Ponsonby United Rugby League

   Club History  

PONSONBY PONIES 100 YEAR JUBILEE
In 1951 for the first time Ponsonby had a permanent base when they acquired Clubrooms and Grounds at Clarence Street (formerly the site of the old potteries).  However in 1973 they lost these clubrooms when the land was required for the now Ponsonby Intermediate School.

In 1975 a lease was secured on a building in Blake Street to be used as Clubrooms.  This situation continued until 1994 when the committee was forced to sell to clear debts that had been incurred.  With the funds left, a trust was formed and from the interest received annually, plus fundraising and careful handling by the Committee, the club has been able to continue functioning.  All their efforts have been to regain the strength they had in the early days.

Between the years 1909 and 1986 Ponsonby developed 48 players that gained N.Z Representative status. 

At this stage we now have the use of Victoria Park as our home ground with the stand and changing rooms as part of our clubrooms.

The upstairs facilities are just what the club has always wanted.  There are windows overlooking the fields, seating and tables, kitchen and bar facilities which all makes for comfort during and after game enjoyment.  These facilities will be open each Saturday from 4.30pm.

NINETY YEARS
1895 - The game of Rugby League came into being at a meeting in the George Hotel in Huddersfield on 29 August 1895.  Representatives of the Lancashire and Yorkshire clubs decided to form their own Northern Rugby Football Union.  The new Union came into being on 3 September with Batley, Bradford, Brighouse, Halifax, Huddersfield, Hull, Hunslet, Leeds, Liversedge, Manningham and Wakefield (Lancashire) and Broughton, Leigh, Oldham, Rochdale, St Helens, Widnes, Wigan, Tyldesley and Warrington (Yorkshire) the original clubs.  Stockport also joined and took part in the first games which were played on 7 September 1895.

1908 - The pioneering All Golds arrived back from their long tour of Australia and Great Britain. The first game of ruby league played in New Zealand took place at Athletic Park in Wellington on 13 June 1908.  Over six thousand people watched an exhibition match between two teams formed from the recently returned All Golds.  Two of the pioneering All Golds, Billy Tyler and Charlie Dunning returned to help set up (and play) for Ponsonby.

Enthusiasts held meetings and organised friendly games.  The very first such meeting was held in the cellar of the Rob Roy Hotel, but it had to be scheduled for when the Freemans Bay tide was out!  The name Ponsonby United Football Club was adopted from a famous junior soccer team, playing on old Surrey Hills, now known as Grey Lynn.

The first representative match played in Auckland took place at Victoria Park on 22 August 1908, between Auckland and Wellington.  In this match, Scotch MacDonald and Syd Riley, along with Dunning and Tyler, became Ponsonby's first Auckland representatives.  Dunning was the Auckland captain.

The very first Ponsonby players, those who appeared in 1908 were: Arthur Carlaw, J Chorley, Charlie Dunning, W Hooper, B Kean, Pip Webb, V Hunter, Tom Lynch, Scotch MacDonald, Harry Oakley, M Stanaway, Syd Riley, Billy Tyler and J Warner.  (W Tyler was a member of the All Golds who played for Psonsonby on his return)

Year by Year Events - Ponsonby United - Ninety Years