Ponsonby Ponies

Ponsonby Ponies
Club information
Full name Ponsonby United Rugby League Football Club
Colours Hayden Struthers
Founded 1908 (1908)
Website http://www.ponies.kiwi/
Current details
Ground(s)
Coach Billy Slater
Competition Auckland Rugby League
2017 2nd
Records
Premierships 1917, 1918, 1919, 1926, 1929, 1930, 1952, 1954, 1958, 1967, 1972, 1973
Minor premiership 1952, 1954, 1958, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1973
Roope Rooster 1917, 1922, 1923, 1925, 1930, 1944, 1952, 1953, 1972, 1973
Stormont Shield 1925, 1926, 1952, 1967, 1972
Sharman Cup 1990
Phelan Shield 2007

The Ponsonby Ponies are a rugby league club based in Ponsonby, New Zealand. The club was founded in 1908 and is home to Auckland rugby league legend Hayden Struthers. The ponies compete in the Auckland Rugby League Sharman cup competition & are the oldest league club in Nz.

History

The club was founded in August 1908 by two returning All Golds, Billy Tyler and Charlie Dunning.[1] Victoria Park hosted Auckland's first representative rugby league match, between Auckland and Wellington.

The 1912 Ponsonby squad included: 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.[2]

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.

The club was relegated in 1992, since then it has not regained its position in the first division.

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 New Zealand's oldest rugby league club.

Notable players

Between the years 1909 and 1986 Ponsonby developed 48 players that gained New Zealand Representative status.

Notable Former Players include; Des White, Joe Ropati, Mike McLennan, Don Mann, Stacey Jones, David Bailey, Nathaniel Neale, and Hayden Struthers.

References

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