The 1943 Auckland Rugby League season was its 35th. The season was affected once more by World War II with many men away at war. The Auckland Rugby League decided however that there were enough players at the respective senior clubs to have a 9 team competition with no need for any merged sides. This was made easier by the fact that there was no reserve grade competition.
Manukau had an historic season winning all 4 major trophies. They won the Fox Memorial Shield for the third time following its first title in 1936, and second the previous season in 1942. They finished with a 14 win, 2 loss record, and were 4 points ahead of City Rovers. Manukau also won the Rukutai Shield for winning the first round with a 7 win, 1 loss record. The Roope Rooster was won by with a 21–9 win over Ponsonby United, and then a week later they defeated City Rovers 12-9 for the Stormont Shield which was their 3rd consecutive win of this trophy. On October 16 Manukau played the West Coast champions, Blackball. They were regarded as one of the strongest club sides ever seen in the South Island and had easily defeated the Christchurch champions Sydenham, and the Wellington champions, Petone. Manukau trailed in the second half before a strong finish saw them run out 23-9 winners. The stars for the Manukau side during the season were Tom Butler, Jack Hemi, Jim Murray, George Shilton, Aubrey Thompson, and Puti Tipene Watene. The side was almost entirely composed of Māori players, many of whom had been recruited from around the North Island over the current and preceding seasons. North Shore Albions had a season to forget. Their combined side with Marist in the previous season had finished last in 1942 and in 1943 they came last once again with a 2 win, 1 draw, 12 loss record. They were then knocked out of the Roope Rooster competition in the first round and then lost in the first round of the Phelan Shield 32–0 to City Rovers.
The representative season was short once again due in part to the war. It opened with a match between Auckland Pākehā and Auckland Māori on September 4 which was drawn 13-13. The Māori side was dominated by Manukau players with 8 of the 13 from that club. Auckland played 2 matches against South Auckland who were the northern Waikato side of the time. They lost both matches with sides that could generally be described as under strength. In their first match they were made up of 5 of the 9 club sides with the other 4 playing in the Roope Rooster competition on the same day, then in the return match with South Auckland the champion Manukau side was away and so all of their players were unavailable.
Annual General Meetings and Club News.
ARL Junior Control Board.
They held their annual meeting in the League Rooms, Courthouse Lane on Tuesday, March 30 at 8pm. The junior control board advised in mid April that the following officers were elected:- chairman, Mr. E. Chapman; deputy-chairman, Mr. C. Howe; secretary, Mr. W.F. Clarke; assistant secretary and grounds allocator, Mr. G. Stonex. The board expressed their frustration at their meeting in mid May that clubs were granting transfers to junior players without the consent of the board. Chairman Mr. E. Chapman “cited several cases of flagrant defiance of the conditions” and “complaints were referred to the clubs concerned”.
ARL Referees Association.
The held their Annual Meeting in the A.R.L Board Rooms in Grey's Buildings on Monday, March 8 at 8pm. Their honorary secretary was Thomas E. Skinner.
Avondale League Football Club.
Avondale held their annual meeting on Tuesday, April 6 at 8pm in the Labour Party's Room at St. George's Road in Avondale. All coaches and intending players were asked to attend. Their honorary secretary was H.W. Green. On July 9 the Avondale club published a memorial for Norm York, their clubmate who had passed away on July 8, 1940.
City Rovers.
City Rovers held a practice at Carlaw Park on Saturday in early April at 2:30 and on each Tuesday and Thursday evening thereafter from 5 to 7pm. Their secretary was Ernie Asher. At the June 2 meeting of the ARL a request was made by the City Rovers club to play a game in Wellington in the second round of the competition when they had a bye. A decision was deferred. At the June 9 meeting they were granted permission to play a match in Wellington when they had their bye.
Ellerslie United League Football Club.
Ellerslie held their annual general meeting at the Parish Hall in Ellerslie on March 22 at 8pm. Their honorary secretary was Mr. G. Whaley. They held a practice for all grades at Ellerslie School Ground on Saturday, April 3 at 2.30pm. A further practice was advertised for Saturday, April 17 at Ellerslie Reserve at 2.30pm for all grades with instructions for all players to meet at the League Rooms the night before to weigh in.
Green Lane Rugby League Club.
Green Lane held their annual meeting in the Old Fire Station on Green Lane Road, on Monday, April 5 at 8pm. Their honorary secretary was W. Cheesman.
Glenora Rugby League Football Club.
Glenora lost two of their best junior players to Mt Albert at the start of the season, G.E. Balcombe (forward) and A. Jones (second five).
Manukau Rugby League Football Club.
on October 9 the Manukau side travelled to Taihape to play the Taihape Māori side. The local team was composed of rugby players and after the match the rugby union banned them from the game for playing a rugby league match.
Marist Brothers Old Boys League Football Club.
MaristOld Boys held their annual meeting at the rugby league rooms on Courthouse Lane on Thursday, 25 March at 7.45pm. Jack Kirwan was their honorary secretary. They held a meeting at the Courthouse Lane ARL Rooms on Friday, March 26 for all junior and schoolboy players. Lance Corporal Charles Henry Patrick Malone died on March 24, 1943, from his wounds. He was the only son of Mr. Charles Daniel Malone, and Mrs. Lilian Evelyn Malone who lived on New North Road in Kingsland. He was 26 years of age and had been educated at Marist Brothers’ School and the Seddon Memorial Technical College. He played rugby league for the Marist club and was also noted as a “keen sportsman”. He left New Zealand with the First Echalon and was part of the 24 Infantry Battalion. Malone was taken prisoner at Bardia while he was attending to wounded soldiers. He was later rescued by the British, but was wounded during action on Ruwersat Ridge. He recovered but after being posted with his unit again was wounded once more on an allied push in Tunisia, North Africa. He was buried at Sfax War Cemetery, Tunisia. He is memorialised at the Auckland War Memorial Museum, in the World War 2 Hall of Memories.
