins Draws Losses Defaults/Forfeits For Against
Eden Ramblers 1911 1913 5 4 1 0 0 158 33
[edit]
Ponsonby 6th grade champions in 1919

References

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  1. ^ "First league club set to mark centenary". Auckland City Harbour News. 31 July 2007. Retrieved 3 November 2011.
  2. ^ John Haynes From All Blacks to All Golds: Rugby League's Pioneers, Christchurch, Ryan and Haynes, 1996. ISBN 0-473-03864-1
  3. ^ Ponsonby United Rugby League Club Archived 2011-07-20 at the Wayback Machine at aucklandleague.co.nz
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