Mt. Albert United Rugby League Football Club.
Mt Albert held their Annual General Meeting at their club headquarters at Fowld's Park in Morningside on Monday, March 15. Their honorary secretary was F.W. Clements. They advertised a practice at Fowlds Park in Morningside for Saturday, March 20 at 2pm. Their honorary secretary was F.W. Clements. On August 28 Mt Albert held a “Welcome Home Dance” for their “returned boys on furlough from the Middle East” at 8pm at the St George's Hall in Kingsland. And advertisement was placed by Mrs. H. Wood, the secretary of the Ladies Social Committee.
Newton Rangers Football Club.
Newton Rangers held their annual meeting on March 22 with Mr. M.J. Hooper presiding. The following officers were elected:- Patron, Mr. Hooper; patroness, Mrs. J.A. Lee; vice patron, Mr. A. Blakey; president, Hon. W.E. Parry; hon. secretary, Mr. W. Treston; club captain, J. Ginders; schools’ board delegate, Mr. M. McKay; coach, Mr. Roy Hardgrave; committee, Messrs. Dyer, Dunn, B. Zimmerman, Hardgrave, Moyle, Fred Zimmerman, Everitt, and Laurensen. They held practises at Carlaw Park on Saturday, March 27, at 2pm for all grades. Their honorary secretary was Mr. J.A. Mackinnon.
North Shore Albions.
Henry Raymond ‘Harry’ Zane-Zaninovich was killed in action in the Western Desert, Middle East on January 17, 1943. He played senior league for North Shore and also Manukau. He was 23 years of age. North Shore Albions held their annual meeting in their football shed on Vauxhill Road on Monday, March 29 at 8pm. Their honorary secretary was M.W. Coghlan. Former North Shore player John Fraser King was killed in action in Tunisia on March 26, 1943. He was married to Dorothy Beatrice King and living on Tahatai Street in Otahuhu at the time of his departure for war. He was the second son of Mr. John Brownlow King and Mrs. Isobel Blackeston King of Devonport. King had left for the war with the Third Echelon and was part of the 24 Infantry Battalion. He had previously served in World War I and was a sergeant in WW2. King was buried at the Sfax War Cemetery, Tunisia. He is memorialised on Devonport Memorial Drive, Auckland, and at the Auckland War Memorial Museum in the World War 2 Hall of Memories.
On Saturday, August 7 Jack Campbell, the former New Zealand representative and North Shore player was wed to Wilma Stirling. Campbell was home from the war on furlough. Stirling was the sister of Ivor Stirling, another New Zealand league representative, while she was a junior high school swimming champion at Whangarei High School, while her sister, Dulcie, was a New Zealand Hockey representative. Their niece, Glenda Stirling would go on to represent New Zealand at swimming in the 1968 Olympic Games and their nephew Ken Stirling also represented New Zealand at rugby league.
Papakura Rugby League Football Club.
In late May Mr. S. Heron, who was secretary of the Papakura Amateur Athletic Club and speaking on behalf of the Papakura Rugby League Club asked the Papakura Borough Council if they would receive a “deputation of both clubs for the purpose of discussing matters relative to Prince Edward Park. The council agreed to receive the deputation. In late June the Amateur Athletic Club and Papakura Rugby League Club sent a delegation to the Papakura Borough Council meeting to request a lease of Prince Edward Park of 5 years. There were “various speakers [who] pointed out that they had considerable money available to spend on buildings and laying out work, but required some security of tenure before spending any money on many needed improvements that were necessary for the successful running of the sports of the two clubs”. Mayor Mr. S Evans spoke on the fairness to ratepayers of having two clubs having full power over the park and that the council should be represented on the committee of control. The deputation was then promised that the matter would come before the Domain Board for discussion before any decisions were reached. On August 7 Len Cooke broke his jaw in a match after receiving a kick in the face. He was taken to Auckland Hospital for treatment before returning home. It was said that he was one of the clubs best players and had kicked many goals for his side.
Point Chevalier League Football Club.
Point Chevalier held practice for all grades at Walker Park on Saturday, April 3 at 2pm. Their honorary secretary was Mr. A.G. Daniels. In August the honorary secretary, A. G. Daniels thanked those who donated at the benefit dance for the club.
Ponsonby United Football Club.
 Gunner, Walter Goodwin was killed in action on June 18, 1942, however his death was not reported in the newspapers until January 1943. He was a prominent member of the Ponsonby club and played for the senior side in the early 1930s including the side which won the championship in 1930. Ponsonby held a committee meeting on Monday, March 1 and their Annual Meeting on Monday, March 8 at 7pm at the Leys Institute. Ponsonby held practises for all grades at Carlaw Park on Tuesday's and Thursday's at 5pm and also on Saturday afternoons prior to the commencement of the season. On April 7 Ponsonby made an application to play a game against a South Auckland (upper Waikato) club on Easter Saturday. However a decision was deferred as it was not known if club matches would be taking place on that date. In September former player Flight Sergeant